Here’s How to Make a Wooden Dough Bowl

A wooden dough bowl was once a staple in every kitchen back when homemakers used to make their own bread. The bowl serves as a vessel for the fresh dough to rise, with the wood providing natural insulation to keep the yeast warm. Traditionally hand-carved, dough bowls were often kept in the family and passed down through generations. In fact, they’re now often used as attractive décor pieces rather than kitchen tools. That’s what DIY expert Kathryn Mattis had in mind. Follow her easy steps below to make your own dough bowl.

Here’s What You Need*:

• (1) 2”x10” Spruce (8-foot length) 

• Wood Glue 

• Sandpaper (Assorted Grits) 

• Benchmark Orbital Sander 

• Benchmark Orbital Jig Saw 

• Benchmark Cordless Drill 

• Clamps 

• Stain 

*Lumber may vary depending on your location. To see all your options, use our Store Locator to find the Home Hardware Building Centre or Home Building Centre closest to you.

Here’s How to Make It

I love to add a rustic touch to my Christmas decor each and every year. Greenery and natural wood tones are my usual go-to. This year I wanted to create the perfect centerpiece to complement our style and this DIY Dough Bowl is the perfect seasonal decor vessel!  Not only can I use it as part of my Christmas decor, I can also style it for every season. With help from our local  Home Hardware and a little time and patience, I was able to create this three-foot vessel out of just one simple spruce board!

Step 1: Tracing the Template

I decided 36” was an ideal length for my dough bowl so I traced out my template accordingly onto the wood. This was to be the top piece of the bowl.

Step 2: Cutting the Template

Next, I used my jig saw to cut out the traced template of the top board.

Step 3: Outlining the Bottom Board

Once this piece was cut, I placed it on top of the remaining board and used this as the template to outline the bottom board. Then I traced out the center of the top board to create a long oval shape, leaving a 2-inch edge around the perimeter.

Step 4: Drilling the Starter Holes

Using a large drill bit, I drilled a few holes just within this outline. I made sure the holes were big enough to fit my jig saw blade, as these are my starter holes for cutting out the center of the board.

Step 5: Sanding the Edges

Once cut, I began to work on all edges of the upper board with my orbital sander. You can also use a steel draw knife for this to create a more rustic look.

Step 6: Joining the Boards

To join the board, I added a generous amount of wood glue to the outer edge of the bottom board, then placed the top board on top and clamped each end down. I used a combination of sawdust and wood glue to create a paste and filled in the joint line around the bowl. I allowed 24 hours for the glue to set before removing the clamps.

Step 7: Tapering the Bowl

I set my table saw to 30 degrees and carefully ran all four sides of the boards along the blade to give my bowl a tapered shape.

Step 8: Shaping the Ends

I used a rough grit paper in my sander to sand down the join seam and shape the cut ends of the bowl even more. Then I gave the bowl one final sanding with a finishing grit of 220.

I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Woodworking truly is an art and I have to say that I really enjoyed this creative process of carving this piece into a vintage replica. To get this styled look I simply lined the base with floral foam, added my candlesticks, tucked in my greenery, and filled the gaps with my ornaments! Many thanks again for the tools and tips from the staff at our local Home Hardware.