Hey everyone, this is Jake, owner of a small wooden pen box supply company—yeah, I know, not the most flashy gig, but there’s something low-key satisfying about making things that hold people’s favorite pens, right? A while back, a bunch of my customers hit me up saying they wanted to make their own little pen boxes at home for their desk setup, or as a tiny gift for a pen-obsessed friend, but had no clue where to start. So I spent a weekend testing a super simple, no-fuss design that even total newbies can pull off, and now I’m here to walk you through it. No fancy tools, no complicated woodworking jargon, just straight-up stuff that works. Let’s dive in. Wooden Pen Box
First off, let’s get the basics straight: this pen box isn’t going to be the kind with dovetail joints or laser-etched logos—we’re going for functional, quick, and totally doable in an afternoon. It fits 3-4 standard ballpoint or fountain pens, which is perfect for a daily carry, desk drawer, or even slipping in a backpack. The materials are easy to get, too. I used pine for my test run because it’s cheap, lightweight, and doesn’t warp super easily if you seal it right, but you could also use poplar, cedar, or even reclaimed pallet wood if you’ve got scraps lying around. Just skip anything too thick or too twisty—stability matters here.
For tools, you don’t need a whole workshop. I grabbed a tape measure, a pencil, a miter saw (or even a circular saw works, if that’s what you’ve got), a sanding block (120-grit and 220-grit, nothing fancy), wood glue, a clamp, and a small piece of felt for the lining. Oh, and a finish—mineral oil works great for beginners, no harsh fumes, just needs a day to dry. If you don’t have a saw that can cut straight, even a box cutter and a straight edge can work for thinner wood, as long as you take your time. I’ll note tweaks for different tools as we go, so no one gets left behind.
First step: cut your wood pieces. I measured the inside of a random pen I had lying around—about 14cm long, 1.5cm wide, 1cm thick. That’s what we’ll base all cuts on. For the main box, you’ll need five pieces total: two side pieces, one bottom, one back, and one lid. Let’s break down the cuts:
- Side pieces: 15cm long, 3cm wide. Wait, why 15cm instead of 14? We’re adding a little extra so the lid overlaps the front by a centimeter to keep it closed.
- Bottom piece: 14cm long, 4cm wide. That fits the length of the pen, and the width adds a little space for the pens to sit without squishing.
- Back piece: 14cm long, 3cm wide. Same length as the pen, so it lines up perfectly with the bottom’s back edge.
- Lid piece: 15cm long, 3.5cm wide. A little wider than the sides so it covers the gap when closed.
Quick tip: measure twice, cut once. I learned that the hard way when my first side piece was 2mm too short and wouldn’t fit the bottom. If you’re using a hand saw, clamp the wood to a workbench (or even a sturdy table) so it doesn’t wobble, and make slow, steady cuts—no rushing here, a wobbly cut is a bad cut.
Once all your pieces are cut, it’s time to sand. This part’s tedious, but super important—no one wants splinters when they’re grabbing their favorite pen. Start with the 120-grit sandpaper to smooth out any saw marks, especially the edges of your cuts. Then switch to 220-grit to get it nice and smooth, going with the grain of the wood, not against it. If you sand against the grain, you’ll get little lines that show through the finish later. Don’t forget the inner edges too—where the side pieces meet the bottom, those spots will rub against the pens, so smooth them down good.
Next, put the box together. I’m using a simple butt joint here, no fancy joinery, which is why this is so easy. First, run a thin line of wood glue along the edges of the bottom piece, then attach the two side pieces to the bottom’s long sides. Make sure they’re flush with the back edge of the bottom—this is where the back piece will sit later. Clamp the sides in place tightly, and let the glue dry for at least 30 minutes, but I’d wait an hour just to be safe. If you don’t have a clamp, you can use heavy books stacked on top, just wrap the wood in a rag so you don’t scratch the finish.
Once the sides are dry, add the back piece. Run a little glue on the end of the back, fit it snugly between the two sides, and clamp it to the sides and bottom. Wipe off any excess glue with a damp rag right away—if it dries, it’ll leave a hard, ugly spot you have to sand later. Let this whole assembly dry for another two hours before moving on.
Now, the lid. This is super straightforward too. The lid is just another little box that sits on top of your main box. I glued two short scrap pieces to the ends of the lid’s long top piece? No, wait—my lid is a single top piece with two thin side strips glued to its underside, so it fits over the main box’s sides. If that sounds confusing, just glue two 1.5cm-wide, 14cm-long strips to the underside of your 15cm-long lid piece, spaced so the gap between them is the same as the main box’s width. That way it slides right over. Let the lid dry for at least an hour, then test it to make sure it fits—if it’s too tight, sand the edges a little; too loose, add a tiny bit of felt padding to the inside of the lid.
Now, the lining. Pens are expensive, right? You don’t want them scratching against raw wood. Cut a piece of felt the same size as the inner bottom of your main box, and glue it in place with a tiny dot of craft glue along the edges—no need to cover the whole thing, just enough so it doesn’t slip. For the lid, cut two thin strips of felt to line the underside, so when you close it, it doesn’t scratch the tops of the pens either. Pro move here: if you want to fancy it up, you can add a small piece of leather or even old fabric scraps instead of felt, it works just as well.
Last step: finish. This is what protects the wood and gives it that nice look. Mineral oil is my go-to for beginners because it’s non-toxic, cheap, and easy to apply. Just wipe a thin layer all over the box and lid, inside and out, and let it soak in for 15 minutes. Then wipe off any excess with a clean rag, and let it dry for 24 hours. You can do a second coat if you want, but one is enough for a simple pen box. If you’d rather use something else, beeswax works too—just melt it a little, wipe it on, buff it after it dries. Avoid polyurethane if you’re new; it’s sticky, smells weird, and is way harder to fix if you mess up.
I tested this whole design last month, and my 16-year-old nephew even made one for his fountain pen using just a handsaw and sandpaper from a hardware store. It turned out way better than I expected. The only mistakes I made? I forgot to sand the inner back edge once, and he almost nicked his pen while putting it away, so that’s why I emphasized the inner edges. Also, make sure your lid’s sides are aligned straight—one of my early lids was a little slanted, so it didn’t close all the way, but a quick sand fixed it.
Now, if you don’t want to mess with building one from scratch—no judgment, I get it, sometimes you just need a perfect pen box for your collection or a gift—well, that’s where my team and I come in. We make custom wooden pen boxes in all sizes, from single-slot ones for your favorite limited-edition pen to multi-slot ones for your whole pen lineup. We use the same simple, durable design we just talked about, but we can add engraved names, logos, or even different woods if you want something fancier. A lot of our customers are pen collectors or small stationery brands that order bulk boxes, but we also do small runs for individual people too. If you’re interested in ordering, whether it’s a single box or a large bulk order, just reach out to our team to chat about what you need. We’re all about making stuff that fits your needs, no weird hoops to jump through.
Now, before I wrap up, let me throw in a few quick pro tips to make your homemade pen box even better. First, if you’re using pine, it might have little knots—nothing a quick sanding won’t fix, but you can also paint over knots if you want a uniform color. Second, if you’re making this as a gift, add a little personalized touch, like a stamp with the recipient’s initials on the lid—makes it way more thoughtful. Third, test the fit of your pens before you glue everything together—some fountain pens are a little thicker, so you might need to widen the inner gap by a millimeter.
This whole process took me about 2 hours, start to finish, not including drying time. It’s way easier than it sounds, even if you’ve never held a saw before. I’ve seen so many people say woodworking is too complicated, but this simple design proves you don’t need a whole workshop to make something useful.
So that’s it! If you give this a shot, tag me if you post it on Instagram or whatever—I’d love to see how yours turns out. And if you’re not in the DIY mood, or you need a reliable supplier for bulk pen boxes, don’t hesitate to connect with our team to discuss your requirements. We’re here to help, no matter if you need one box or a thousand.
Wooden Crates References
- Finelli, J. (2021). The Beginner’s Guide to Simple Woodworking Projects. Popular Woodworking Magazine.
- Miller, S. (2019). Wood Finishes for Hobbyists: Low-Fuss, High-Impact Options. Fine Woodworking.
- Taylor, R. (2022). Custom Wooden Gifts: DIY Ideas for Pen and Pencil Holders. Handmade Hub.
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