One board is enough to start.

Most woodworking plans assume you already have a shop, a lumber rack, and a pile of offcuts. These don't. Each project names a single standard board you can buy at any home center, and the cut diagram shows every piece laid out on that board with the saw kerf accounted for. If it's on this site, it fits.

The constraint is the point. One board keeps the cost low, keeps the project finishable in an afternoon, and forces the design to be honest about material. It's also a good way to learn: you'll get more out of building three small things well than one big thing badly.

How measurements work here

All dimensions are actual, not nominal. A 2x4 is 1½ by 3½ inches. Cut lists assume a ⅛-inch kerf, which is typical for a circular saw or miter saw blade. Thin-kerf blades and hand saws leave a little more material; that only helps. One thing to watch when buying: a full 8-foot 2x4 is 96 inches, but the precut studs stacked next to them are 92⅝ inches. The plans here assume the full length.

Photos

Projects are published with cut diagrams first and photos as they're built. If a page has no photos yet, the plan has still been checked for fit.