Free Wooden Bowl Plans: A Stacked-Ring Bowl With No Lathe, Cut List and Diagrams

This free plan builds a hardwood bowl without a lathe. A base disc and four flat rings are cut from one 1 × 8 board, glued in a stack and sanded to a smooth curve. The post gives the ring sizes, a section drawing, a cutting diagram, step-by-step diagrams and care notes. You can also download the plan as a printable PDF, with no sign-up.

Every cut is a straight, square cut with a scroll saw or jigsaw. The rings are cut a little larger than the finished shape, so sanding removes the steps. Most of the work is sanding, so plan for dust collection and a mask.

Wooden Bowl Plans at a Glance

Finished size	About 6-3/4 in. across and 3-3/4 in. high, with a 4-1/2 in. foot
Wood	One 1 × 8 × 4 ft. hardwood board: maple, cherry or walnut
Method	Five layers, 3/4 in. thick, glued in a stack and sanded
Skill level	Beginner to intermediate
Build time	About 4 hours of work, plus glue drying (estimate)
Finish	Food-grade mineral oil

How This Bowl Is Designed

• No lathe. Each layer is a flat ring with straight, square edges. The curve comes from sanding.
• Sized from the finished shape. Each ring is 1/16 in. larger outside and smaller inside than the finished wall, so there is wood to sand away.
• Strong glue joints. Each ring overlaps the one below by at least 1/2 in.
• Food-safe materials. Titebond states that Titebond III is approved for indirect food contact, and mineral oil is a simple finish for items used with food (USDA Forest Products Laboratory; Woodcraft).

Tools You Need

• Compass, tape measure, square and pencil
• Scroll saw, or a jigsaw with a fine, narrow blade
• Drill with a 3/8 in. bit for the starter holes
• Clamps, or a heavy weight and a flat board
• Belt or disc sander, or a rasp, for the outside
• Drum sander for a drill, or sandpaper wrapped on a dowel, for the inside
• Sandpaper in 60, 80, 120, 180 and 220 grit
• Safety glasses, hearing protection and a dust mask

Follow the instructions that came with your tools, and see our woodworking safety rules.

Materials and Supplies

Item	Actual size	Quantity
1 × 8 × 4 ft. hardwood board: maple, cherry or walnut	3/4 × 7-1/4 in.	1
Wood glue labelled for indirect food contact, such as Titebond III	—	1 bottle
Food-grade mineral oil	—	1 bottle
Beeswax or a board butter (optional)	—	1

Choose a flat, straight-grained board with no cracks. Our guide on where to buy wood covers hardwood suppliers.

Ring Sizes

Diameters in inches, before sanding. The letter matches the drawings.

Part	Name	Thickness	Outside	Inside	Square blank
A	Base disc	3/4	5-3/8	—	5-5/8 × 5-5/8
B	Ring 1	3/4	6	4-3/8	6-1/4 × 6-1/4
C	Ring 2	3/4	6-1/2	5	6-3/4 × 6-3/4
D	Ring 3	3/4	6-7/8	5-1/2	7-1/8 × 7-1/8
E	Ring 4 (rim)	3/4	6-7/8	5-7/8	7-1/8 × 7-1/8

Cutting Diagram

How the Layers Fit Together

Section Through the Bowl

The section shows each ring as cut, and the finished shape inside them.

How to Make the Wooden Bowl, Step by Step

Step 1: Cut Five Squares

Trim 1 in. off the end of the board. Cut five squares: 5-5/8, 6-1/4, 6-3/4, 7-1/8, 7-1/8 in., one for each layer. Line the grain up the same way on every square, and keep it that way when you glue.

Step 2: Find the Centres

Draw both diagonals on each square. Where they cross is the centre. Mark each square with its letter, A to E.

Step 3: Mark the Rings

On square A, draw one circle for the base disc. On squares B to E, draw the outside and inside circles from the same centre, using the sizes in the cut list. Drill a 3/8 in. starter hole just inside each inner line.

Step 4: Cut the Rings

Cut the inside circles first: thread the blade through the starter hole and cut on the waste side of the line. Then cut the outside circles. Cut just outside the outer line and just inside the inner line, so there is wood to sand away. Keep the cut square to the face.

Step 5: Glue the Stack

Spread a thin, even coat of glue on the top of the base disc. Set ring B on it, centred by eye, with the grain lined up. Add rings C, D and E the same way. Put a flat board on top and clamp it, or press it down with a heavy weight. Titebond III gives 8 to 10 minutes of open time at 70°F, so glue one layer at a time if you need longer. Let it dry overnight.

Step 6: Shape the Bowl

Sand the outside first, until the steps are gone and the side follows a smooth curve from the 4-1/2 in. foot to the rim. Then sand the inside to a wall about 5/16 in. thick. Check the thickness with your fingers as you go. Work through 80, 120, 180 and 220 grit.

Step 7: Oil the Bowl

Wipe off the dust. Flood the bowl with food-grade mineral oil, let it soak in for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess. Repeat a few times over a day. Mineral oil does not dry, so the bowl can be used once the surface is wiped dry.

Care Notes

• Wash by hand with warm water and mild dish soap, then dry it right away.
• Do not soak it or put it in the dishwasher. Too much water can crack the wood or open the glue lines.
• Oil it when the wood looks dry, with food-grade mineral oil or beeswax.
• Avoid olive and vegetable oil. They can turn sticky and rancid.
• Use it for fruit, bread, salad and dry snacks.

Selling This Wooden Bowl

• State the size, the wood, the glue and the finish, and say the bowl is oiled with food-grade mineral oil.
• Include the care notes with each bowl.
• Contrasting woods in alternate layers make a striped bowl that stands out.

Rules for food-contact items can differ by state, and marketplaces may have their own. Check them before you sell. This is general information, not legal advice.

Work out your price from your wood, glue, oil, time and selling fees. See how to set the final selling price on your craft and how to sell woodworking projects. Our cutting board plans use the same glue and finish, and the top 10 woodcrafts to sell has more ideas.

Download the Printable Wooden Bowl Plan

The PDF has 8 pages on US Letter paper. It includes the ring sizes, the cutting diagram, every drawing in this post, the steps and a care card. It is free, with no sign-up.

Download the wooden bowl plan (PDF)

Build status: plan checked by calculation; not yet test-built. Facts checked: November 2026.

Sources

• Titebond, Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue product page (indirect food contact; open assembly time)
• Knaebe, M., 1998, Finishes for Wood Bowls, Butcher Blocks, and Other Items Used for Food, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (archived copy)
• Woodcraft, Food-Safer Finishes
• University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bulletin 3108: Safe Cutting Boards: Materials, Usage, and Cleaning Tips