Wood Burned Spoons: A Simple Beginner Project

What you need

• Untreated, unfinished wooden spoons with smooth handles, plus a spare
• A pyrography pen with a pointed or fine tip, and its manual
• A heat-proof stand and surface, safety glasses and good ventilation
• Pencil, graphite transfer paper or tracing paper, and a soft eraser
• Fine sandpaper
• A finish labelled suitable for food-contact wooden utensils, with its instructions

Why spoons are a great beginner project

Wooden spoons are inexpensive, useful and quick to decorate, and the handle gives you a long, narrow canvas that suits simple repeating designs. They make a lovely gift, and a set of spoons with matching motifs looks thoughtful and polished.

They are also a gentle introduction to burning on a curved surface. A spoon handle is not flat, so it teaches you to steady the work and to keep a consistent speed as the surface changes. Start with a flat, smooth handle before attempting a heavily curved one. For simpler first projects, see the easy wood burning ideas.

Choosing spoons

Choose spoons that are:

• Unfinished and untreated, with no varnish, paint or oil that could be heated. If you are not sure, do not burn it.
• Smooth, with a handle free of splinters and rough patches.
• Made of pale, fine-grained wood. Light colour shows the burn clearly.
• A comfortable shape, with a handle wide enough to carry your design.

Avoid spoons that have already been used for cooking, since they may contain food residue, oil or moisture. Buy a spare spoon for practice. See the best wood for wood burning guide for wood choices.

Design ideas for handles

Handles suit narrow, linear designs that follow their length.

• A single vine with small leaves running down the handle.
• A row of dots or dashes, evenly spaced.
• A short sprig of herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, near the top of the handle.
• A geometric band, such as diamonds or zigzags, around the upper handle.
• Initials or a small monogram at the top of the handle.

Leave space around the design so the handle looks balanced. A matching motif on each spoon in a set ties them together.

Step by step: burn a wooden spoon

1. Check the spoon is untreated and unfinished, and sand the handle smooth with fine sandpaper. Brush off the dust.
2. Plan your design on paper at actual size, and check it fits the handle with space at the ends.
3. Transfer the design lightly in pencil. For a narrow handle, transfer short sections at a time.
4. Set up your heat-proof stand and surface, open a window and put on safety glasses.
5. Steady the spoon on the bench so that it cannot roll. A non-slip mat or a small cushion of folded cloth beneath the bowl helps.
6. Warm up on a spare spoon or scrap, and test your heat and speed.
7. Burn the outline of your design in short, connected strokes, turning the spoon as you go.
8. Add small details, such as veins, with a light touch.
9. Switch off, unplug and let the pen cool completely on its stand.
10. Clean off pencil marks and dust, then apply a suitable finish and allow it to cure.

Burning on curves

A curved surface changes the contact between the tip and the wood, so lines can become darker where the surface comes toward you and lighter where it falls away. A few habits help.

• Rotate the spoon so that the area you are burning faces you and is as flat as possible.
• Keep your speed steady and use a light touch.
• Work in short sections, and keep the pen’s angle consistent.
• Choose simple designs on strongly curved parts, and save detail for flatter areas.
• Practise the design on the back of a spare spoon before you burn the real one.

Keep the decoration away from the bowl

Decorate the handle, not the bowl. The bowl touches food, hot liquids and washing water, so it should stay as plain as possible. Burned areas are slightly rougher than bare wood, and a smooth bowl is easier to clean. A good rule is to keep the design on the upper handle, well away from the bowl and the area that touches food.

Food-safe finishing

A spoon needs a finish that suits contact with food. “Food-safe” depends on the exact product and its cure, so rely on the label. Many people use a mineral oil or wax blend made for wooden kitchen utensils, applied in thin coats and re-applied occasionally. Some cured finishes also state that they are suitable for food contact once fully cured. Test the product on a burned scrap first, since it may darken the burn. Follow the label for application and curing, and do not use the spoon until the cure time has passed. For more, see how to seal wood burning projects.

Care instructions

A decorated spoon will last longer with gentle care.

• Wash by hand with mild soap and warm water, and dry it straight away.
• Do not soak it or put it in a dishwasher.
• Do not leave it on a hot pan or near direct heat.
• Re-apply a suitable oil or wax occasionally, as the finish label advises.

Include a small care card if you give the spoon as a gift.

Gifting ideas

Tie a set of spoons with twine and a sprig of herbs, add a small jar of spice mix or tea, or wrap a single spoon with a recipe card. A set of three spoons with a matching motif is a nice gift for a housewarming, wedding or new cook. For other gift ideas and packaging, see wood burned gift ideas.

Designing a matching spoon set

A set of spoons looks best when the designs relate to one another without being identical. Choose one shared element, such as a thin border band near the top of each handle, and give each spoon its own small motif, such as rosemary, thyme or a simple leaf. Keep the heights of the designs consistent by marking the same distance from the end of each handle in pencil. If the spoons vary in size, scale the motif rather than the spacing, so the set still looks deliberate. Make a paper template for the shared band and trace it onto every handle.

Common problems when burning spoons

• The spoon rolls or tilts. Support the bowl with a folded cloth or a non-slip mat, and rest the handle on the bench.
• Lines look darker on one side. The curve of the handle changes the contact. Rotate the spoon so the area you burn faces you, and use a lighter touch.
• The tip drags on the grain. Sand the handle smoother, and burn with the grain where you can.
• The finish smudges the design. Brush off ash first and apply the first coat lightly.
• The spoon feels rough after finishing. Lightly smooth with very fine sandpaper between coats, as the finish label allows.

The guide to common wood burning mistakes explains more fixes.

Planning a spoon gift

Allow time. Practise on a spare spoon, burn the real spoons in short sessions, then leave time for the finish to dry and cure before wrapping. A realistic plan is a few days for burning and finishing, plus the cure time on the finish label. Add a care card that says to hand-wash, dry straight away and re-oil occasionally, so the spoon lasts. Wrapping spoons in kraft paper, with twine and a small herb sprig, makes a gift that looks as thoughtful as it is.

Next steps

When you are comfortable with spoons, try a serving board with a burned border or a matching set of coasters. For design practice, see the wood burning techniques guide.

Your next small step

Choose one technique to practise before starting a finished piece. Read the linked guides for the material, transfer and finishing questions that apply to your project.

• How to Transfer a Pattern to Wood (4 Easy Methods)
• How to Seal Wood Burning Projects (Safe and Lasting Finishes)
• 20 Wood Burned Gift Ideas for Every Occasion