You can turn custom wooden knobs for doors, drawers, and lids on a lathe, choosing both the profile and the wood to suit the project. Bob Hunter’s WOOD magazine guide, updated August 8, 2022, demonstrates three designs: a Shaker-style mushroom knob with a glue-in tenon, a beaded three-fillet knob mounted with a screw, and a larger screw-on mushroom knob.
Choose the profile and mounting method
The mounting method shapes the turning process. Hunter’s small, classic mushroom design has a tenon that fits into a hole drilled in the furniture. The other two designs attach with a screw; the guide uses a wooden screw chuck to hold those blanks while turning.
| Design | Attachment | Profile details |
|---|---|---|
| Shaker-style mushroom | Turned tenon fitted into a drilled hole; the guide describes gluing it in place. | Small mushroom cap; Hunter’s example has a 7/8-inch cap. |
| Three-fillet knob | Screw-mounted; turned on a wooden screw chuck. | Bead and cove with three 1/16-inch-wide fillets. |
| Larger mushroom | Screw-mounted; turned on a wooden screw chuck. | Mushroom cap measuring 1 3/4 inches in Hunter’s example. |
The guide is a project example, not a universal specification: adapt dimensions to the hardware, scale, and wood in your furniture.
Decide how you want the grain to read
Grain orientation changes both appearance and finishing behavior. In the guide’s explanation, an end-grain blank runs lengthwise along the spindle, so the cap shows the growth rings across its face. That end-grain surface absorbs more stain and finish and can turn darker. Face grain is oriented perpendicular to the spindle; it absorbs less finish, while stain pigment may make a coarse grain pattern more prominent.
#1 Best Overall
- What you get: 20pcs wood cabinet knobs with 20pcs screws, screw size M4*30mm, knob diameter 33mm/1.3" Height :26mm/1".
- Natural Wooden knobs: Wooden Drawer knobs are made of high quality solid wood and are available in 5 colors: brown, white, log varnish, black and unfinished.
- Classic mushroom knob design: deep hole thread and smooth surface, elegant and stylish appearance, aesthetic simplicity, Cangder wooden knobs make your room more modern.
- Easy to install: Find the mounting location on your drawer, drill a hole, push the screw through the backboard and tighten the knob.
- Multipurpose wooden knobs for dresser drawers: Cangder wooden dresser knobs suitable for decorating living room, desk drawers, TV cabinets, wardrobes, dressers, bookcases, children's rooms, cabinet knobs and so on.
| Orientation | Appearance and finish behavior described by Hunter |
|---|---|
| End grain | Growth rings show across the cap; the surface absorbs more stain and finish and can become darker. |
| Face grain | Absorbs less finish; stain pigment can emphasize a coarse grain pattern. |
For the end-grain example, Hunter recommends sanding to 400 grit and applying a light coat of dewaxed shellac before additional stain or coating to counter the greater absorption. Results depend on the species and finish system, so try the sequence on a comparable offcut before finishing the knob.
Gather the lathe tools and plan the setup
The guide uses a lathe, chuck, and common turning tools: a parting tool, spindle gouge, roughing gouge, skew chisel, and bowl gouge. The exact tool sequence varies by profile. Use the tool appropriate to each cut and follow the lathe and tool makers’ instructions for mounting, speed, and safe operation.
Rank #2
- What you get: 20pcs Cangder wooden cabinet knobs with 20pcs screws, screw size M4*30mm, knob diameter 33mm/1.3" Height :26mm/1".
- Natural Wooden knobs: Drawer knobs are made of high quality solid wood and are available in 5 colors: brown, white, log varnish, black and unfinished.
- Classic mushroom dresser knob design: deep hole thread and smooth surface, elegant and stylish appearance, aesthetic simplicity, Cangder wooden knobs make your room more modern.
- Easy to install: Find the mounting location on your drawer, drill a hole, push the screw through the backboard and tighten the knob.
- Multipurpose Dresser Knobs: Cangder knobs suitable for decorating living room, desk drawers, TV cabinets, wardrobes, dressers, bookcases, children's rooms, cabinet knobs and so on.
For the tenon-mounted mushroom, Hunter’s example starts with a 1 × 1-inch blank, 2 inches long, for a 7/8-inch cap. The guide turns a tenon about 3/4 inch in diameter and 3/8 inch long, then holds that tenon in the chuck. It specifies 1,800 rpm for this example. These are article-specific dimensions and a speed setting, not a rule for other blanks, lathes, or setups.
Size the tenon to the drill bit available for the receiving hole, as the guide advises. That makes the hole size part of the attachment plan: check the fit in scrap or an offcut before drilling the finished furniture.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Small Size: Our drawer knobs are designed to small mushroom shape. Top diameter 1.33"/34mm; Base Diameter: 1.03"/26.3mm; Height: 1.07"/27.2mm. Comes with two length screws 0.86" and 1.75", these knobs for cabinets and drawers are fit for the board thickness from 0.23inch to 1.46inch.
- Premium Wood: Our wooden knobs for cabinets and drawers are made of high quality schima superba wood with special natural distinct growth textures. These wooden drawer knobs are shaped by exquisite craftsmanship with smooth surface with coating brown and no burrs. Our dresser drawer knobs are sturdy, corrosion resistant, durable and preventing scratches.
- Simple & Modern: Our round woode cabinet knobs are very concise style, very suitble for modern, traditional and vintage furnitures. These dresser knobs have a wide appeal in kitchen cabinet doors, drawers, cupboard, etc.
- Wide Application: These wood drawer pulls are perfectly match for any kitchen cabinet, furniture door, cupboard, dresser, desk drawer, wardrobe drawers, shoe cabinet, chest, wine cabinet, bookcase, cabinet door, etc. Replacing your broken knobs with our wooden knobs, will improve the look of the furniture.
- Package Included: 6 pcs cabinet knobs, 12 pcs screws. These wooden dresser knobs are environmentally safe without sharp corners and friendly to the elderly and kids.
Make and use a wooden screw chuck
For the screw-mounted designs, Hunter’s guide starts the screw chuck with a 2 × 2 × 2-inch dense-hardwood blank, such as hard maple. Drill a pilot hole sized to the screw shank, then shape the chuck blank before mounting the knob blank. The screw chuck holds the work as you form the knob; it is a turning fixture, not the finished mounting hardware itself.
Turn the three-fillet screw-on knob
The profile combines a bead and cove with three narrow fillets. Hunter’s sequence uses a parting tool to establish the fillets, a 1/2-inch spindle gouge to form the bead, and the spindle gouge again to shape the cove. The source specifies fillets 1/16 inch wide. Treat those measurements as the example profile and adjust them to the knob’s scale.
Rank #4
- MUST HAVE FOR DIY FURNITURE BUILDING - Whether you need wooden cabinet knobs for the kitchen or wooden dresser drawer knobs for a bedroom, these will do the trick! The classic shape goes with anything! Designing a closet? Use the knobs as modern/ minimalist wall hooks. Also a great decorative curtain rod end. Attach easily using a threaded screw or even wood glue. (screw not provided)
- HANDY CRAFTING ITEM - Crafters will find endless uses for this as a wooden craft knob. Glue or screw them on top of a box or gumball machine … attach them to the bottom of a planter or tray to keep it slightly raised… or use as reindeer nose hooks for a stocking holder. The flat bottom and hole in the craft knob allows you to easily attach it to your project. Craft away!
- READY TO PAINT/STAIN - We've left these wooden cabinet door knobs unfinished so you get to choose the color. Create accenting cabinet and cupboard knobs to brighten up your kitchen... Or stain them to use for the wooden dresser you are building/repairing… Or paint knobs and pulls to match any wood project... you can even spray paint them for a fun craft style project!
- QUALITY, WELL-MADE WOODEN KNOBS - You'll find these solid birch wood knobs accurately and uniformly sized. These knobs are pre-sanded and beautifully grained, with a diameter of 2 inches and a 3/16 inch hole. Woodpeckers unfinished knobs are crafted from sustainably sourced wood. We give back to the environment by supporting the Arbor Day Foundation, planting trees for the future of our planet.
- VARIOUS SHAPES, SIZES AVAILABLE - Search Woodpeckers unfinished knobs to find the perfect size and shape you need for your wooden drawer handle, furniture knob, or craft project. We sell top-quality unfinished wooden knobs in assorted shapes, sizes, and quantities. Your satisfaction is important to us. If you have any questions, get in touch - we're always here to help.
Turn the larger screw-on mushroom
Hunter’s larger mushroom-cap example measures 1 3/4 inches. The guide treats end-grain and face-grain versions differently. For the face-grain version, begin with a 2 × 2-inch square blank that is 3/4 inch thick, and drill a centered pilot hole 1/2 inch deep for the mounting screw. The guide rounds the blank on a bandsaw before turning it. Match the pilot hole to the screw and your setup rather than assuming the example dimensions suit every fastener.
Fit the finished knob to the furniture
For a tenon-mounted knob, the receiving hole must suit the tenon diameter; the guide’s practical advice is to choose the tenon to match an available drill bit. For a screw-mounted knob, plan the pilot hole around the mounting screw. In either case, confirm the attachment and fit on scrap or a test piece before drilling or gluing into a finished door, drawer, or lid.
Best Value
- Wood Color, Mushroom Shape Knob. Each knob is unfinished and ready for painting, staining, and coloring.
- Weight approximately 8g. Each wood knob is unique. Because wood is a natural material, patterns, texture, and color on wood knobs varies. Machine Turned, and Sanded Smoothly
- High quality wood knobs pulls for kitchen, cabinet, furniture, dresser, drawers, wardrobe, chest, cupboard, and etc.
- Product dimension: 38mm diameter x 22mm height (approximately 1-1/2" diameter x 7/8"height)
- Package Content: 6 x knobs, and 6 x 1 inch screws
Hunter’s detailed profiles, example dimensions, and tool sequence are in the WOOD magazine article, updated August 8, 2022.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
