This guide will help you build a simple dresser. This project mostly uses glue and can be done without using any power tool. It’s only downsides are the usage of many pieces of plywood, which can make the dresser a bit on the heavy side.
This set of instructions can be used in creating small or big dressers. Note: Read and understand the instructions before doing anything.
Planning Phase
Determine the size of the dresser’s drawers. The common dresser drawer measures 6” x 20” x 30”.
Decide how many drawers you want to have. The typical number of drawers in a dresser is around six to nine. The number of drawers determines the height of the dresser.
Ideally, dressers should be as high as your waist. Put into consideration the thickness of the plywood you will use—using 1/2″ plywood is recommended.
You can use thicker plywood if you want to strengthen the dresser and use screws instead of glue to build this dresser. You should decide the height of the legs of your dresser.
Decide on what type of handle or pull design you want to use in your drawers. For wide drawers, use two pull or handles each. For narrow drawers, use a single wide handle each.
Choose the type of wood you want to use in this project. And plan the finish that you want to apply.
Building the Boxes
Cut the plywood for the boxes according to the drawer size you want. The boxes will be the housing for each drawer.
You need to cut wood for the top, bottom, sides, and back panel of the boxes. This means that the box’s front panel must be open for the drawer to slide in. These boxes will be stacked together to form the dresser using glue.
Remember to add twice the thickness to the measurement of the panels. For example, if you want your drawer to be 30” wide and 20” deep using 1/2″ thick plywood, you need to cut a 31” (30” + (1/2” + 1/2”)) x 21” (20” + (1/2” + 1/2”)) panel.
Glue together the panels to form the boxes. Overlap the panels on to each other to create a good bond. Be consistent with the pattern of overlaps you will use to ensure a good fit for the boxes and drawers.
Wait for the glue to cure. Once cured, stack the boxes on top of each other. Glue the bottom and top of each drawer excluding the bottommost and topmost panels of the box stack.
Set the box stack for the meantime.
Building the Drawers
Cut the panels for the drawers. This time, don’t cut for a top panel. The front panel of the drawer must be at least 1/2” thicker, wider, and taller than the other panel.
Glue the panels together. Attach the handle and pulls on the top panel.
Completing the Dresser
Wax the insides of the boxes to allow the drawers to slide inside smoothly. You can use a candle to do this. Optional: You can place skids instead of waxing, but you need to consider it in your measurements before you start building the boxes.
Attach the legs under the dresser using glue. Sand the rough edges of the dresser and drawers. You can also glue a layer of plywood for the sides, back, and top panels of the dresser for additional strength.
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