How to Build a Modern Dresser - With Few Tools : 9 Steps (with Pictures)

This Instructable will take you through the process of building a simple dresser, with three large drawers. I made this this for my son's room. I could have bought a dresser, but that's too easy. :) I am a complete novice when it comes to woodworking. I have made some custom shelves that I really love, and some picture frames. But, this was my first real woodworking creation! It was put together almost entirely with one small tool - the Kreg Jig. I am kind of a perfectionist, so there are definitely things I would improve on, and I will share that with you in my final step. I learned a lot, and will be modifying some plans to make myself a dresser next - one a bit bigger. If you have never made anything before, I think if you have the right mindset, you could make this!

Before I continue, I wanted to share that I first got inspired with this idea for this dresser from a combined project from Ana White & Shanty2Chic. Thank you guys so much! I totally modified the plans to fit my dresser idea though. On their plans, they have six drawers and the dresser is on wheels. I needed something smaller for my son's room, although the drawers on my plans are very large and fit a lot of clothes. I learned some basics with Sketchup (3d software program), and designed the dresser, based on what I learned from those two sites. And, using Sketchup helped me immensely, to make sure all measurements were precise. It also allowed me to see what the dresser would look like, before I even made it. I will provide these plans and documents throughout the steps. I even printed my plans out while working on the project, following through with the steps and images. I hope this helps!

Lastly, I tried to provide as many details as possible, but please ask if you have questions. I will be updating this Instructable with links to the products I used, later on. I hope you guys like this.

It is imperfect, like everything in life. :) But, I like it for my first real project! I know there are better ways to make drawers (dovetail joints) and stuff like that, but in this Instructable I kept it simple.

This is my 99th Instructable!!! Wow! Thank you so much!

Step 1: Supplies & Lumber

Supplies

Kreg Jig Pocket Hole (I am using the Kreg Jig R3)
Kreg pocket hole screws - 1 1/4" and 2 1/2"
drill - I am using the Matrix Drill (I own two & love them)
Screws - other assorted screws for drawer slides
drill
sandpaper or sanding tool
wood glue
clamps
level, right angle square
drawer slides 16" (I bought these ones in a pack of 10)
handles, knobs or drawer hardware
1 1/4" finish nails
hammer
air compressor and nail gun (totally optional, not necessary)
wood stain and/or polyurethane/shellac (optional)

If cutting the wood yourself, you will need safety gear (eyes & ear protection) and a table saw or other saw to cut the pieces of wood.

If you're in the United States, and live near a Home Depot, they will cut the wood for you to size! At my local store it is all totally free. Cutting the wood properly is (what I believe to be) the most labor-intensive part of this process. So, if you can have them cut it for you - I highly recommend it. I had my plywood cut for me, but I ended up cutting most of the wood for the drawers myself.

Wood Cuts

3/4" Plywood Cuts

(1) 15 3/4" x 38" (top piece)
(2) 15 3/4" x 32 1/4" (side pieces)

1/4" Plywood Cuts

(3) 16" x 34" (drawer bottoms)
(1) 18 3/4" x 38" (bottom of dresser - optional)
(1) 36" x 31" (back of dresser - optional)

2" x 2" Board Cuts for Frame (Make sure these are super straight - important!)

(4) 2" x 2" x 38" (for top & bottom pieces of frame)
(4) 2" x 2" x 30" (side pieces for frame)

1" x 2" Board Cuts

(2) 1" x 2" x 35" pieces (they go across frame for drawers separation)
(6) 1" x 2" x 15 3/4" (for drawer slide placement - one 1" x 2" x 8' board would work - cut into these six pcs.)

Drawers

(6) 1" x 8" x 32 15/32" (Please note: the last measurement of 32 15/32" is extremely close to 32 1/2". I added a small amount to that measurement because with my drawers were the tiniest fraction tight and would have been best at the measurement of 32 15/32". I used the measurement of 32 1/2" and it did work fine, but I think a super small amount of space would have been ideal. I hope this makes sense. This also greatly depends on the drawer slides you bought. The ones I purchased took up exactly 1/2" an inch on both sides.
(6) 1" x 8" x 16" for drawer sides
(3) 1" x 10" x 34 3/4" for drawer fronts

* Please see all the images above for detailed measurements and board cuts (I made some graphics to help you). Also, actual board measurements and sizes are not true to what they are named. See graphic above for details.

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Step 2: Step 1 - Assembling the Basic Frame

In this first step, we will put together the basic frame, including the two sides and top of the dresser. I had the plywood pieces cut at the store for me. And, then I used my miter saw to cut the (6) 1" x 2" x 15 3/4" pieces. Please see the Sketchup models for details about exactly where to place those pieces. You will then need to measure, glue and clamp them in place. Once ready, you then need to use the finishing nails to attach them to the side pieces. Once they are firmly attached and nailed on, then you will need to create pocket holes.

Take your Kreg Jig tools out and you will also need some type of clamp and table to work on. The Kreg Jig is easy to use. I had the settings on it at 3/4" and the screws used later on were 1 1/4" screws. If you see all the pocket holes I made (in my images) I went a little overboard. You do not need to make that many holes. I wanted it to last a lifetime! But, went way overboard on the holes attaching the sides to the top piece! Please see my images to see where you should put the holes on the sides of the dresser pieces. Once the holes are done, you are ready to attach the sides to the top piece. I had to flip my piece over upside down to do this. I then used my 1 1/4" screws (and first glued the edges) to attach the sides to the top. It can be tricky if you don't have clamps or a proper work area - but do your best. I had very few good clamps and a very basic work area. I ended up keeping the piece flipped upside down and attaching a board across it and clamping it down (to keep the proper shape and interior size).

*Important: In second-to-last photo in this step, I realized I had forgotten to add pocket holes along the top piece of the dresser (which will be used to secure it to the frame). See graphic to show you where you can place pocket holes for frame attachment. Feel free to use more (or less) pocket holes than shown. I had to prop it up and make the holes before proceeding.

Step 3: Building the 2" X 2" Frame

In this step you will need to use the 2" x 2" pieces to build the frame. As you can see in the photos, I used pocket hole screws (and glue) to attach the sides to the top pieces. You need to make sure things are done accurately here. If you have a corner clamp, this would help a lot. If you look closely at the last picture, you can see where and how I added the pocket holes. The settings for these holes was 1 1/2" on the tool and I used 2 1/2" pocket hole screws to secure them. The 1" x 2" pieces that went across it, I ended up putting in one pocket hole to secure those to the sides. In this step, you are only supposed to do the frame (not yet attach it to the main dresser pieces) but I put the Sketchup models in here so you have precise measurements.

If you notice that I have boards between the 1" x 2" boards (vertically) those I cut and placed in their temporarily to make sure the space is correct and the boards stay straight across. I did this as things were either clamped or drying. You need to make the two frames - one for the front (which also includes the two 1" x 2" cross slats) and the back which is only the 2" x 2" frame.

Step 4: Attach the Frame

Now it's time to use those 2 1/2" pocket hole screws and attach the frame to the sides and top piece. Be sure to glue it and clamp it as needed while doing this. Take your time and make sure it's all even and level.

Step 5: Making the Dresser Drawers

In this step, it's time to make the drawers. Be sure you have all the pieces cut and the pocket holes drilled. See images for details. I used pocket hole screws on the front (which was later hidden by the front face) and on the back (which is not visible when in use). I then glued, clamped and drilled them together. After that, I glued them onto the plywood bottom pieces. I let them sit overnight and then the next day I used the air compresser and nail gun to nail the bottom to the drawers. To make it extra strong, I also countersunk and drilled some screws in the corners and middle of all sides to attach the bottom to the drawer, in addition to the nails. I tend to go overboard with securing things on! In this step, I did not attach the faces to the drawers, and I do not recommend that you do this yet either. I waited until the drawer slides were in, so I could be sure they fit well.

Step 6: Drawer Slides

In this step, it's time to install the drawer slides onto the 1" x 2" slats on the side pieces. I would love to give a more thorough instructable and explain this well, but it is hard to explain! I found an incredible, simple little video showing how to install them fast and easy. If you don't see the embedded video, you can also watch the video here.

I used some wonderful drawer slides that I bought in bulk from Amazon. I will update the Instructable shortly with a link to the ones I bought. They are 16 inches long and half an inch wide. They did not include any hardware or instructions, so the video was very helpful. Be sure you use spacers, as you can see in my photos. Then it will have a little room above and below the drawer faces. In this step, I ended up adding the drawer faces as well by gluing them on and screwing them in from the inside. I countersunk them also, to avoid them from sticking out or getting in the way of my son's clothes. I also had to pull the drawer slide forward a bit and attach it a bit past the 2" x 2" frame piece (about 1/4 inch beyond the frame) in order to have the slide close where the drawer face would be pretty flush to the frame.

Step 7: Staining, Hardware and Handles

Next, I stained the piece after sanding and prepping it. I like how the drawer fronts stained, but the frame of 2" x 2" pieces was quite blotchy. I will continue to try to fix it, but for now, this is how it is! I also plan on doing a coat of polyurethane on it later. The whole process takes a while once you get into staining.

I bought some modern, huge 20-inch drawer handles for this dresser. I gave my son the choice between these long ones and six smaller ones. He chose these! I love the style! For this step, I just measured to figure out the center of the drawer. I then figured out where to place the holes. These handles came with screws, but I needed to take one with me to the store to get ones that were an inch larger. I drilled in some holes and placed the screws in from the inside of the drawer to the outside to attach the handles. That's all - completed!!!

Step 8: Lessons Learned & Next Dresser Plans

Hey guys - thanks for reading this far. I just wanted to share (briefly) some lessons I learned.

I learned that different types of plywood stain very differently and can totally change the affect or style of the piece. At first I didn't like the plywood I used (red oak) but after the whole thing was completed, and I used a couple layers of shellac - I love it. It is really nice and my son loves it. Our cats love it too!
The edges of the plywood are exposed on here. My son doesn't mind. Next time I'll plan it differently so they aren't.
I will be making a new dresser plan (possibly with six drawers, I am not sure yet) and I will be sure to avoid the problems I had with this one..
I learned to buy better wood stain. Next time I will try General's Gel Finishes and see how it goes. I will also buy cheaper wood, since my 2" x 2"s were $8 for 8 feet and they were the pieces of wood that took the stain the worst, and ended up the most blotchy. I do not know why.
If possible, I will let Home Depot guys do more cuts for me - it saves a ton of time!
Next time I will use the router I got - and things will look nicer.

Most importantly, I learned many months later. I really love this dresser. Initially I was hard on myself about imperfections. I learned a ton and can't wait to do more woodworking.