10 simple steps to assemble a chest of drawers with your own hands

A chest of drawers is a small closet with drawers in which you can store various things and objects. For its manufacture, different materials can be used, for example, plywood, chipboard, plastic or metal, but more often in homes there are chests of drawers made of wood. This is a high-quality and environmentally friendly material that is easy to work with. But how to make a chest of drawers out of wood with your own hands, without experience and special skills? This will be discussed in more detail in this article.

DIY wooden chest of drawers

Advantages of wooden structures

When choosing products made of wood, the owner has several advantages at once. These include:

• the harmlessness of the wooden structure for others, since it is made of environmentally friendly material;

Dressers with legs made of wood

• unique appearance. The relief and texture of each tree is different, so it is impossible to find two absolutely identical chests of drawers;
• wood is much more elegant and beautiful than other, cheaper materials (chipboard or MDF);
• the finished product has a long service life if the material was properly processed during manufacturing.

A metal chest of drawers is somewhat inferior to a wooden one

Note! Despite the large number of advantages, chests of drawers made of wood have one drawback - the cost of the finished product. Wood prices are much higher than chipboard or plywood. But if you make such a chest of drawers with your own hands, then the difference in the cost of materials is not that big.

Advantages of wooden furniture

Prices for different types of chests of drawers

Dresser

Peculiarities

The features of any chest of drawers include:

• 
  Durability and reliability.
  Even products made from cardboard are resistant to mechanical stress and can serve owners for up to 10 years. And if you make a piece of furniture from natural wood, it will delight its owners with high technical characteristics and a long service life.

• Comfort. This furniture is used to store clothes, personal items, accessories or children's toys. It all depends on its purpose. With a chest of drawers, all the necessary things will always be at your fingertips.
• Wide selection of models. You can make a chest of drawers in any style, different sizes and types of designs. They can be rectangular, with rounded facades, corner, narrow and high, low and wide. As for the number of boxes, they vary from 2 to 8.

According to their intended purpose, chests of drawers are intended for:

• Living rooms. Both classic and modern models made from any materials are suitable here. On the chest of drawers you can conveniently place a TV, an aquarium or decorations. Most often, wide and long models located along the wall are installed in living rooms . You can store pastels and personal items in them.

• 
  Children's rooms.
  Such products should be made from natural and environmentally friendly materials. Depending on the type of design, the chest of drawers can be used as a changing table for newborns. Based on the type of design, models with rounded edges are suitable. Their color range ranges from light and neutral shades to bright and rich tones. People store things and toys in a children's chest of drawers.

• Dining rooms and kitchens. Such models have special designs. They are made tall and narrow and are intended for storing dishes and kitchen utensils. Here it is recommended to use durable and moisture-resistant materials .
• Hallways. They are equipped with additional shelves for shoes, hooks and small drawers for storing accessories. Such models are compact in size.
• Bedrooms. They are used to store linen and bedding. Depending on the interior of the room, you can install a piece of furniture made of solid wood, decorated with carvings, or a modern chest of drawers made of MDF, designed in an interesting color scheme. As for the design, it is selected depending on the dimensions of the room.

Material selection

Experts recommend using hard wood, although other, softer ones can be used. Let's look at the most popular species used in carpentry.

Pine

A relatively soft wood that is easy to work with. But pine has several disadvantages, for example, the surface of pine products is easily scratched and quickly loses its appearance, and the structure itself is unable to withstand heavy loads. As a rule, pine is used to make decorative elements or small pieces of furniture (stools, sideboards, bedside tables and chests of drawers).

Processing pine is easy

Birch

A harder type of wood with a beautiful texture. Birch is not able to withstand high humidity and sudden temperature changes, so it is not used to create outdoor furniture. Birch makes good bedside tables, tables and other oversized furniture not intended for heavy loads.

Birch is not used to create outdoor furniture

Beech

An excellent, high-strength material that is equally suitable for both outdoor furniture and structures intended for indoor use. Among all the disadvantages of beech, it is worth highlighting the most important one - the tree quickly absorbs moisture. Therefore, to prevent finished furniture from quickly deteriorating, at the stage of its manufacture, all material must be treated with special solutions. It is not recommended to make garden furniture from beech . The same can be said about products installed in places with high humidity.

Beech joinery board

Oak

One of the most popular wood species in the furniture industry. Oak is highly durable, so products made from it can last for several decades. The wood does not deform when there is high humidity in the room, does not rot and is not attacked by insects. In addition, the appearance of oak products does not deteriorate over the years, which cannot be said about other types of wood.

Oak planks

Oak is actively used to create kitchen units, cabinets or beds. The wood is also suitable for making a chest of drawers. The disadvantages include the large weight of finished products and the high cost of the material.

Wicker chests of drawers

Prices for various types of timber

timber

Types of chests of drawers

After choosing the material for work, you also need to decide on the type of chest of drawers, because there are many different models, and they all differ from each other in design features, functional purpose and appearance. Below are the main models of chests of drawers that you can make yourself.

Table. Popular models of chests of drawers.

Model name, photo	Description
Changing chest	A unique product that combines the functions of a chest of drawers and a changing table for babies. For convenience, such designs are equipped with small wheels to make them easier to move around the house.
Children's chest of drawers	These chests of drawers are designed for use in a children's room. The upper part of the structure is a pull-out shelf on which you can store items or carry out various activities.
Chest of drawers	Another type of chest of drawers that looks more like a wardrobe. These models are tall and have many drawers for storage. As a rule, a chest of drawers is made for a hallway where usable space is limited.
Chest of drawers	The design consists of fittings, legs or wheels, drawers and a small table top. This product simultaneously serves as a table and functions as a small cabinet in which you can store your things.
Classic version	A popular type of chest of drawers, it looks like a small cabinet with drawers that slide out. A classic chest of drawers can be used to store bed linen, clothing or small items.

Regardless of the chosen model, the manufacturing technology of the product is practically no different. Therefore, if you are finished with the choice of material and type of product, all that remains is to choose the method of fastening the wooden elements. Only after this can you start working.

Types of fastenings

If you decide to create a wooden chest of drawers with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic methods of fastening wooden elements used in assembling various pieces of furniture. We are talking about rafix, minifix, confirmat and corner fastening. Let's consider each of the listed methods separately.

Furniture fastenings

Rafix

Used when assembling shelves or built-in furniture. Rafix differs in that all fastenings from the outside of the product are not visible. This mount makes it possible to repeatedly disassemble and reassemble furniture. The connection is reliable and quite strong, but has one drawback - high cost.

Rafix usage scheme

Minifix

Used for quick installation of furniture structures. This type of fastening is popular due to the possibility of repeated assembly and disassembly of elements. The surface of the furniture remains unharmed. Minifix is ​​not suitable for making furniture yourself.

Minifix

Confirmat

This type of fastening is used in the manufacture of metal products, so confirmat is not suitable for furniture made of wood or plywood. Otherwise, the surface of the part at the fastening points may deteriorate.

Screw confirmat

Corner

One of the simplest and most popular ways to fasten wooden products is using a corner made of plastic or metal. Such products are attached to the joints of parts using ordinary self-tapping screws. If desired, you can choose a plastic corner painted in the same color as the structure itself.

You can use furniture corners

On a note! When making furniture at home, it is recommended to use metal corners or special tenon fasteners. Installation of such elements is very simple and does not require much effort.

Manufacturing

The step-by-step scheme for making any chest of drawers includes a number of stages. The main ones are: cutting and processing of parts, frame assembly, installation of partitions and drawers. Secondary: attaching handles, decorating. Each of the points must be performed in accordance with the rules, then the product will turn out to be of truly high quality.

Material cutting

Cutting chipboard and similar sheet panels can be done on your own or using special machines. Professional cutting services are offered by distributors of tile building materials and furniture manufacturers. When choosing this option, the cost of a homemade chest of drawers will increase slightly, but the ends of the sawn elements will be more accurate.

The purpose of mini-dressers, the nuances of choosing and placing various models

When cutting chipboard yourself, you should remember the need for 1–2 mm of margin on the edge. In such cases, the jigsaw must be electric, the support of the sheets must be stable and level, and the furniture maker’s movements must be smooth and precise. The stage ends with checking the model, adjusting the parts and drilling holes for the confirmations using a drill 0.5 mm smaller.

Edge processing

At this stage, the ends of the parts are carefully inspected for defects and covered with self-adhesive edges. Step-by-step actions:

1. Chips and similar irregularities are covered with wax.
2. When planning to use the chest of drawers in conditions of high humidity, the ends are coated with sealant.
3. After eliminating possible defects, the ends are covered with a protective film, heated with a hairdryer or iron.

The edge is heated in small sections, carefully pressed and ironed, the excess is cut off with a stationery knife.

Frame assembly

Any model of a chest of drawers is assembled with your own hands according to the general principle:

1. In pre-marked areas, drill holes for screws of slightly smaller diameter.
2. The parts are joined and connected with confirmations using a screwdriver.
3. To check possible deviations, a square is applied to the corners of the assembled structure.
4. Directly during assembly, lines are marked on the side parts for attaching the guides, starting from the bottom, with a mandatory 3 mm gap between adjacent drawers.

Beginners should choose a chest of drawers with drawers of the same height. In such models, the distances between the axes of the guides are completely symmetrical; checking the correctness of their location is not difficult.

Installing the table top and bottom

The assembly of any product begins from the bottom, with sequential fastening of the sidewalls and transverse shelves (if any). And only then, after checking the angles of the structure and marking the guides, the tabletop is screwed to the chest of drawers. There are no problems when working with simple, flat surfaces. The upper part is attached using confirmations and plastic furniture corners from the inside. Any additional elements of the chest of drawers (shelves, folding table) are fixed at the end, after checking the stability and correct assembly of the entire structure.

Attaching legs or wheels

Cabinet furniture made from lightweight board materials in most cases does not need legs. Problems with joining the walls are solved using a recess at the bottom of the chest of drawers on the reverse side. But it is advisable to equip heavy, frequently moved or stylish models with supports, thrust bearings or wheels. Such elements are screwed at a distance of at least 50 mm from the corners, at an equal distance from each other. The method of fastening depends on the type of leg and is specified before assembling the chest of drawers. In some cases, corresponding holes are pre-drilled in the bottom.

Rear wall installation

The back part is fixed with confirmats and finally strengthens the structure. Not only the corners, but also the diagonals of all the main elements of the chest of drawers must be checked. Deviations from the specified sketch of more than 1 mm are not allowed. The part is screwed in the absence or after elimination of any defects.

Functional plastic chests of drawers for a children's room, selection criteria

Assembly and installation of boxes

This stage begins with assembling the boxes:

1. The side parts are connected first and only then, after checking the diagonals and angles, the bottom is attached to the boxes with self-tapping screws.
2. The second part of the guides is mounted to the sides.
3. The pull-out elements are sequentially (starting from the bottom) inserted into the chest of drawers, pulled out and pushed in. Correctly assembled and installed boxes move smoothly, without displacement.

The given instructions allow you to make your own chest of drawers both from chipboard and from any board materials, including plywood or solid wood. The difference when working with denser varieties appears insignificantly, namely in the grinding of the ends and the use of more reliable fasteners. It is also necessary to remember that when assembling a chest of drawers on confirmed mats, there is no need to coat the joints; when using tongue-and-groove elements or mounting on dowels, the opposite is true.

What do you need for work?

Before any type of carpentry work, you must first prepare all the tools and materials. These include:

• nails;

Preparing tools

• double-sided tape;
• handles for dresser drawers;
• set of self-tapping screws;
• boards or sheets of plywood;
• screwdriver and set of drills;
• construction hair dryer;
• a simple pencil;
• meter, ruler, tape measure or other measuring instrument;
• mounting brackets made of metal or plastic;
• stationery knife;
• electric drill.

Prices for the range of drills

Drill

You should also take care of safety glasses and gloves. Once everything you need is at hand, you can get to work.

Required materials and tools

Let's take a closer look at how to make a chest of drawers with your own hands from LDSM.

During the work you will need:

• Screwdriver;
• Drill;
• Stationery knife;
• Square;
• Tape measure or meter;
• Pencil;
• Construction hair dryer or iron;
• Drills 4.5 mm and 8 mm;
• Confirmation bat.
• Chipboard sheet;
• Self-tapping screws;
• Guides (sold in sets of 2 pieces. Right guide and left guide);
• Confirmats 5x70 or 5x50 mm;
• Edge for processing ends;
• Drawer handles;
• Double sided tape;
• Nails.

Tools and materials.

Making a chest of drawers

Step 1 . Prepare boards for work. They don't have to be new. For example, this project uses boards from an old dismantled structure.

Preparing the boards

Step 2 . Using a jigsaw or a regular hacksaw, cut the boards into the required pieces, the number and dimensions of which must correspond to the project drawing.

The details of the future chest of drawers have been cut

Step 3 . Sand the surface of the boards to eliminate even the most minor defects and irregularities. As a result, the boards should be as even and smooth as possible.

Sanding boards

Prices for popular models of eccentric sanders

Random orbital sander

Step 4 . Assemble two side frames from the cut boards.

Assembled side frames

Step 5 . Start assembling the panels. To do this, install planks in previously made frames. It is advisable to use self-tapping screws as fasteners.

Boards are installed in the frames

Step 6 . Select the boards in width so that they can completely cover the wall without forming any gaps.

There should be no gaps

Step 7 . Attach the boards to the back of the finished frame, thereby creating the back wall. Here the boards should be used much wider than for the side parts.

The back wall is created

Step 8 . This is what the half-finished chest of drawers will look like from the front.

Finished chest of drawers without drawers

Step 9 . Start assembling drawers for your future chest of drawers. First, prepare the boards.

Boards for boxes

Step 10 . To assemble the boxes, you must use wood glue, such as PVA. It will be enough.

Drawer assembly

Step 11 . After installing the bottom, the surfaces of the boxes must be treated with a special waterproof material that will protect the wood from negative factors.

Processing the finished box

Prices for wood preservatives

Impregnation for wood

Step 12 . Repeat all procedures with the remaining boxes. Once all the boxes are ready, sand them down using sandpaper.

Ready-made chest drawers

Step 13 . All elements of the wooden chest of drawers are ready. Now you can start assembling.

You can begin the final assembly of the chest of drawers

Step 14 . This is what the almost finished design will look like. All that remains is to add drawer opening mechanisms and handles.

The chest of drawers is ready

Step 15 . As a final step, coat the chest of drawers with tung oil. It will make the product attractive.

Product after treatment with tung oil

Step 16 . Even though the work was done using old wood, the chest of drawers turned out to be truly beautiful and original. You can now enjoy the fruits of your work every day.

It turned out to be a really attractive chest of drawers

Decor

It is not enough to make a wooden chest of drawers; you also need to decorate it so that the finished product is immediately noticed by guests. This can be done using some painting techniques. First of all, for decoration you need to prepare brushes and acrylic paints, the color of which everyone can choose to their taste. The product can be completely repainted in one color or decorated with several patterns that add charm.

Retro chest of drawers, stylized at the beginning of the twentieth century

The process of decorating a chest of drawers is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. First you need to apply a base layer of acrylic paint, and after it dries, decorate the surface of the product with special patterns. It is not necessary to draw the patterns yourself, because for this you can use ready-made stencils that are sold in stores . As soon as the patterns are dry, the entire chest of drawers needs to be varnished. That's it, the wooden chest of drawers is ready!

Decoupage of a chest of drawers with fabric with delicate pastoral motifs

Features of drilling and assembling a chest of drawers with your own hands

Once absolutely all the parts are ready and you have the necessary tools, you can begin the most interesting part of the work - assembling the chest of drawers. In this case, the steps are:

• On individual elements you need to mark the places where the fastenings will be located (screws or dowels). For greater accuracy, it is better to rely on drawings.
• First, take the tabletop and attach it to the walls - here you will need corners or strips. After this, a strip is attached to the structure, which will serve as the bottom.
• Next you need to attach the legs or wheels to the bottom. If you attach wheels, the product will be easier to move.
• The next step is attaching the back wall. For it, fiberboard is taken, which must cover the ends of the side walls, table top and bottom. Attach the back wall with small nails.
• After this, you need to assemble the drawers and attach the guides for them in certain places.

Your product is ready.
Install it in the planned place, lay out your things and use the new piece of furniture. Important! It is best to check the evenness and stability of the structure at the stage of attaching the back wall; for this purpose, its diagonal size is measured. If there are any irregularities, they are immediately eliminated.

If you do everything as the instructions for making a chest of drawers with dimensions, drawings and details say, then creating a chest of drawers will not be difficult even for a beginner. In addition, you can always watch training videos.

For chests of drawers made of wood, traditional finishing methods are best suited: painting, varnishing.

Results

The cost of a handmade chest of drawers is much lower than the cost of a finished product from a furniture store. But this requires some skills. In addition, if you compare handmade furniture and purchased products, the first one is much superior in quality. Thus, if you buy a chest of drawers in a store, there is a risk of not only overpaying, but also getting a low-quality product.

Original solid wood chests of drawers will look luxurious in a bedroom with a suitable interior

A durable chest of drawers made of oak or other types of wood can last for many years without losing its attractiveness. Therefore, all the money spent and efforts made will not be in vain. You just need to follow the instructions exactly and anyone can do the job.

Wooden chest of drawers