Keep the clothes off the floor
with our easy-to-build dresser.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY NEAL
BARRETT
While it may seem that some kids can go indefinitely
wearing the same T-shirt and pair of jeans, most have an
appetite for clothes that can strain the most ample
budgets. And where do you put it all?
Well, before you decide to build an addition on the
house, take a close look at our solution. Designed to
match the rest of our bedroom suite, this dresser
features four generous drawers that slide effortlessly
on ball-bearing-equipped tracks, and sturdy plywood
construction with solid poplar detailing.
Best of all, the dresser is easy to build. The case
joinery utilizes a combination of joining plates and
screws–the plates ensure perfect joint alignment while
the screws provide holding power and eliminate the need
for glue and a lot of long clamps. We've also
streamlined drawer construction by employing simple and
fast glue-and-nail joints.
As shown in the photo (right), we've accessorized our
dresser with a wall-mounted storage unit. This piece is
based on the shelf assembly featured with our desk (see
"Stay Tuned"). To build the wall-mounted unit, follow
the instructions given for the desk unit, but eliminate
the leg sections and cut the end panels to 10 1/2 in.
long.
Case Construction
Equip your circular saw with a fine-tooth blade to
cut the plywood case parts to size. For accuracy, use a
straightedge guide positioned at the appropriate
distance from your cutline. With the guide square to the
edge of the panel, hold the saw base against the guide
while moving the saw slowly forward.
Use a household iron to apply veneer tape to the
front edges of the plywood case sides, bottom and front
cleat (Photo 1). Set the iron to its highest
setting, and advance it slowly while you press down
firmly. Position the 1 3/16-in.-wide tape so there's a
slight overhang on each side of the panel.
1--Heat the
hot-melt adhesive on the back of the veneer tape with an
iron. Slowly advance the iron with firm
pressure.
Trim the excess tape flush to the panel faces with a
razor-sharp chisel. If the tape tends to tear, reverse
the direction of the chisel (Photo 2).
2--Use a sharp
chisel to trim the overhanging edges of the veneer tape.
If the tape begins to tear, reverse the cutting
direction.
Mark the locations of joining plate slots on the
plywood case parts. First cut the slots in the ends of
the cleats and bottom. For good joint registration, hold
both the piece and plate joiner tight to your worktable.
To cut the slots in the case sides, first clamp a tall
fence to the worktable. Use this fence as a support to
hold the sides in a vertical position while cutting the
slots (Photo 3).
3--Use a plate
joiner to make the slots for the case. Clamp case sides
vertically and register the slots against your work
surface.
Bore screw clearance holes through the case sides and
countersink the holes so that the screwheads will be
slightly recessed.
4--Assemble the
case by screwing the sides to the cleats and bottom. Use
clamps to hold the pieces while you drive the
screws.
Install joining plates in the case joints. Since
these joints depend on screws for their strength, don't
apply glue to the plates. Then, assemble the case parts.
Use clamps to hold the parts together while you bore
pilot holes into the panel edges and drive the screws
(Photo 4). Set this assembly aside while you
construct the poplar grids. Using a square to guide your
circular saw, cut the poplar grid pieces to length.
Then, lay out the joining plate slot locations and cut
the slots. When cutting into endgrain, especially on
short pieces, clamp the part to the worktable (Photo
5).
5--Cut plate
slots in the grid assembly components. Clamp pieces to
your work surface for safe and accurate
cuts.
Apply glue to the slots and plates for the joints
between the mullion and the short, center rails. Join
the rails to the mullion (Photo 6), and then use
clamps to pull the joints tight until the glue sets.
Next, join the top and bottom rails to the mullion ends.
Again, clamp the joints (Photo 7). Finally, join
the two stiles to the rail
ends.
6--Spread glue
in the slots and on the plates and assemble short rails
to the mullion. Clamp the subassembly until the glue
sets.
Making The Grids
Use a clamp at each rail to ensure that the joints
are tight. Compare opposite diagonal measurements of the
grid assembly to be sure that it is square. If the
measurements differ, adjust the clamps until they are
the same.
7--Apply glue to
the end rail joints and clamp to the mullion. After the
glue has set, attach the grid stiles with glue and
plates.
Assembly And Top
Position a grid assembly against each plywood case
side, adjusting for the proper overhang at the front and
back edges. Use clamps to temporarily hold the parts
together, and bore and countersink pilot holes through
the case sides. Pay attention to the hole locations as
shown in the plans so you do not place screws where they
might interfere with the drawer track installation.
Fasten the grids with 1 1/4-in. No. 8 fh screws
(Photo 8).
8--Clamp the
grid assemblies to the case sides. Bore and countersink
screw pilot holes and drive screws to fasten the
grids.
Use your circular saw and rip guide to cut edge
strips for the dresser top, and then crosscut the strips
to length. Apply glue to one end of the top panel and
position a strip so it's flush with the top surface and
overhanging 1/8 in. on the bottom. Clamp the strip while
you drive 6d finish nails. The clamp will keep the strip
from moving, ensuring that it stays flush with the top
of the panel. Apply the strip at the opposite end of the
panel, and add the front edge. Set the nailheads.
Clamp the top in place while you bore and countersink
pilot holes through the cleats (Photo 9). Fasten
the top to the case with 1 1/4-in. No. 8 fh screws.
9--After gluing
the edges to the plywood top, clamp the top in place and
bore screwholes. Then, screw the case to the
top.
The Drawers
Rip and crosscut the drawer parts to finished
dimension. Rout the grooves in the drawer sides and
fronts for the bottom panels. Use a 1/4-in. straight bit
and an edge-guide accessory (Photo 10).
10--Rout grooves
for the drawer bottoms in the drawer front and side
panels. Use a 1/4-in. straight bit and router edge
guide.
Sand the interior drawer surfaces with 120-, 150- and
180-grit sandpaper before assembly. Then, dust off the
pieces and assemble the drawers. Apply glue to the
mating surfaces, and use clamps to hold the parts
together while you drive 6d finish nails (Photo
11).
Cut the 1/4-in. plywood drawer bottom panels to size
and sand them, finishing with 180-grit sandpaper. After
dusting off the bottom panels, slide each one into the
grooves of an assembled drawer.
11--Apply glue
to the drawer box joints. Then clamp the boxes together
and drive nails at the corners. Set the
nailheads.
Then, drill pilot holes and drive screws through the
panels into the drawer backs to secure the panels
(Photo 12). Glue or screws are not used in the
panel grooves.
12--After
sliding the 1/4-in. bottom panels in place, secure them
to the drawer backs with 3/4-in. No. 6 rh
screws.
Mount the drawer rails to the drawer sides (Photo
13). Drive screws through the vertical slots at the
ends of each rail to allow for adjustment after
installation. The rails must be mounted 1/8 in. back
from the front edge of the box.
13--Fasten the
drawer halves of each track to the drawer sides with
screws driven through the vertical slotted
holes.
Lay the case on its side on your worktable to mount
the remaining track halves (Photo 14). Drive
screws through the horizontal slots at each end of the
slides to allow for track adjustment. This time,
position the track halves so that the front ends are
flush with the front edge of the dresser case.
14--Install the
case tracks by screwing through the horizontal slotted
holes. Place tracks flush with the front edges of
case.
Final Steps
Cut the back panel to size. Compare opposite diagonal
measurements of the case to be sure that it is square.
Then nail the back in place with 1-in. brads (Photo
15).
15--After
checking that the case is square, install the 1/4-in.
back panel with 1-in. brads driven about 4 in.
apart.
To install the drawers, engage the drawer rail under
the small hooks at the back edge of the tracks, then
lower the drawer over the plastic clips until you hear
them click into place (Photo 16).
16--Install each
drawer by engaging the drawer member with the hook at
the back of the track. Then, lower front of
drawer.
Cut poplar stock to size for the drawer faces.
Starting with the bottom drawer, clamp the face to the
box, bore screwholes from inside and drive screws to
fasten the face (Photo 17). After all faces are
installed, check their alignment and adjust the slides
to achieve a uniform 1/8-in. space around each. Drive
screws into all the remaining track-mounting holes.
Bore holes for the drawer knobs and mount the knobs
with 1 3/4-in.-long mounting screws. Remove the drawers
for painting.
17--Clamp drawer
face to drawer box. Then bore and countersink screw
pilot holes. Attach each face and check
alignment.
Use glue and 6d finish nails to assemble the toe kick
base. Lay the cabinet on its back, and clamp the base to
the case bottom while you bore pilot holes and screw the
toe kick in place (Photo 18).
Set all nailheads and fill the holes with wood
filler. Sand the case and drawer parts, finishing with
180-grit paper, and clean away the dust. Apply a good
latex primer to all cabinet surfaces and drawer faces.
If you wish to finish the drawer boxes, use two coats of
shellac.
When the primer is dry, lightly sand all surfaces
with 180-grit paper. Then dust it off before painting.
Apply two coats of a quality latex semigloss enamel,
following the directions supplied by the manufacturer.
When the paint is dry, reinstall the drawers.
MATERIALS LIST–Dresser
Key
No.
Size and description (use)
A
2
3/4 x 18 1/8 x 32 5/8" plywood
(side)
B
1
3/4 x 18 1/8 x 43 1/2" plywood
(bottom)
C
2
3/4 x 4 1/2 x 43 1/2" plywood
(cleat)
D
2
3/4 x 3 1/2 x 25 5/8" poplar
(mullion)
E
8
3/4 x 3 1/2 x 4 3/8" poplar
(short rail)
F
4
3/4 x 3 1/2 x 12 1/4" poplar
(rail)
G
4
3/4 x 3 1/2 x 32 5/8" poplar
(stile)
H
1
3/4 x 19 1/4 x 46 1/2" plywood
(top)
I
1
3/4 x 7/8 x 48" poplar
(edge)
J
2
3/4 x 7/8 x 19 1/4" poplar
(edge)
K
8
3/4 x 6 3/4 x 18" poplar
(drawer side)
L
4
3/4 x 6 3/4 x 41" poplar
(drawer front)
M
4
3/4 x 6 1/8 x 41" poplar
(drawer back)
N
4
1/4 x 17 1/2 x 41 1/2" plywood
(drawer bottom)
O
4
3/4 x 8 x 44 3/4" poplar
(drawer face)
P
1
1/4 x 32 5/8 x 45" plywood
(back)
Q
2
3/4 x 2 3/4 x 43" poplar (toe
kick face)
R
2
3/4 x 2 3/4 x 16" poplar (toe
kick side)
S
3
3/4 x 4 x 16" plywood
(cleat)
T*
4
18" drawer tracks (Accuride
No. 3037-18")
U**
8
1 1/4"-dia. knob (Hafele No.
13893100)
Misc: No. 20 joining
plates; 2" No. 8 fh woodscrews; 1 1/4" No. 8 fh
woodscrews; 3/4" No. 6 rh woodscrews; 6d finish
nails; 1" brads; birch veneer tape; glue;
sandpaper; latex primer and enamel. Notes: All
plywood birch veneer; dimensions include veneer
tape where applicable. *Available from Rockler
Woodworking and Hardware, 4365 Willow Dr., Medina,
MN 55340 (stock No. 32821) ** Hafele America Co.,
3901 Cheyenne Dr., P.O. Box 4000, Archdale, NC
27263
18--After
assembling the toe kick pieces with glue and nails,
clamp the base to the dresser, bore screwholes and drive
screws.
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