One of my favorite games is going online shopping for the most expensive piece of furniture I can find, then try to DIY it! In this case, I was shopping for a nightstand. I found the perfect nightstand that wold fit my space beautifully and after drooling over it for a few minutes I snapped back into reality. I began to draft some plans, budget the materials and get started on this new and exciting project! The nightstand that I found was over $1,000 (whoa..) but I managed to make two of them for under $70 each!
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TOOLS
| Miter Saw or Circle Saw |
| Tape Measure |
| Speed Square |
| Kreg Jig w/ drill bit |
| 1 1/4″ Pocket screws (fine) |
| Cordless Drill |
| Nailer with 1 1/2″ Brad Nails |
| Wood Glue |
| Wood Filler |
| Putty Knife |
| Hand Sander |
| Sanding Paper |
| White Paint |
| Polyurethane |
| Paint Brush / Roller |
| 4 Door Hinges |
| 2 Drawer Hardware |
| 8 Heavy Duty Leg Top Plate |
LUMBER LIST
| (#) | DIMENSION |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 4′ x 8′ Poplar Plywood |
| (4) | Table legs 14″ (Home Depot) |
| (2) | 3/4″ x 6′ Trim |
CUT LIST
| (#) | WOOD | LENGTH |
| (2) | 3/4″ Plywood | @ 12 1/2″ x 16″ (Side Supports) |
| (2) | 3/4″ Plywood | @ 28″ x 16″ (Top & Bottom) |
| (1) | 3/4″ Plywood | @ 26 1/2″ x 15″ (Middle Shelf) |
| (1) | 3/4″ Plywood | @ 5″ x 26 3/8″ (Drawer) |
| (2) | 3/4″ x 6′ Trim | @ 28″ (45 degree long end to long end / long side box trim ) |
| (2) | 3/4″ x 6′ Trim | @ 14″ (45 degree long end to long end / short side box trim) |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 6′ Trim | @ 26 1/2″ (cut straight / Middle Shelf Trim) |
STEP 1: CUT MATERIALS
The cut list I provided above is for a 28″H x 28″W x 17″D. I went to home depot and had them cut the big stuff for me so that I could fit it into my SUV. The table legs shown below are from HOME DEPOT.
STEP 2: DRILL POCKET HOLES
Pocket holes make my life easier and it helps the project come together seamless with tight joints! You only need to drill pocket holes in the middle shelf as well as the two side supports. See the picture below for reference. Set the kreg jig to 3/4″ depth.
STEP 3: SAND PLYWOOD
Sand all of your boards starting with a coarse grit and move down to a fine grit. Sanding all of the pieces now is easier instead of doing it while it’s assembled!
STEP 4: ASSEMBLE BOX
Assemble your box using the top, bottom and side pieces. Use 1 1/4″ pocket screws and your pre drilled pocket holes to secure these pieces together.
STEP 5: PAINT
This Behr Ultra White paint and primer worked great! I painted the box as well as the remaining pieces of plywood (shelf and door). I used a white spray paint for the legs.
STEP 6: APPLY TRIM
Apply 3/4″ trim to the entire front of the box. I cut my trim at a 45 degree angle so the corners would meet perfectly. Attach the trim using wood glue and 1 1/2″ brad nails. ** Apply a piece of trim to your middle shelf piece as well (you can paint this white or leave it the same finish as your other trim)
STEP 7: ATTACH BRACKET & DOOR TO SHELF
I purchased two door brackets for the nightstand drawer. Butt the pieces together tight, lay the bracket down flat, then screw in your bracket to the middle shelf and the back of the drawer face.
STEP 8: ATTACH HARDWARE
Center your hardware on the face of the drawer, drill two holes and secure the hardware with screws.
STEP 9: INSERT SHELF IN BOX
Fold the drawer so it’s up at a 90 degree angle like the picture shown below. Dry fit the shelf piece in the box to double check that it fits. You want to leave about a 1/8″ gap at the top of your drawer so it opens and shuts easily. The face of the drawer should be flush with the nightstand trim.
Draw a line in the nightstand where the shelf should sit. After you draw a line on each side, insert and screw in the middle shelf with the pre drilled pocket holes and 1 1/4″ screws. To make this easier, set the nightstand on its side and then screw in one side of the shelf at a time.
STEP 10: ATTACH LEGS
Flip the nightstand over and screw in the leg plates. Leave a 1/4″ or so between the plate and the front of the nightstand so you don’t see the bracket. After the plates are secured, twist in each of the legs.
STEP 11: WOOD FILLER / Sand
Use wood filler to fill in any nail holes and gaps between the box and the trim, as well as any gaps in the corner of your trim pieces. After the wood filler is dry, sand off the access so it’s nice and smooth.
STEP 12: Stain Trim
I used a natural stain for the trim. I applied the stain with a small sponge brush.
STEP 13: APPLY POLY
Apply a poly to the trim and table top. I first tried an oil based clear satin poly. DO NOT use this poly on the white paint, it will turn your white paint yellow (I learned the hard way).. This spray on polyurethane works great and has a crystal clear finish that won’t yellow over time. You can find it HERE.
