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Most simple chests use a solid plywood or 1x12 side panel. This one builds each side as its own small frame — two 2x4 legs joined by top and bottom rails, with several short 2x4 pieces set inside as insert panels — the same frame-and-panel logic used in cabinet doors, just scaled up to a full side. Swap the 2x4 inserts for a single piece of plywood if you'd rather have a flat, solid-panel side look — the frame is built the same either way, only the inside detail changes.
Pocket holes on the insert pieces go on the inside face, plus one at each end to anchor into the top and bottom rails — get this orientation right before assembly, since the pocket holes disappear once everything is glued and screwed together. Build both side frames identically, then join them with 2x4 front and back rails, keeping the front rail's pocket holes hidden (top rail's holes face up under where the top will sit; the bottom rail's face down).
Three drawers ride on drawer slides rather than wood runners — one shallow drawer up top, two larger drawers below, all built as simple nailed-and-glued plywood-bottom boxes with the face board attached last through the drawer box from the inside, so no fasteners show on the front. Leave roughly a half-inch gap under each drawer front and center every gap evenly before locking the faces in place. The top is four boards edge-joined and pocket-holed to the case from underneath, and the plywood back panel is let in from the inside with a generous margin so it can't bind against seasonal wood movement.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ft | 10 each |
| 1x6, 8 ft | 3 each |
| 1x8, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 2x6, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1/4" plywood, half sheet | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 20 each |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4" | 10 each |
| Drawer slides, 16 in, pair | 3 set |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Sandpaper | 4 sheet |
| Pre-stain and stain, or paint and poly | 1 set |
| Drawer knobs | 3 each |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Legs2x4, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 29 1/2" |
| Side top/bottom rails2x4, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 14" |
| Side frame inserts2x4, 8 ftSwap for a single plywood panel per side for a solid-panel look. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22 1/2" |
| Back rails2x4, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 19 1/2" |
| Front rails2x4, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 19 1/2" |
| Top boards2x6, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 22 1/2" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood, half sheet | 1 | 1/4" × 12" × 17 1/2" |
| Large drawer sides1x6, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Large drawer front/back1x6, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 16" |
| Large drawer face boards1x8, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 17 3/4" |
| Small drawer sides1x6, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Small drawer front/back1x6, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 16" |
| Small drawer face board1x6, 8 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 17 3/4" |
| Drawer bottoms1/4" plywood, half sheet | 3 | 1/4" × 15 1/2" × 16" |
Buy 12 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
5 boards
Attach two legs to a top and bottom rail with pocket holes and pocket hole screws. Add the frame inserts inside each side frame, pocket holes on the inside faces. Build two identical side frames.
Attach the back rails between the two side frames, pocket holes facing the inside. Attach the front rails the same way, with the top rail's holes facing up and the bottom rail's holes facing down so both stay hidden.
Nail and glue the drawer sides, fronts, and backs together for all three drawer boxes. Attach the plywood drawer bottoms with wood screws.
Mount the drawer slides inside the case following the hardware's instructions, leaving about a half-inch gap between each drawer box and the rail above it.
Center each drawer face on its opening with an even gap on all sides, then screw through the inside of the drawer box into the back of the face board so no fasteners show.
Edge-join the four top boards and attach to the case from underneath with pocket hole screws through the top rails.
Attach the plywood back panel from the inside, leaving a margin around the edges for wood movement.
Sand all surfaces smooth, apply pre-stain and your chosen stain or paint, then add the drawer knobs.
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Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →