NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
The carcass underneath is a simple plywood box: sides, top, and back, on purchased turned legs rather than anything you'd shape yourself. Everything that makes this nightstand distinctive is applied afterward — cove moulding wrapping the top and bottom edges, a curved scroll-sawn moulding pattern dressing up the doors and drawer face, and iron-on edge banding cleaning up the plywood edges that would otherwise show raw layers.
Edge banding and moulding work both reward doing the visible parts before the invisible ones, in the opposite order you might expect: band and trim the exposed edges of the side panels before final assembly, while they're still flat and easy to iron. The scroll saw pattern is the one operation that needs patience over speed — cut it from 1/4" plywood in one continuous pass where you can, since restarting a cut partway through a curve is the most common way to leave a visible seam in the finished moulding.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4", half sheet | 1 each |
| Plywood, 1/4", quarter sheetBack panel and scroll-sawn moulding. | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x2, 6 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 21 in | 1 each |
| Turned wood legs, with hardware | 4 each |
| Iron-on edge veneer | 1 roll |
| Cove moulding, 3/4" x 3/4" | 15 ft |
| Drawer face moulding | 8 ft |
| Drawer slides, 14" | 1 pair |
| Knobs | 4 each |
| Hinges | 2 pair |
| Brad nails, 3/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 5 sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sides and bottomPlywood | 3 | 3/4" × 17 1/4" × 22 1/2" |
| Carcass supportsPine | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 21" |
| TopPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 18" × 24" |
| Top and bottom trim, longCove moulding | 2 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 24" |
| Top and bottom trim, shortCove moulding | 4 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 18" |
| DoorsPlywood | 2 | 3/4" × 10 3/8" × 17 1/4" |
| Door trim, verticalDrawer face moulding | 4 | 1/2" × 1/4" × 14 3/4" |
| Door trim, horizontalDrawer face moulding | 6 | 1/2" × 1/4" × 10 1/4" |
| Door trim, smallDrawer face moulding | 4 | 1/2" × 1/4" × 6 3/4" |
| Scroll-sawn moulding accents1/4" plywoodPattern per diagram — cut in one continuous pass per curve where possible. | 12 | 1/4" × 1" × 3" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 23 1/4" × 22 1/2" |
| Optional shelfPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 16 1/2" × 21" |
| Drawer front/backPine | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Drawer sidesPine | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14" |
| Drawer bottom1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 20" × 14" |
| Drawer facePine | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 20 3/4" |
| Drawer face trim, longDrawer face moulding | 2 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 20 3/4" |
| Drawer face trim, shortDrawer face moulding | 2 | 3/4" × 3/4" × 2 1/2" |
Buy 14 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
1 board
1 board
Depending on your leg hardware and how it mounts, it may be easier to attach the turned legs to the base before the carcass is fully assembled — check your hardware's instructions and decide before you go further.
Edge-band the front edges of the side panels. If you're a perfectionist, shave about 1/8" off the front edge on the table saw first to allow for the edge banding's thickness — otherwise the banded edge sits slightly proud. If you're painting instead, fill the front edges of the plywood with wood filler, sand, and paint over it.
Drill 3/4" pocket holes facing upward on the insides for attaching the top later. Attach the side panels to the base along the bottom inside edge with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.
Attach the top support pieces at the front and back, drilling pocket holes facing upward for the top in the next step.
Attach the top to the sides, then apply the cove moulding trim around the top and bottom edges with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws and glue where it fastens, brad nails and glue for the moulding itself.
Build the drawer box to fit your actual drawer slides and opening — the dimensions here assume slides that need 1/2" clearance on each side (1" total) and an opening true to width; verify both before cutting. Place the pocket holes on the outside faces so they're hidden by the drawer face later. Attach the 1/4" plywood bottom with 3/4" brad nails and glue.
Install the drawer inset 3/4" and place the drawer face on top, nailing it in a few spots (avoiding where hardware will go), keeping an even 1/8" gap on top and sides. Remove the drawer and add a few 1-1/4" screws from the back side for a permanent hold.
Attach the drawer bottom trim with an even 1/8" gap above it, matching the gaps on every other side of the drawer. Use 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.
Cut the two doors from 3/4" plywood and hang with hinges.
Create a pattern for the curved moulding accents and cut them from 1/4" plywood with a scroll saw, in one continuous pass per curve where possible — restarting mid-curve is the most common way to leave a visible seam. Attach the finished moulding to the drawer face and doors with 3/4" brad nails and glue.
Attach the 1/4" plywood back with 3/4" brad nails and glue, then sand everything and finish.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.
1 board
2 boards
2 boards
2 boards
1 board
1 board
1 board
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 →