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This is a two-drawer file base — a small cabinet sized to carry a desktop as part of a modular wall system. The drawers are deep enough for hanging files and ride on undermount slides, which hide the hardware and let the faceless drawer boxes tuck fully into the cabinet.
The build has two areas that reward care. First, the face frame: it goes on in a specific order — the bottom 1x3 first, then the sides, then the top, then the shelf trim — leaving a deliberate 3/4" reveal at the top for the second top-trim piece. Get the order right and the reveals stay even. Second, the drawer faces are shop-made from 3/8" plywood: a plywood back with rails and stiles applied to build up a framed look. If you can't get 3/8" plywood in the species you want, the plan's workaround is to use 1/4" and apply rails and stiles to both faces to reach 3/4" total thickness.
The undermount-slide workflow is the thing to respect: build the faceless drawer boxes to the exact size the slides need, install them so they sit flush with the back of the cabinet, then fit the faces last with an even gap all around before fastening from inside. Rushing the faces before the boxes glide smoothly is how you end up with crooked gaps. Designed for paint; the exposed plywood edges get a face frame and moulding rather than stain.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood or MDF, 3/4 in A1, 4x8 sheetMade into 1x24 boards for the box. | 1 each |
| Plywood, 3/8 in, partial sheetDrawer faces. Use 1/4" + doubled frames if 3/8" isn't available. | 1 each |
| Plywood, 1/4 in, scrapCabinet back. | 1 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftSide, top, shelf trim. | 1 each |
| 1x3, 2 ftBottom face-frame rail. | 1 each |
| 1x10, 10 ftDrawer sides and backs. | 1 each |
| Base moulding, 2-1/2 in | 2 ft |
| Undermount drawer slides, <23 in | 2 pair |
| Brad nails, 5/8 in, 1-1/4 in, 2 in | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle |
| Primer and paint | 1 quart |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Top3/4 in plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 23 1/4" × 17" |
| Sides3/4 in plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 23 1/4" × 29 1/4" |
| Shelves3/4 in plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 23 1/4" × 15 1/2" |
| Back1/4 in plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 16 1/2" × 30" |
| Face-frame bottom1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17" |
| Face-frame side trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 25 1/4" |
| Face-frame top trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17" |
| Shelf trim1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Base mouldingmoulding | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17" |
| Drawer bottoms3/4 in plywoodCut from 1x24 @ 12-1/4", then trim 3/4" off the long edge. | 2 | 3/4" × 12 1/4" × 22 3/4" |
| Drawer backs1x10 | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 12 1/4" |
| Drawer sides1x10 | 4 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 23 1/2" |
| Drawer-face backs3/8 in plywood | 2 | 3/8" × 11 5/8" × 13 3/4" |
| Drawer-face rails3/8 in plywood | 4 | 3/8" × 1 1/2" × 11 5/8" |
| Drawer-face stiles3/8 in plywood | 4 | 3/8" × 1 1/2" × 10 3/4" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
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Fasten the two shelves to the sides with glue and 2" fasteners, then add the top. Check for square using the plan's measurements. This box is what carries the desktop above it, so a square, solid carcass matters more than usual.
Add the 1/4" plywood back to the cabinet. It squares the box and closes it in — a thin panel is plenty here (as the plan notes, furniture makers often use cardboard for backs).
Attach the face frame starting from the bottom: fasten the bottom 1x3 first, then the sides, then the top, then the shelf trim. Leave a 3/4" space at the top for the second top-trim piece. Working in this order is what keeps the reveals even.
Add the second top-trim piece, nailing through its face into the top of the cabinet as well as into the trim piece from the previous step. This closes the 3/4" reveal you left and completes the frame.
Build each drawer starting from the bottom: cut it from a 1x24 at 12-1/4" long, then trim 3/4" off the 12-1/4" end to get a 12-1/4" x 22-3/4" bottom. Fasten the back to the bottom, then the sides. Check for square.
Install the faceless drawer boxes on the undermount slides so each sits flush with the back of the cabinet. Get them gliding smoothly before you touch the faces.
Build each drawer face by gluing and clamping the rails and stiles to the 3/8" plywood back (5/8" brads or screws help hold while the glue sets). If you couldn't get 3/8" stock, use 1/4" and apply rails and stiles to both faces to reach 3/4" total.
With the drawers in the cabinet, arrange each face for an even gap all around, then fasten it from inside through the drawer box. Add the base moulding, then prime and paint.
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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 →