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A wide eight-drawer dresser with framed drawer fronts, tapered feet, and cove-and-quarter-round trim. A serious casework build — plywood case, real drawer fronts.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case sides | 2 | 3/4" × 22" × 26 1/2" | 3/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Case top | 1 | 3/4" × 20 1/2" × 62 1/2" | 3/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Case bottom | 1 | 3/4" × 22" × 60" | 3/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Long rails | 3 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 63" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Front end rails | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 27 1/4" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Back end rails | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 26 1/2" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Bottom corners | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 19" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| End rails (1x3) | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17 1/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Front legs (ripped 1x3) | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/4" × 35 1/4" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Back legs (ripped 1x4) | 2 | 3/4" × 3" × 35 1/4" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| End panels | 2 | 1/4" × 19" × 28 1/4" | 1/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Front plywood legs (ripped 1x4) | 2 | 3/4" × 3" × 35 1/4" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Front bottom rail | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 58 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Center divider | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 26 1/2" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Drawer dividers | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 28 7/8" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Top | 1 | 3/4" × 23 1/4" × 64 1/2" | 3/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Drawer faces | 8 | 1/4" × 28 5/8" × 5 13/16" | 1/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Drawer bottoms | 8 | 1/4" × 21" × 27 5/8" | 1/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Top drawer sides (ripped 1x6) | 4 | 3/4" × 4 1/2" × 21" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Top drawer ends (ripped 1x6) | 4 | 3/4" × 4 1/2" × 26 1/8" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Lower drawer sides | 12 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 21" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Lower drawer ends | 12 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 26 1/8" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Back | 1 | 1/4" × 29 1/2" × 63" | 1/4 in plywood | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4 in, 4x8 sheet Drawer case. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Plywood, 3/4 in, half sheet (2x8) Top — or MDF if painting. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Plywood, 1/4 in, 4x8 sheet Drawer bottoms, drawer fronts, end panels, back. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 2x2, 8 ft Frame. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft End rails, front bottom rail. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x4, 8 ft Legs, dividers, drawer-face frames (ripped). | 8 each | ☐ |
| 1x6, 8 ft Drawer sides and ends. | 10 each | ☐ |
| Cove molding, 3/4 in, 10 ft | 1 each | ☐ |
| Quarter round, 3/4 in, 8 ft Top trim and drawer-front inner frames. | 7 each | ☐ |
| Drawer glides, 20 in | 8 pair | ☐ |
| Knobs or handles | 8 each | ☐ |
| Trim-head screws, 2 in | 1 box | ☐ |
| Finish nails, 1-1/2 in | 1 box | ☐ |
| Wood screws, 2 in and pocket screws 1-1/4 in | 1 box | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle | ☐ |
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Table Saw. Materials: Plywood, 3/4 in, 4x8 sheet, Wood screws, 2 in and pocket screws 1-1/4 in
Cut a 3/4" x 1-1/2" notch out of both drawer-case side panels. Attach the sides to the 60" x 22" bottom with four 2" screws per joint (pocket holes also work). Install the case top (62-1/2" x 20-1/2") flush front and back with a 1-1/4" overhang on each side.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set, Speed Square. Materials: 2x2, 8 ft, 2x4, 8 ft, Wood screws, 2 in and pocket screws 1-1/4 in
Keep every joint and edge flush and even here — misalignment now causes trouble throughout the rest of the build. Attach 2x2 pieces to both ends, hanging 1/4" past the top of the case, driving 2" screws from inside the case. Flip and add the bottom rails; the 19" pieces get screws driven in from the ends (predrill to avoid splitting) or pocket holes. The last 2x2 sits in the notches you cut earlier.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Plywood, 1/4 in, 4x8 sheet, 1x3, 8 ft, 1x4, 8 ft, Trim-head screws, 2 in, Finish nails, 1-1/2 in, Wood glue
The two ends are mirror images — the back leg is larger than the front, so keep track of orientation. Drill two pocket holes in each end of the 17-1/4" rails, ~1" from the edges, and screw the panels together faces flush. Glue and finish-nail the 1/4" plywood to each frame. Attach the completed end panels to the case with 2" finish nails or trim-head screws, flush with the top and front, larger leg to the back.
| Finish or paint |
| 2 quart |
| ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Bar / Pipe Clamps, Drill / Driver, Miter Saw. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft, 1x4, 8 ft, Trim-head screws, 2 in, Wood glue
Attach the front leg faces with trim-head screws into the 2x2s, then the face pieces between the front legs with finish nails. Flip the unit onto its top to make the feet: cut the angled cuts first, then cut the feet to length (safer and easier that way). Clamp the feet in position and fasten through the legs with trim-head screws, adding screws down into the 2x2 frame.
Tools: Bar / Pipe Clamps, Brad Nailer, Miter Saw. Materials: Cove molding, 3/4 in, 10 ft, Quarter round, 3/4 in, 8 ft, Finish nails, 1-1/2 in, Wood glue
Lay the 64-1/2" x 23-1/4" top on, front and side edges flush, and attach by driving 1-1/4" pocket screws up through the top of the drawer case. Then add trim: miter one end of the cove molding, run it along a side with its top edge even with the bottom of the top, nail it, and cut the excess flush using the back as a guide. Miter and fit the front, then the other side. Repeat the whole process with the quarter round.
Tools: Bar / Pipe Clamps, Brad Nailer, Pocket Hole Jig, Table Saw. Materials: Plywood, 1/4 in, 4x8 sheet, 1x4, 8 ft, 1x6, 8 ft, Quarter round, 3/4 in, 8 ft, Finish nails, 1-1/2 in, Wood glue
Build the drawer boxes (the top two are 1" shallower than the other six) with pocket holes 1" from the edges, holes to the outside. Nail on the plywood bottoms flush all around. For each drawer front, glue and clamp a 3/4" x 1" outer frame to a 1/4" plywood back, finish-nailing from behind through the plywood; then fit the quarter-round inner frame — short end pieces first, then flex the longer sides into place, nailing at an angle into the outer frame. Drill knob holes from the flat back.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver. Materials: Plywood, 1/4 in, 4x8 sheet, Drawer glides, 20 in, Knobs or handles, Finish nails, 1-1/2 in, Finish or paint
Install the glides so each drawer box front is 1" back from the dresser face. Fit the drawer fronts using 1/8" shims for an even gap, driving 2" finish nails through the outer frame into the box. Finish drilling knob holes. Nail the 1/4" back panel on with a finish nail every 6". Finish or paint, and add knobs last.