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This dresser's side panels are the whole design idea: a 2x2-and-1x2 frame wraps a piece of 3/4" plywood ripped to width, giving a board-and-batten look without solid-wood panel glue-ups. Rip your own plywood sheet into the two 14"-wide side strips first, saving the remainder for the dresser top — getting both from one sheet is what the materials list is built around.
The front frame boards are the single most consequence-heavy part of the whole build: they sit directly between the drawer faces, so their placement accuracy determines whether the finished drawer fronts read as an even grid or a slightly-off patchwork. Measure twice before committing any of them.
The top is squared against the dresser frame rather than the other way around — set the top on a flat surface, place the frame on top of it flush to the back with even overhangs on front and sides, and use the top itself as the squaring reference. This is backwards from how most casework gets assembled, and it's backwards on purpose: a flat panel is a much more reliable square reference than a leg-and-rail frame under its own weight.
Drawer boxes install inset 13/16" inside the frame, and drawer faces are cut about 3/16" undersize and shimmed into an even gap before final attachment — small numbers, but they're what keeps five drawer fronts reading as one clean face.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x2, 8 ft | 3 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 4 each |
| 3/4" plywood panel, 48" x 48"Side panels and dresser top. | 1 each |
| 1x6, 12 linear board feetSmaller drawer sides. | 2 each |
| 1x8, 30 linear board feetLarger drawer sides, front, and back. | 4 each |
| 1x10, 10 linear board feetLarger drawer faces. | 2 each |
| 1/4" plywood, full sheet (underlayment works)Drawer bottoms. | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 75 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 4 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" and 3/4" | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
| Euro drawer slides, 16", bottom corner mount | 5 set |
| Handles or pulls | 8 each |
| Edge banding, matching wood veneer | 7 ft |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Legs2x2, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 43 1/4" |
| Side panel top/trim1x2, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14" |
| Side panels3/4" plywood panel, 48" x 48" | 2 | 3/4" × 14" × 39 3/4" |
| Front frame, bottom2x2, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 38" |
| Front frame boards1x2, 8 ftThese sit between drawer faces — placement accuracy matters most here. | 6 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 38" |
| Front frame, sides1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 7 1/2" |
| Top3/4" plywood panel, 48" x 48" | 1 | 3/4" × 17 1/2" × 42" |
| Small drawer sides1x6, 12 linear board feet | 8 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 16" |
| Small drawer bottoms1/4" plywood, full sheet (underlayment works) | 2 | 1/4" × 16" × 17 1/2" |
| Small drawer faces1x8, 30 linear board feetMeasure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 18 3/8" |
| Large drawer sides1x8, 30 linear board feet | 6 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 16" |
| Large drawer fronts/backs1x8, 30 linear board feet | 6 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 35 3/8" |
| Large drawer bottoms1/4" plywood, full sheet (underlayment works) | 3 | 1/4" × 16" × 36 7/8" |
| Large drawer faces1x10, 10 linear board feetMeasure and cut to fit. | 3 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 37 3/4" |
Buy 19 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
1 board
1 board
Attach the 1x2 trim to the top of the 2x2 legs, pocket holes facing up. A single pocket hole and glue per joint is plenty, since the plywood panel adds many more reinforcing pocket holes in the next step.
Rip the 3/4" plywood along the grain into two 14"-wide strips, saving the remainder for the top. Cross-cut to height, drill 3/4" pocket holes along the top and side edges, and attach with glue inside the frame from the previous step.
Attach the remaining 1x2 to the bottom of each side frame with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue.
Attach the front frame boards to the side assemblies, placing them accurately since they sit directly between the drawer faces. Use a single pocket hole and glue per joint; switch to a 1-1/2" pocket hole with a 2-1/2" pocket hole screw for the bottom 2x2-to-2x2 joints. Repeat to attach to the second side panel.
Measure and mark the center divider location carefully, then attach with brad nails and glue.
Cut the top from the remaining plywood and apply edge banding to the outer edges with an iron. Place the top on a flat, level surface, then place the dresser frame on top of it, flush to the back with even overhangs on front and sides — use the top to square up the frame, checking that the overhangs are even and the frame lines run parallel to the top's edges. Attach with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws through the top 1x2s.
Measure each opening to confirm it matches the diagrams. Build the drawer boxes with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue, and attach the 1/4" plywood bottoms with 3/4" brad nails and glue. Install the drawer slides inset 13/16" inside the frame.
Cut each drawer face about 3/16" smaller than its opening, shim into place with an even gap on all sides, and attach with 1-1/4" brad nails, avoiding hardware locations. Remove the drawers and secure the faces from inside with 1-1/4" screws at the four outer corners. Install pulls, sand, and finish.
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2 boards
4 boards
2 boards
4 boards
2 boards
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 →