Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/27/2009

Question
Hello:

I would like to make myself a basic functional dresser but it seems pretty complicated and I am very limited with tools. what is wrong with just making a box with 4 side and then screwing in those guides with the wheels that act as a guide, or what about wooden slides nailed into the sides with grooves on the drawers. why can't I just do this and not have a frame? I can't seem to find any webistes on this particular thing without running into complicated directions and not without complicated tools.

Answer
Hi Penny,

You're somewhat correct in thinking that a dresser is just a big box, with drawer slides attached on the inside. At least, that's what I explain to beginners, when they think it's too overwhelming to consider building one. There are a few factors to consider, however. I'll run through a few things, and then throw this back to you, so that you can write back if you have more questions.

Yes, a dresser is basically just a big box. But you might want to add a few things to make it more convenient, like a back, so that your clothes are kept dust free, and some feet, to raise the box up and off the floor. That will make it easier to clean around. Finally, you mentioned just attaching some wooden strips to act as drawer slides, but the metal drawer slides are much easier, cleaner, and your drawers won't fall out when you pull them too far, so I suggest using those.

There are a few things you'll have to know about drawer slides. First, you but them by how long they are. And they are available in 2 inch increments, like an 18" slide, or a 20" slide, and so on. So it's wise to build your dresser around that dimension.  I suggest building your dresser first, and then when it's done, measure the inside depth to figure out how long a slide you can accommodate.

When your dresser (or big box, as you call it) is built, you will need to measure how wide the interior is ... that will determine how wide you build your drawer boxes. Yup, a dresser is really a box, with more boxes inside. Let's say your dresser is 24 inches wide inside. You will need to build your drawer one inch less wide, or 23 inches wide. That's because as a rule, drawer slides measure one half inch wide. And because you use two, one on each side of the drawer, they will take up one inch of space in total. Make sure you read the instructions on the of drawer slide packing, some might be slightly larger than this one inch differential. But it's usually one inch.

Also, you need to think about drawer box height. Some slides need a little clearance, so you have to make the box an inch or two less that the total height. Let's say your dresser interior is 48 inches tall. That doesn't mean you can build six - eight inch tall drawers.  You can't use up the whole space with drawer boxes. You will probably want a couple of inches between each drawer, for clearance.  If I had a dresser that was 48" inside, I would probably build two shallow drawers for the top, then two medium drawers for the middle, and two deeper drawers for the bottom. Varying the drawer height makes you look like an awesome furniture designer... cool.

Finally, drawer faces.... they are the finished piece of wood where you will apply a handle. They are very hard to install, in my opinion. You almost always end up hanging them a little crooked, and they're tough to adjust. So here's my "money" suggestion... I would hang all your drawer inside the dresser, and then instead of using drawer faces, I might consider using two doors, instead. They're easier to hang than a drawer face. I know, the only problem is that you have to open the doors to get to the drawers. But it's really not that big of a deal. And it looks better for the beginner. Anyway, that's just a suggestion, you don't need to follow it.

OK, I've given you enough to think about. Write back if you have any other questions. Good luck!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com