Floating Nightstand with Drawer
A wall-hung nightstand with a full drawer and nothing on the floor underneath. Its solid bottom slides onto two hidden steel rods screwed into the studs.
- Skill
- Level 4 of 5 · Intermediate
- Build time
- 5 to 7 hours, plus finish
- Lumber
- 1 2x8, 1 panel of ¾″ plywood and 1 panel of ¼″ plywood
- Joinery
- Pocket holes, glue, brads and hidden rod brackets
- Finished size
- about 20″ W × 13½″ D × 8¼″ H
What you need
A 2x8 is actually 1½″ × 7¼″. Every measurement in this plan uses the real size. ¾″ plywood and ¼″ plywood are drawn at full thickness, but plywood sold that way is often a hair thinner, so measure yours and cut the pieces that fit between panels to match.
Shopping list
- 12x8, 8 ftThe solid bottom the rods go into.
- 1¾″ plywood, 2 × 4 ft panelCase and drawer.
- 1¼″ plywood, 2 × 4 ft panelBack and drawer bottom.
- 2Hidden floating shelf brackets, ½″ rod, 6″ longOne per stud, 16″ apart.
- 4Screws for the bracket platesUsually included. If not, 3″ wood screws into the studs.
- 1 pair10″ side-mount ball-bearing drawer slidesFull extension. They need ½″ on each side of the drawer.
- 1Drawer knobWith a screw long enough for a ¾″ face.
- ~101¼″ coarse-thread pocket-hole screws
- ~101¼″ brad nails
- ~20¾″ brad nails
- 41¼″ wood screwsDrawer face to drawer box.
- 1Double-sided tapeFor placing the drawer face.
- 1Iron-on edge banding, 25 ft¾″ wide.
- 1Wood glue
- —Sandpaper, paint or stain
Tools
- Table sawFor ripping the back strip.
- Circular sawWith a straight board clamped on as a guide, for the plywood.
- Pocket-hole jigSet for ¾″ stock.
- Drill/driverWith a ½″ brad-point bit at least 7″ long.
- Drill guideOr a drill press, to drill the rod holes straight.
- Brad nailer or hammer
- Clamps
- Clothes ironFor the edge banding.
- Stud finder
- Level
- Tape measure, pencil
Cut list
Twelve pieces from one board and two panels. Label each piece with its letter in pencil as you cut it.
| Part | Qty | Size, inches | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABottom, back stripRipped to 6⅛″ wide. | 1 | 1½ × 7¼ × 20 | 2x8 |
| BBottom, front strip | 1 | 1½ × 7¼ × 20 | 2x8 |
| CSides | 2 | ¾ × 6 × 13⅛ | ¾″ plywood |
| DTop | 1 | ¾ × 13⅛ × 20 | ¾″ plywood |
| EBack | 1 | ¼ × 6¾ × 20 | ¼″ plywood |
| FDrawer face | 1 | ¾ × 5¾ × 18¼ | ¾″ plywood |
| GDrawer box sides | 2 | ¾ × 4½ × 10 | ¾″ plywood |
| HDrawer box front and back | 2 | ¾ × 4½ × 16 | ¾″ plywood |
| JDrawer bottom | 1 | ¼ × 10 × 17½ | ¼″ plywood |
Board layout. Each row is one board, cut left to right, with the remainder hatched. Dark lines are saw cuts, about ⅛″ wide.
Hardware & tools
Everything besides the lumber, with a link for each.
Links go to Amazon. Woodable earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Required part
Hidden floating shelf bracketsCheck your brackets' instructions for the hole size and rod length before you drill.2View on Amazon
Hardware
- 10″ side-mount ball-bearing drawer slidesFull extension. They need ½″ on each side of the drawer.1 pairView on Amazon
- Drawer knobWith a screw long enough for a ¾″ face.1View on Amazon
- Double-sided tapeFor placing the drawer face.1View on Amazon
- Iron-on edge banding, 25 ft¾″ wide.1View on Amazon
Fasteners
- Screws for the bracket platesUsually included. If not, 3″ wood screws into the studs.4View on Amazon
- 1¼″ coarse-thread pocket-hole screws#8 × 1¼″, coarse thread, washer head. For joining ¾″ boards.~10View on Amazon
- 1¼″ brad nails18 gauge, 1¼″ long.~10View on Amazon
- ¾″ brad nails18 gauge, ¾″ long.~20View on Amazon
- 1¼″ wood screwsDrawer face to drawer box.4View on Amazon
Glue & finish
- Wood gluePVA wood glue for indoor projects.1View on Amazon
- Sandpaper5″ hook-and-loop discs for a random orbit sander, 80 to 220 grit.View on Amazon
- Wood stainOil-based or water-based interior wood stain.View on Amazon
- Furniture paintInterior paint for furniture: chalk-style or acrylic enamel.View on Amazon
Tools
- Table sawFor ripping the back strip.View on Amazon
- Circular sawWith a straight board clamped on as a guide, for the plywood.View on Amazon
- Pocket-hole jigSet for ¾″ stock.View on Amazon
- Drill/driverWith a ½″ brad-point bit at least 7″ long.View on Amazon
- Drill guideOr a drill press, to drill the rod holes straight.View on Amazon
- Brad nailer or hammer18 gauge brad nailer that takes ¾″ to 2″ brads.View on Amazon
- ClampsTwo or more bar clamps that open 24″ or more.View on Amazon
- Stud finderElectronic stud finder.View on Amazon
- Level24″ level.View on Amazon
- Tape measure, pencil25 ft tape measure.View on Amazon
Build it
Ten steps. The 3D view follows along as you scroll. The parts you're working on are yellow, and the pocket holes or screws for that step are red.
- 01
Cut the pieces
Cut every piece on the cut list:
- A Bottom, back strip, one at 20″
- B Bottom, front strip, one at 20″
- C Sides, two at 6″ × 13⅛″
- D Top, one at 13⅛″ × 20″
- E Back, one at 6¾″ × 20″
- F Drawer face, one at 5¾″ × 18¼″
- G Drawer box sides, two at 4½″ × 10″
- H Drawer box front and back, two at 4½″ × 16″
- J Drawer bottom, one at 10″ × 17½″
Rip the back strip (A) to 6⅛″ wide on a table saw. That's just deeper than the brackets' 6″ rods are long, so the rods end inside it.
TipThe plywood pieces fit on one 2 × 4 ft panel of each thickness. Pick a flat 2x8 with no big knots in the 40″ you need. - 02
Drill the rod holes and pocket holes
Check your brackets' instructions for the hole size: for ½″ rods it's usually a ½″ bit. On the back strip (A), mark two holes 16″ apart, centered on its length, and centered in its thickness, ¾″ from each face. Drill each hole straight through, from the back edge to the front edge. A drill press or a drill guide keeps the bit square.
Set the pocket-hole jig for ¾″ stock. On the inside face of each side (C), drill two pocket holes along the bottom edge and two along the top edge.
- 03
Glue up the bottom
Glue the front strip (B) to the front edge of the back strip (A), ends and top faces flush, keeping the glue away from the holes. Clamp it every 6″ and let it dry. The front strip hides the holes for good.
- 04
Build the case
Stand the sides (C) on the bottom, flush with its ends and front, pocket holes inside, leaving ¼″ at the back for the back panel. Glue and drive 1¼″ pocket screws down into the bottom. Set the top (D) on the sides, flush at the front and ends, and screw up into it.
- 05
Nail on the back
Turn the case face down. Glue the back (E) on the bottom's top face, behind the sides and top, and pin it to them with ¾″ brads. Check the case is square before the glue sets.
- 06
Build the drawer box
Glue the drawer box front and back (H) between the sides (G), flush at the top and bottom, and nail through the sides with 1¼″ brads. Square it up, then glue and nail the drawer bottom (J) on with ¾″ brads.
- 07
Fit the slides and the drawer
Screw the cabinet half of each 10″ slide to the inside of a side (C), its bottom edge 2″ above the top of the bottom and set back ¾″ from the front. Screw the drawer half to each side of the drawer box, then slide the drawer in. Check your slides' instructions: most need exactly ½″ on each side.
Stick the drawer face (F) to the drawer box front with double-sided tape, centered in the opening with an even ⅛″ gap all round. Open the drawer and drive four 1¼″ screws from inside the box into the face. Add the knob.
Get this hardware: 10″ side-mount ball-bearing drawer slides
- 08
Band the edges and finish
Take the drawer out. Iron edge banding onto the front edges of the sides (C), the top (D) and the drawer face (F), and trim it flush. Sand everything with 120 then 180 grit and paint or stain it. Put the drawer back once the finish is dry.
- 09
Screw the brackets to the studs
Decide on the height: the top usually lines up with your mattress top. Find two studs 16″ apart at that spot. Draw a level line for the rods, ¾″ above where the bottom of the box will be.
Screw a bracket to each stud on the line, rods pointing straight out, with the screws that came with the brackets. Check the rods are level with each other and square to the wall.
Watch outStuds only, never drywall anchors. The box hangs out from the wall on the two rods, so all its weight pulls down and out on the screws. - 10
Slide on the nightstand
Line up the holes in the bottom (A) with the rods and push the nightstand straight on until it's tight to the bracket plates. Press on the front strip (B), not the drawer.
TipA dab of construction adhesive in each hole stops the box from ever sliding forward, but then it won't come off again for painting.
Build at your own risk. Check every measurement against your own lumber before you cut, test-fit before you glue, and wear eye and ear protection. Full disclaimer.
