Floating Nightstand with Drawer

Cut list

Board layout. Each row is one board, cut left to right, with the remainder hatched. Dark lines are saw cuts, about ⅛″ wide.

Build it

1. 
   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.
2. 
   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.

3. 
   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.

4. 
   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.

5. 
   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.

6. 
   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.

7. 
   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.

8. 
   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.

9. 
   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. 
    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.