How to Assemble Drawers for a Chest of Drawers

The cheapest way to get a new chest of drawers is to buy a set that you can put together yourself. When searching for a set of drawers that require assembly, try to find ones that come partially-prepped, such as “Do It Yourself” sets with pegs and precut holes. The project may seem daunting, but with the right equipment and knowledge, you can make this task simple.

Things You’ll Need:

•  Sandpaper

• Hammer, screwdriver or Allen wrench

• Nails, screws or pegs

• A safe place to store the nails, screws and pegs (for example, a plastic baggie)

• An instruction manual (if provided)

• Five pieces of wood per drawer: two long pieces which make up the sides, two smaller pieces which make up the front and back, and one flat panel of wood for the bottom of the drawer

1. Spread out, giving yourself adequate workspace.

2. Gather the wood for the drawer. For each drawer, there are five pieces of wood: two long side pieces, two smaller pieces that go on the front and back of the drawer and one flat panel piece to go on the bottom.

3. Re-measure the panels, making sure that the corresponding side and front/back pieces match. This is especially important if you buy a “ready to assemble” chest of drawers.

4. Collect any nails, screws or pegs necessary for building the drawers and keep them in a safe place.

5. Start by attaching the back-most piece of wood to the two long side-panels. The method you’ll use depends on whether you bought your wood precut or if you cut it yourself. If you bought precut wood, use the pegs or screws provided and match them to their corresponding holes. If you cut the wood yourself, then using nails or screws is the best option.

6. Ensure that the back-panel is securely attached to the side-panels before attaching the front panel.

7. Check to make sure that the four wooden pieces of drawer that you just put together are even and secure.

8. Flip over the “frame” you’ve constructed and attach the bottom of the drawer. The drawer may or may not come with a track or wheels attached to the bottom piece of the drawer.

9. Flip the drawer back over and you’re now ready to put it in your chest of drawers.

10. Repeat the process for each drawer that requires assembly.