This project was built and designed by Jay Bates. It’s the third piece in a cohesive bedroom furniture series, featuring a pine chest of drawers built with strength, clean design, and practical joinery.
Jay walks through the full process from selecting the right dimensional lumber to shaping and assembling drawers that are built to last. With a focus on simplicity and durability, this project is ideal for woodworkers looking to create a functional and attractive storage piece.
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Why Choose Dimensional Pine?
For this build, Jay uses dimensional pine—specifically 2×10 boards—as the core material. These boards are affordable, easy to work with, and widely available, making them a smart option for many home furniture builds.
By selecting boards cut from the center of the tree, Jay reduces the number of knots and flaws in the wood. This results in cleaner surfaces and a more professional-looking finish without needing high-priced hardwoods.
Material Prep and Board Selection
The build begins with careful board selection and rough cutting. Jay lays out the drawer fronts, side panels, and other components to ensure the best visual grain patterns are placed where they’ll be most visible.
Once pieces are selected, each board is milled to a consistent thickness. This step is critical for ensuring proper joinery and a clean final fit. A thickness planer is used to bring the boards to their final dimensions, setting the stage for smooth assembly.
Frame Construction and Joinery
The chest frame features a traditional layout: two side panels, a top, and multiple drawer compartments. Jay uses tongue and groove joints to add both stability and precision to the frame.
Instead of attaching the top panel first, he builds out the sides and base first, ensuring everything is square. This method keeps the structure aligned during the build and makes adding the top easier later on.
Building the Drawer Boxes
Each drawer box is constructed from half-inch plywood, chosen for its combination of strength and light weight. These boxes are built to handle regular use while keeping the overall piece from getting too heavy.
Jay cuts dados in each panel to create a secure groove for the drawer bottoms. This method strengthens the drawer and helps distribute weight evenly once in use.
Drawer Fronts and Assembly
Drawer fronts are cut from pine and installed onto the plywood drawer boxes. To align them properly, Jay uses shims during installation to ensure even spacing and consistent reveals between each drawer.
The drawer fronts are attached using screws driven from inside the box, making them clean and flush from the outside. Each pull is pre-drilled before installation to maintain symmetry and prevent splitting.
Hardware and Fit
Drawer slides are used to guide the drawers in and out, and Jay takes extra care to mount them level and parallel. This is one of the most critical steps to ensuring the drawers open smoothly and line up across the face of the cabinet.
Jay also emphasizes pre-drilling and test-fitting all components before final assembly. These small steps go a long way toward achieving a polished final result.
Final Sanding and Finish
Once the chest is fully assembled, all surfaces are sanded to remove sharp edges and prep for finish. Jay works through progressively finer grits to get a smooth surface that’s ready for stain or sealer.
The choice of finish depends on the desired look. Jay recommends stain or clear finish to let the natural pine grain show through while offering protection against daily wear.
A Durable Addition to the Bedroom Set
This chest of drawers is part of a larger bedroom furniture series, and it follows the same design language as previous pieces. With clean lines, practical joinery, and solid construction, it’s built to last.
Jay’s approach allows for customization in size, drawer count, and hardware options—perfect for tailoring the design to your own needs or matching an existing set.
What You’ll Learn from This Project
This build is more than just a set of drawers—it’s a great exercise in cabinetmaking fundamentals. From selecting better cuts of pine to fitting multiple drawers evenly, there are lessons throughout the project for woodworkers of all experience levels.
Jay breaks each step down in a way that’s approachable without oversimplifying. Whether you’re looking to furnish your own home or sharpen your joinery techniques, this project is a worthwhile challenge.
Please support Jay by purchasing his plans here: Jay’s Custom Creations.