Almost all novice furniture makers try to be the first to assemble a chest of drawers.
Since this furniture is an important attribute of any home. It is small in size, has good capacity, and is a fairly simple item to make yourself.
After assembling a chest of drawers, amateur craftsmen can begin assembling more complex items
Materials
Having decided to make a chest of drawers with drawers with your own hands, you will need to select materials for its manufacture in advance, make a preliminary drawing of the project, select tools and stock up on free time. As for manufacturing materials, the chest of drawers can be made from:
Natural wood.
This is a popular and sought-after material with high technical characteristics. Its advantages include: durability, environmental friendliness, pleasant aroma of wood, resistance to mechanical damage, strength and reliability.The list of advantages of solid wood furniture can be endless. It fits harmoniously into different interiors and becomes their main decoration.
But, in addition to all of the above, wood has a high cost and is difficult to work with . Therefore, most craftsmen prefer simpler materials.
- Chipboard. It is an alternative to natural wood. The main features of laminated chipboard are its affordable cost, wide selection of textures and color palettes, simplicity and ease of manufacture. The presence of a melamine film on chipboard increases its resistance to moisture, chips and scratches. Manufacturers produce products with imitation of different types of wood, with prints and geometric patterns. This allows you to select material to suit any stylistic direction.
- MDF. This material is made from wood waste. It is natural and safe, as it does not emit harmful and toxic substances. The main advantage of MDF is its resistance to high moisture. A chest of drawers made from this material can even be installed in the bathroom .
- Fiberboard. A feature of the material is its low cost. As a rule, fiberboard is used in the manufacture of back walls of furniture items. With proper use, the material will retain its technical characteristics and original appearance for a long time. It is easy to cut and saw with various tools and lends itself well to various processing methods.
- Furniture board. It produces original works. This material goes on sale in the form of sawn, even lamellas. It is quite expensive and is made from different types of wood (pine, beech, oak, ash). Thanks to its structure, it does not crack or dry out over time.
Advice : beginners are recommended to try their hand at laminated chipboard.
What functional role does a chest of drawers play in the interior?
A chest of drawers is a multifunctional piece of furniture that remains relevant for many years.
There are various options both in the homes of grandmothers and among modern youth. Modernized models fit perfectly into any design. Modern and durable materials are used for their production. Thanks to this, it was possible to achieve a long service life. At the same time, the necessary level of comfort is organized, because the drawers can fit a large number of things.
Experts recommend choosing wood models. The material is highly durable, so it will last a long time without visible damage. However, if the family budget is limited, then it is permissible to purchase a chest of drawers made of plastic. It will fit perfectly into the decor of a bedroom or kitchen.
The size of a standard chest of drawers is small. That is why it can be successfully placed even in a room with a small square footage.
The chest of drawers has a large capacity in each drawer. It is a must buy for a large family.
The chest of drawers has a large capacity in each drawer
The furniture will not take up much space, but will delight you with its functionality. If you arrange things carefully, they will maintain a neat appearance for a long period of time.
Manufacturers offer models with open and closed shelves. Manufacturers also complement the furniture with stylish and original accessories.
Depending on the chosen decor, the style of the chest of drawers is determined. It can become a stylish addition to any interior. You can place vases or other decorative elements on top. Family photos look stylish. With them, any apartment becomes much more comfortable.
Depending on the chosen decor, the style of the chest of drawers is determined
Constructions
According to the models, all chests of drawers are divided into:
Standard linen.
This is a classic version of a piece of furniture for storing linen and clothing. Their advantages include compactness and ergonomics, as well as aesthetics. This type of furniture is considered the most common today . They can have any number of drawers from two to eight different sizes, which allows you to replace even a wardrobe.You can place various decorative items on the wide tabletop.
- Chests of drawers. They differ in height and shape. Such structures are installed mainly in hallways or corridors. You can store shoes, things, and various accessories in them.
- Dressers for children's rooms. They store children's supplies and soft toys. The most convenient design is considered to be one with a hinged lid . As a rule, children's chests of drawers have a changing table on top, on which you can conveniently change the baby's clothes.
- Dressers for bedrooms and living rooms with open shelves. You can install a TV on such a piece of furniture, and you can store books in open cabinets. In bedrooms, such models can be used instead of bedside tables, on which bedside lamps are installed and pastel accessories are stored.
Important : the division according to functional criteria is somewhat arbitrary. You should not strictly follow these requirements.
How does a plastic chest of drawers work?
The most common is a column chest of drawers with a variable number of drawers that can be pulled out. Even if the model is designed for 5 tiers, you can assemble it into 3, leaving other parts just in case. The package includes:
- 4 vertical racks, divided into sections;
- 4 plugs acting as legs;
- Horizontal type ceilings, which are limiters of tiers;
- Lid;
- drawers and removable front slats for them.
The sizes are pretty standard. The width in most cases can vary between 40 - 45 cm, depth 45 - 50 cm. The height is entirely dependent on the number of boxes. On average, each tier requires up to 25 cm of height. So a three-tier chest of drawers will be about 70 cm, and when adding a 4th drawer, the height will become 90 cm.
Scheme and drawing
Before you start making a chest of drawers with your own hands, you will need to make a drawing of it on paper. There are different ways to do this:
- A good option for beginners in this field would be a ready-made project found on the Internet. There is no need to change anything here; it will be enough to purchase the required amount of materials and prepare the tools.
- Draw a diagram of a piece of furniture by hand. This method is suitable for professional furniture makers who can independently calculate the necessary parts and draw diagrams in different projections.
- Order a drawing with detailing and trimming from a specialized company. This is the simplest, but most expensive type of making furniture with your own hands. But, you don’t need to waste time selecting and purchasing materials . Since in the company all parts will be made from chipboard, MDF or other lumber of your choice.
Tip : when drawing up a drawing of a chest of drawers, it is important to determine in advance its height, depth and width. You will also need to select the required number of drawers in advance.
Decor options
When choosing a chest of drawers, decor plays an important role:
- Photographic printing. Favorite way. The drawing is applied using a specialized printer. The image is clear and wear-resistant. This option will make it possible to hide small scratches on the surface of the plastic;
- Coloring. All types of polymer materials suffer from instability to impacts, scratches, and so on. To combat this disadvantage, specialized paints for plastics were invented. They are available in aerosol forms and are easy to use. They are allowed to return the plastic to its former gloss, giving it a completely different color. They can also apply drawings using the airbrush principle;
- Self-adhesive PVC film or furniture stickers. An inexpensive way to give your chest of drawers an interesting new look. Cut parts from colored films using a stencil and assemble the panel. You can play with the texture of the films. After removing the boring components, traces of plastic can be easily washed off;
- Textured embossing. During the production of plastic, it is given a 3D design of wooden rings and bamboo weaving. It looks unusual and aesthetically pleasing.
Photo
Ideas for the final decoration of the resulting result can be gleaned from the following photos:
Assembling drawers
Assembling boxes is a more labor-intensive and time-consuming process than connecting body parts. Since there are several boxes at once, it is important not to get confused in the details.
Components of roll-out boxes:
- two sidewalls;
- base;
- front and back walls.
Elements need to be grouped into separate piles to make the installation process easier and to avoid confusion.
The principle of assembling the boxes is the same as the frame: dowels and eccentrics. The sides are fastened to the walls. For wide drawers, a tie strip is added. It is attached between the front and back walls, protecting the base from sagging. A fiberboard base is nailed from below to the walls and tie strip.
When placing surfaces on dowels, a hammer is used. To avoid dents and chips, use a wooden block as a spacer. Hammer strikes are made not on the elements of the chest of drawers, but on the block.
The last stage is attaching decorative handles and facades. The facades are attached with short self-tapping screws. It is important to choose the correct length of screws so as not to damage the facade.
Recommendations
A person who is not a professional can quickly and easily assemble a chest of drawers, following the general recommendations:
- Assembly begins “from largest to smallest”: first, the main body of the structure is assembled, and then the parts are attached.
- To avoid distortions, the chest of drawers is assembled on a horizontal surface.
- The work area is covered with material or film so as not to stain or damage the parts of the chest of drawers.
- Do not tighten the bolts too tightly to avoid cracks in the elements of the product.
To avoid the chest of drawers tipping over, if the structure contains a changing table, it must be attached to the wall using corners or brackets.
If the chest of drawers requires additional parts (mirrors, changing surface), then the assembly instructions will not change, a couple of new points will appear. Additional elements are attached to the finished product using a screwdriver.
Installation of guides
The next stage of work will be the installation of guides. There are two types of retractable mechanisms: roller and ball (telescopic). Each of them has its own characteristics. But these designs are similar in one thing - they are separated before installation. One part fixed on the drawer ensures smooth sliding. The second part is mounted on the inner wall of the frame sidewall. Usually, the places for attaching the guides are already marked on the cabinet. If not, you will have to choose yourself. For this you will need a tape measure and a pencil. On both sides, equal intervals are marked on the walls of the housing. The guides are fixed at such marks with a screwdriver, which screws in the screws.
