Plans

Free DIY Furniture Plans: How to Build a Life Sideboard

02.24.14 By //

Such a handsome girl isn’t she! Nice and substantial, a relatively easy build as far as media cabinets and sideboards go. The legs can be painted with metallic paint to mimic metal so you don’t have to learn how to weld to make this beauty! Xx… Rayan

Estimated Cost

$100-$150

Dimensions
Lumber
  • 1 – 1×2 at 4’
  • 1 – 1×2 at 6’
  • 1 – 1×2 at 8’
  • 1 – 1×4 at 6’
  • 3 – 1×4 at 8’
  • Scrap of 2×2 at 2’
  • 3 sheets of ¾” plywood
Cut List
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 17” x 22-3/4” – Sides
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 16-1/4” x 69-1/2” – Bottom
  • 5 – 2×2 at 4” – Legs
  • 4 – 1×2 at 14-3/4” – Legs
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 16-1/4” x 22” – Dividers
  • 2 – 1×2 at 22-5/8” – End Stretchers
  • 4 – 1×2 at 22-3/4” – Center Stretchers
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 16-1/4” x 22-5/8” – Shelves
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 22-3/4” x 69-1/2” – Back
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 17-3/4” x 71” – Top
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 22-5/8” x 23-11/16” – Doors
  • 4 – ¾” plywood at 14-1/2” x 20-1/4” – Drawer Box Bottoms
  • 8 – 1×4 at 14-1/2” – Drawer Box Sides
  • 8 – 1×4 at 21-3/4” – Drawer Box Front & Back
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 5-3/8” x 23-3/8” – Center Drawer Fronts
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 5-3/4” x 23-3/8” – Top & Bottom Drawer Fronts
Instructions

Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.

Step 1

Edge banding will be applied to the exposed edges of the plywood prior to assembly.

Cut the pieces for the bottom and the side panels. Set the Kreg jig for ¾” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the bottom. Secure the sides and bottom using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The front edges of the sides and bottom will be flush. The bottom will be ¾” shorter than the sides. This will allow for the back.

Step 2

Cut the pieces for the legs. Drill pocket holes in each end of the 1×2 pieces then secure them to the 2×2 legs using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Secure the leg assemblies to the bottom sides using glue and countersunk 2-1/2” screws into the top of the 2×2 legs. The leg assemblies will overlap the sides and bottom by ¾” at each end. This will allow for the back and the doors.

Position the remaining 2×2 leg at the center of the bottom. Secure using glue and countersunk 2-1/2” screws.

Step 3

Cut the pieces for the dividers and drill pocket holes in the bottom and back edges. Treat the pieces as a left and right so that the pocket holes will be hidden in the drawer bank. Position the pieces as indicated in the drawing then secure using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Step 4

Cut the pieces for the stretchers and drill pocket holes in each end. Position as shown, then secure using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Step 5

Cut the pieces for the shelves and drill pocket holes in each end as well as the back edge. Secure to the sides and dividers using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. The front edge of the shelf will be flush with the front edge of the sides and dividers.

Cut the piece for the back and drill pocket holes in the shorter edges. Secure to the sides using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Secure the shelves into the back using 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Use a few 1-1/4” brad nails to secure the back to the bottom and dividers.

Step 7

Cut the piece for the top. The front will overhang by ¾”. Secure to the cabinet using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails through the sides, back, dividers, and stretchers.

Step 8

Cut the pieces for the doors. Install the doors so that the sides and bottom are flush with the cabinet. The top edge will be 1/8” to allow for the door to open and close without rubbing on the top.

Step 9

Cut the pieces for the drawer boxes. Drill pocket holes in all four edges of the bottom as well as each end of the sides. Assemble the drawer box as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, locating them flush with the front of the dividers. For an easy tutorial, click here. Make any necessary adjustments.

Step 10

Mark the position for the drawer pulls and drill the holes. Starting with the bottom drawer front, position it so that the lower edge is flush with the bottom, and there is a 1/8” between the doors and the sides of the drawer front, then drive screws through the holes for the drawer pulls into the drawer box. Open the drawer, and secure the drawer front using countersunk 1-1/4” screws from the inside. Remove the screws from the holes for the drawer pull then finish drilling the holes. Continue installing the remaining fronts with a 1/8” gap between them. Install the drawer pulls. For an easy tutorial on installing drawer fronts, click here.

Finishing Instructions

Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School

**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you ONLY use 1 image and provide an ADEQUATE link back to the original source and appropriate plan! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it. // Post may contain affiliate links

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