How To Build

& Install
Drawers

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 Introduction
Make sure to save this le after downloading it from our website. Your download link
will only be valid for 24 hours after purchase.
Make sure to read through this build guide BEFORE cutting any wood. Familiarize
yourself with the tools, techniques, and your approach to building this project. Also,
you can follow me as I build this project by watching on my YouTube channel. You can
nd the accompanying video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6G4q4TGew
If you have any questions, please reach out:
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/731woodworks
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you are acknowledging that you claim
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Materials & Supplies
Item Notes
1/2” or 3/4” Plywood of choice This build guide assumes 3/4” plywood in the build steps
1/4” Plywood For the drawer bottoms
Drawer Slides Length is determined on the drawer depth
Drawer/Door Pulls
Wood glue Titebond II or glue of your choice.
Brad Nails

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Drawers Basics
Make sure to watch my video on making drawers here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6G4q4TGew
Here is an overview of how to build a generic drawer. The specific dimensions
and locations of the drawers needed for your project are specific to your
situation. Refer to your build plans for your project for the drawer dimensions.
Read through this overview before cutting any
pieces.
This diagram shows the components of a typical
drawer.
After determining the width of the Drawer Box,
which is the width of the opening minus 1”, the first
step is to rip the pieces for the Sides and the Front.
There are ripped to the height of the drawer.
Then rip the Back piece. It is ripped to the height of the drawer minus 1/2”. This is
because it does not have a dado in it to hold the Bottom. The Back is positioned
on top of the drawer’s Bottom.

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Drawer Basics (continued)
This example drawer’s dimensions are:
9” high x 25” wide x 20 1/8” deep.
Built out of typical 3/4” plywood, the
exact dimensions of the pieces would
be:
Sides: 20 1/8” x 9” (depth x height)
Front: 23 1/2” x 9” (width - thickness of
the two Side pieces x height)
Back: 23 1/2” x 8 1/2” (width same as the
Front x height - 1/2”)
Bottom: (explained later)

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Drawer Basics (continued)
The Drawer Bottom sits in a dado slot
in the Sides and Front of the drawer
box. The Back piece sits between the
Sides and on top of the Bottom.
Using your table saw with a 1/4“ thick
dado stack, or with multiple passes
over a standard blade, cut a 3/8“ deep
dado in the two Side pieces and the
Front piece, 1/4“ from one side of each
piece. Do not cut this dado in the Back
piece.

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Drawer Basics (continued)
With wood glue and brad nails,
assemble the Sides and Front as
shown. Make sure the dado in these
three pieces are aligned to each other,
and that these pieces are as square as
you can get them.
The drawer Bottom can now be cut to
the dimensions of your drawer box.
Measure the distance from Side to Side
for the inside of the dado. This should
be close to the inside width of the
drawer box plus twice the depth of the
dado. So in this example, the
measurement would be 24 1/4“. The
Bottom’s depth will be the drawer
depth, so 20 1/8”.

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Drawer Basics (continued)
Cut a piece from the 1/4” plywood to the
dimensions needed for the drawer
Bottom. In this example, the piece
needs to be 24 1/4“ x 20 1/8”.

Slide the Bottom into the dado on the

drawer box assembly to make sure it
fits snuggly, but not too tight. Trim a
little if it fits too tight between the Sides.

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Drawer Basics (continued)
With wood glue and brad nails, attach
the Back between the Sides and on top
of the Bottom.
Also use a couple of brad nails to
attach the Bottom to the Back on the
under-side of the drawer.
Now, the next steps are mounting the
drawer slides, and the drawer box to
the slides.

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Drawer Slides
When mounting a drawer into a
cabinet, you need to decide whether
the Drawer Face will be inset into the
opening, as shown in this first example.
Or, the Drawer Face can be set outside
the opening, as shown in the second
example.
This decision will determine how the
Drawer Slides are installed: set back
the thickness of the Drawer Face, or
whether they are flush with the front
edge of the cabinet side.

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Drawer Slides (continued)
Install the Drawer Slides setback the
thickness of the Drawer Face if you
want the Drawer Face to be flush with
the front edge of the cabinet.
Install the Drawer Slide flush the front
edge of the cabinet, if you want the
Drawer Face to be outside the cabinet.
Make sure the two Drawer Slides are at
the exact same height (parallel with
each other) or the Drawer will not
function properly.

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Mount Drawer Box To Slide
After you have mounted the Drawer
Slides to the cabinet, place a thin
(approximately 1/8”) spacer into the
space, and place the Drawer Box into
the space on top of the spacer.
Pull the Drawer Slide out just a bit to
show the first set of screw holes. Flush
up the edge of the Drawer Box with the
end of the Drawer Slide and screw in
the first screws into the Drawer Box on
both sides.
Put the Drawer Box out a bit more to
expose the second set of the screw
holes in the Drawer Slide, and put in
another screw on both sides.

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Mount Drawer Box To Slide (continued)
Put the Drawer Box out a bit more to
expose the last set of the screw holes
in the Drawer Slide, and put in another
screw on both sides.
Your Drawer Box is now mounted to the
cabinet.
Test the Drawer to make sure it opens
and closes smoothly.

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Drawer Face Mounting
The key to a good looking Drawer Face
is that it is centered in the space, and
aligned with the cabinet.
To ensure that the Drawer Face is
installed properly, put a couple of
pieces of double-stick tape to the front
of the Drawer Box.
Using some playing cards as spacers,
put a few under the drawer on the left
and right sides (same number of cards
on each side) to create a uniform gap
for the Drawer Face to slide in and out
without touching the cabinet.
Carefully center the Drawer Face in the
cabinet, on top of the player card
spacers and firmly press it into the
tape.

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Drawer Face Mounting (continued)
Although the Drawer Face is fastened
to the Drawer Box with the double-stick
tape, it is not securely fastened.
To securely fasten the Drawer Face,
pull the assembly out enough to be
able to drive a few screws from inside
the Drawer Box through the Drawer
Front into the Drawer Face to secure it.
You can now install your drawer pull
and your drawer construction and
installation are complete.

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