Prefabricated drawer units can be dressed up with fancy hardware.
Built-in dressers can add valuable storage in the unused wall space of a dormer wall, under a stairway or anywhere else you can steal a few inches behind a wall. You will also be able to reclaim floorspace with a built-in design and make a smaller room appear larger.
Even if you don't have a deep recess to work with, you can still create a wider, more shallow drawer unit that both recesses and extends partially from the wall.
This project will utilize a 14-inch space and prefabricated closet system components to make a sleek and easy built-in dresser for your room. The installation will be similar to installing a medicine cabinet. Fancy trim and hardware will customize the look for added style. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Assembling the Prefabricated Storage Unit
1. Martha Stewart, Closet-Maid, Ikea and unfinished furniture stores have a wide array of prefabricated storage units. Purchase a 14 in. x 24 in. x 48 in., four-drawer storage unit and follow the manufacturer's instructions to assemble your piece.
2. An electric drill makes it easier and faster to drive wood screws into your wood.
Build a box crate around your assembled storage unit from your 2 in. x 4 in. lumber.
To minimize waste, use your circular saw to cut each of your four 8' x 2" x 4" pieces of lumber into three pieces that measure 48.25", 27.25" and 7" in length. These pieces will create the box crate for your unit. Cut your single 4' x 2" x 4" piece of lumber into a 27.5" length that will be used as a back brace for your crate. Set the remaining wood aside.
Build a top for the box crate by connecting two 27.5" pieces with two 7" pieces using one-inch wood screws. The assembled size will be 27.5" x 14" in total. Now build an identical structure for the bottom of the crate.
Connect the top and bottom structures to the four 48.25" vertical pieces to build the box crate around the storage unit using one-inch wood screws; attach the 27.5" brace to the back of crate to keep the storage unit from slipping out of the structure. Then slide the storage unit out of the box crate and set it aside.
3. Measure the exterior length and width of the box crate to determine the size of the opening you will need to cut in your wall. Then locate the wall space for your built-in dresser. Tap the wall to locate wall studs and determine the middle point for the opening for your dresser.
Starting in the middle of the wall space, carefully cut a small amount of drywall from the wall to check for wiring or plumbing. Continue to cut until you have made a hole in the wall equal to the size required to slide in your crated unit.
4. Remove the two sections of wood stud from the wall by cutting with the wood saw to allow for the size of your unit. Carefully slide the box crate for the storage unit into the wall between the studs. Secure the box crate to the studs with wood screws.
Reinforce the back of the box crate from the floor up to the bottom of the crate structure by cutting two pieces of lumber for the space. These pieces will act like small legs to support the weight of the crate in the wall. Wedge the pieces of lumber between the floor and the bottom of the box crate and secure with wood screws.
5. Carefully slide the 4-drawer storage unit into the box crate mounted in the wall. Remove the drawers to secure the unit to the box crate structure from the inside of the storage unit using your wood screws.
6. Decorative hardware adds a nice touch to any dresser.
While the drawers are out of the storage unit, remove the unwanted hardware and replace with fancy hardware as desired. Replace the drawers in the storage unit.
Complete the project by measuring the perimeter of the wall opening to fit miter-cut decorative molding that will hide the rough edges of the cut wall opening. Finish the molding with paint or stain if desired.
Tags: storage unit, wood screws, bottom crate, from wall, pieces lumber, wall space