How to Build a Bedside Table With Cabinet Doors

If you are in need of a simple bedside table but do not want to purchase one, consider building one yourself. By building your own bedside table, you can save money and customize the piece to suit your needs. Add decorative trim around the frame, paint the table to match your room decor or install cabinet doors to provide enclosed storage space. Whatever details you choose to add, the finished project will be completely your own. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Use a measuring tape to determine the dimensions for your bedside table. Measure up from the floor to determine the height for your table and out from the wall to decide how deep to make it. Measure the space beside your bed to determine how wide you can make your bedside table.

2

Cut two sheets of 1-inch plywood for the side panels using a jigsaw. To cut these panels to size, use the depth measurement of your desired table and the height measurement, minus 4 inches.

3

Use a jigsaw to cut four pieces of 1-by-2-inch hardwood to the depth of the bedside table to serve as trim for the side panels. Position these boards flat across the top and bottom edges of the two sheets of plywood you just cut. Secure the trim in place by driving nails from a nail gun through the boards into the side panels.

4

Cut four pieces of 2-by-2-inch hardwood to the desired height of the bedside table to serve as legs. Lay the two side panels flat on the ground with the trim facing up, and place one of the table legs on either side of both panels. The inside edge of each leg should be flush with the side of the plywood, and the top edges should be aligned.

5

Apply a bead of wood glue to the joint between the table legs and the side panels. Attach the legs to the side panels by driving 2 1/2-inch wood screws through the legs into the thickness of the plywood. The bottom of each table leg should extend beyond the bottom of the side panels by about 4 inches.

6

Use a jigsaw to cut a sheet of 1-inch plywood for the bottom panel of the table. Cut the plywood using the depth measurement and the width of the bedside table, minus 4 inches. Sandwich this piece of plywood horizontally between the inside, bottom edges of the side panels. Drive 2 1/2-inch wood screws through the 1-by-2-inch hardwood trim on the side panels into the bottom panel.

7

Cut four pieces of 2-by-2-inch hardwood to the width of the table, minus 4 inches. Position two of these boards between the upper corners of the side panels, aligning the edges. Place the remaining two boards between the bottom corners of the side panels, flush with the sides of the bottom panel. Drive 2 1/2-inch wood screws through the table legs into the new pieces of hardwood to secure them.

8

Construct the table top by cutting a sheet of 1-inch plywood to the width and depth dimensions of the bedside table. Lay the table top flat on top of the frame you just finished, aligning the outer edges. Drive 2 1/2-inch wood screws through the table top into the frame below.

9

Cut a sheet of 1-inch plywood to the dimensions of the opening in the front of the bedside table for the cabinet door. These dimensions should be equal to the width of the table, minus 4 inches, and the height of the table, minus 8 inches, excluding the thickness of the table top.

10

Install the cabinet door inside the opening in the front of the bedside table using metal hinges. Place a hinge about 2 inches from both the top and bottom edges of the inside of the cabinet door. Screw the other side of the hinge to the inside edge of the adjacent table leg.

11

Fill all screw holes with wood filler, and allow it to dry completely. Once the wood filler has hardened, sand it smooth using fine-grain sandpaper.

12

Paint or stain your completed bedside table to match the decor in your bedroom. Once the paint or stain has dried, apply a coat of clear varnish or polyurethane to protect the table from minor damage and water stains.