Fashion a Unique Chest of Drawers From Old and New Materials

What can you make out of old, mismatched wooden drawers? How about this project? Mix old drawers and new materials to fashion a stunning chest of drawers.

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Filed under: Chests, How To, Materials and Supplies, Furniture, Wood, Recycling

Materials and Tools:

three to five wooden drawers from old furniture of varying sizes (find these at junk stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc.)
1/2" birch plywood - measured and cut to create a five-sided box to hold each drawer
furniture refinisher
steel wool
lemons, baking soda
horsehair polishing brush
rubber gloves
drill with screwdriver bit and screws
wood putty
sandpaper
plain molding strips cut to fit over front edge of plywood boxes
finishing nails and hammer
four rolling casters and hardware to attach

Figure A

Steps:

1. Clean wood fronts of old drawers with furniture refinisher and steel wool. Wear rubber glove and work in a well-ventilated area as directed by the refinisher manufacturer. Wipe away excess cleaner with a clean cloth.

2. Use the horsehair polishing brush with a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda to clean the drawer hardware without stripping off the finish.

3. Build a five-sided box for each drawer to slide into. Secure box pieces together using screws.

4. Fill screw holes with putty. Let dry.

5. Sand putty so holes are covered and smooth.

6. Attach molding stripes to front edges of boxes with finishing nails.