South African DIY Enthusiasts - Build a Pair of Bedside Cupboards
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or expert DIY enthusiast, making your own furniture is the perfect way to build custom furniture at a price you can afford and this pair of fluted bedside cabinets is an easy one with step-by-step instructions.
03/09/202
Make a Bedside Cabinet with a Fluted Front Design
As we have seen happen around the globe, South Africans have hopped onto the DIY train. Both men and women are trying out new and different methods and techniques using cordless tools and are making custom furniture for their homes or decor accessories, either for their home or for a business. With the price of made goods skyrocketing and local designs being limited to those who can afford them, being able to do-it-yourself makes a whole lot of sense and saves more than cents!
This pair of bedside cabinets is easier to make than you might at first think, mainly because it looks like a detailed project. But break it down and see how it is made and you will realise that it won't take you long to cut veneered plywood down to size and assemble. You will need a Kreg Pocket Hole Jig and table Router for certain tasks in this project or you can substitute with your own methods.
The plans are in Imperial measurements but you can easily convert this to Metric with this free handy online conversion tool.
Download the PDF plans for the Bedside Cabinet with a Fluted design
Material to use to make the Bedside Cabinets
For this pair of bedside cabinets, you might want to splurge on a sheet of veneered plywood. Before you start thinking expensive, a sheet of birch plywood measuring 1240mm [W] x 2500mm [L] costs from R810 to R2300 depending on the thickness and a thickness of 15mm will cost around R1380 while 18mm costs R2300 - and you can make both bedside cabinets from a single sheet.
Pine plywood is inexpensive in alternative but you cannot compare the finish. Pine plywood is rough and the wood grain is not always attractive. Plus, the back side of the plywood is not appealing, particularly if it is commercial grade. If you want to see for yourself, find a supplier close - many Builders stores stock untreated pine plywood - that stocks pine plywood sheets.
Material to use to make the Fluted Fronts
In the video below, you will see that they use half-dowels for the flutes on the front of the drawer and door. You don't come across such small half-rounds locally but Builders do have a wide selection of moulding and trim you can have a look at and I have purchased a small half-round trim at Builders that would work perfectly for this project.
The design, plans and detailed video for this project are courtesy of Bear Mountain Builds. They offer a variety of DIY plans on their website, most free of charge, so pop on over for more great DIY projects.
These plans are in Imperial measurements but you can easily convert this to Metric with this free handy online conversion tool.
Download the PDF plans for the Bedside Cabinet with a Fluted design
Now take a look at how easy is to make a pair of Bedside Cabinets that work out to a cost of around R700 each if you use veneered plywood - far more affordable than buying a ready-made bedside cabinet. And don't forget to visit the tool conversion site to convert Imperial to Metric measurements - link shown above.
These plans are in Imperial measurements but you can easily convert this to Metric with this free handy online conversion tool.