Plans

Free DIY Furniture Plans: How to Build a Laguna Dresser

04.16.14 By //
You Can Build This! Easy DIY Furniture Plans from The Design Confidential with Complete Instructions on How to Build a Laguna Dresser via @thedesconf

A gorgeous dresser for all of your storage needs! Dress this beauty up, add detailing or leave it simple and modern as it currently is! I love that it’s entirely up to you! Xx… Rayan

As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!

$150-$200

You Can Build This! Easy DIY Furniture Plans from The Design Confidential with Complete Instructions on How to Build a Laguna Dresser via @thedesconf
  • 1 – 1×2 at 6’
  • 3 – 1×2 at 8’ OR
  • Cut all of the 1×2 strips from the plywood so that the species of the wood matches
  • 3 sheets of ¾” plywood
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 18-1/4” x 66-1/2” – Bottom
  • 2 – ¾” plywood at 18-1/4” x 31-1/2” – Sides
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 30-3/4” x 66-1/2” – Back
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 17-1/2” x 30-3/4” – Divider
  • 2 – 1×2 at 64” – Base
  • 3 – 1×2 at 13-1/2” – Base
  • 4 – 1×2 at 32-7/8” – Stretchers
  • 1 – ¾” plywood at 18-1/4” x 68” – Top
  • 6 – ¾” plywood at 14-1/2” x 30-3/8” – Drawer Box Bottom
  • 12 – ¾” plywood at 8” x 14-1/2” – Drawer Box Sides
  • 12 – ¾” plywood at 8” x 31-7/8” – Drawer Box Front & Back
  • 8 – ¾” plywood at 5-3/16” x 33-15/16” – Drawer Front Slats
  • 4 – ¾” plywood at 5-7/16” x 33-15/16” – Drawer Front Slats

Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.

Edge banding will be applied to the exposed edges of the plywood prior to assembly.

Cut the pieces for the bottom and the side panels. Set the Kreg jig for ¾” material and drill pocket holes in each end of the bottom. Secure the sides and bottom using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Cut the piece for the back and drill pocket holes in all four edges. Position the back inside the sides, resting on the bottom, and secure using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Cut the piece for the divider and drill pocket holes in the back and bottom edges. Secure to the back and bottom of the cabinet using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Cut the pieces for the base. Drill pocket holes in each end of the shorter pieces. Also drill pocket holes along the long edges of each piece. Assemble the frame as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Position the base frame on the bottom as indicated in the drawing. Secure to the base using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Cut the pieces for the stretchers and drill pocket holes in each end. Secure to the sides and divider as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws.

Cut the piece for the top. Secure to the cabinet using 1-1/4” pocket hole screws at the back, and 1-1/4” brad nails through the top into the sides and divider.

Cut the pieces for the drawer boxes. Drill pocket holes in all four edges of the bottom as well as each end of the sides. Assemble the drawer box as shown using glue and 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, locating them flush with the front of the sides and divider. For an easy tutorial, click here. Make any necessary adjustments.

Cut the pieces for the drawer fronts. The top and bottom slat pieces are wider than the center slat pieces (see the drawing). The top slats will be flush with the top edge of the dresser, all slats will be flush with the sides. There will be a 1/8” gap between the slats as well as at the center. Starting with the top slats, secure to the drawer box using glue and 1-1/4” brad nails. Space the remaining slats, then secure with glue and 1-1/4” brad nails working your way down.

Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School

// Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you ONLY use 1 image and provide an ADEQUATE link back to the original source and appropriate plan! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential. By accessing or using any part of the web site, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this website as outlined under Terms of Use. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by The Design Confidential.com and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, personal injury or death, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of information or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website. I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it. The Design Confidential.com is inspired by but does not replicate exact designs, any similarities between these plans and items sold at specialty retailers is coincidental and not endorsed by or related to any said retailers. // Affiliate links are used for tools and materials. The Design Confidential will earn a small commission for any items purchased using these links. Thank you for your support – every little bit counts!

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2 comments on “Free DIY Furniture Plans: How to Build a Laguna Dresser”

    1. definitely! just make sure they are well supported and connected to something like the bottom of the dresser rather than the existing frame (as it is in this plan) and you will have no problem. if you want to build this with some sort of support frame on the bottom, just use 2×4’s or even 1×4’s and secure them on their face rather than their side, if you are planning on securing the legs to the frame.

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