How to Make Wooden Under-Bed Storage Drawers: Genius Solutions

Want to build your own under-bed storage drawers? This guide shows you how to create simple, sturdy wooden drawers with basic tools. We’ll cover measurements, cutting, assembly, and finishing for a perfect fit. Get ready to maximize your bedroom space with smart, DIY storage solutions!

Hey there, DIY warriors! Jack Shaffer from Nailerguy here. Ever feel like your bedroom is shrinking by the day? It’s a common problem, especially in smaller homes or apartments. That dead space under your bed is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. Instead of stuffing things into awkward corners or buying expensive, often flimsy, pre-made bins, why not build your own custom wooden under-bed storage drawers? It’s more achievable than you might think, even if you’re just starting out with woodworking. We’ll walk through it step-by-step, so you can reclaim that valuable space and keep your room tidy with drawers that are built to last.

We’ll break down everything you need to know, from measuring your bed frame perfectly to assembling sturdy drawers that slide smoothly. By the end of this guide, you’ll have the confidence and the knowledge to build your own genius under-bed storage solutions. Ready to get building?

Table of Contents

Why Build Your Own Wooden Under-Bed Storage Drawers?

Let’s face it, storage is king in any home, especially when square footage is tight. Those empty voids under your bed are prime real estate. Buying store-bought under-bed storage can be frustrating. You might find bins that are too tall, too short, not quite wide enough, or just plain weak. They often don’t fit your specific bed frame perfectly, leaving awkward gaps or making them hard to pull out.

Building your own wooden under-bed drawers solves all these problems. You get:

Custom Fit: Measure your bed frame precisely and build drawers that fit like a glove. No wasted space!
Durability: Solid wood construction means drawers that can hold a lot and last for years, unlike flimsy plastic or fabric bins.
Aesthetics: You can match your existing decor or create a look that’s uniquely yours. Paint them, stain them, or leave them natural.
Cost Savings: While initial material costs might seem higher than cheap plastic, the longevity and custom fit often make DIY drawers more cost-effective in the long run.
The Satisfaction of DIY: There’s a huge sense of accomplishment in building something functional and beautiful with your own hands.

Plus, it’s a fantastic beginner woodworking project that uses relatively basic tools and techniques. You’ll feel a real sense of pride every time you slide one of your custom drawers out!

What You’ll Need: Tools and Materials

Don’t worry if you’re new to woodworking. We’ll stick to essential tools and materials that are readily available. Safety is key, so always wear your safety glasses and follow tool instructions carefully. For more on safe woodworking practices, check out the NIOSH guide on wood dust – it’s important to breathe easy while you build!

Essential Tools:

Tape Measure: For precise measurements.
Pencil: To mark your cuts.
Safety Glasses: Non-negotiable for eye protection.
Circular Saw or Miter Saw: For making straight cuts across your wood. A miter saw is great for accuracy, but a circular saw can do the job well, especially with a guide.
Drill/Driver: For pre-drilling holes and driving screws.
Screwdriver Bits: To match your screws.
Clamps: To hold pieces together while you assemble. Bar clamps or pipe clamps work well.
Sandpaper or Random Orbit Sander: For smoothing edges and surfaces. Start with a medium grit (like 120) and finish with a fine grit (like 220).
Optional: Wood Glue: Adds extra strength to your joints.
Optional: Drawer Slides: If you want super-smooth sliding action. We’ll cover a simpler method without slides first, but I’ll mention slides as an upgrade.

Materials:

Wood: For beginner-friendly drawers, 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch plywood is a great choice. It’s strong, stable, and affordable. You can also use pine boards (like 1×4 or 1×6). The amount you need depends on how many drawers you plan to make and their size.
Screws: Wood screws are ideal. A good length to aim for is 1.25 inches to 1.5 inches, depending on the thickness of your wood.
Optional: Wood Glue: If you choose to use it.
Optional: Finishing Supplies: Paint, stain, sealant, and brushes or rags.

Step 1: Measure Your Under-Bed Space

This is the most crucial step for a perfect fit. Precision here means no frustration later!

Measure the Height Clearance: Get down on your hands and knees and measure the vertical distance from the floor to the bottom of your bed frame. This is the maximum height your drawer can be. It’s a good idea to subtract about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch from this measurement to ensure the drawer doesn’t rub or get stuck.
Measure the Width and Depth: Measure the available space width-wise and depth-wise under your bed. Factor in any legs or supports of your bed frame that might get in the way. Measure from the edge of the frame, or any obstruction, to the opposing edge.
Decide on Drawer Size: Based on your measurements, decide how wide and deep you want your drawers to be. It’s often best to make them slightly narrower than the full width available to allow for easy sliding and clearance. If you have a lot of space, you might be able to make two wider drawers or several narrower ones.
Plan for Wheels or No Wheels:

No Wheels (Simple Slide): If your floor is smooth (hardwood, tile, laminate) and your drawers aren’t too heavy, you can build them to slide directly on the floor. In this case, the drawer height can be the full clearance minus that small buffer. The bottom of simply built drawers would also act as the “floor” they slide on.
With Wheels: If you have carpet or plan to store heavier items, adding small caster wheels to the bottom of your drawers is a smart move. If you use wheels, you need to subtract the height of the casters from your maximum drawer height. You’ll want to ensure the wheels are mounted on a sturdy base for the drawer.

Sketch it Out: Draw a simple diagram of your bed frame and the space underneath. Mark your measurements and plan the dimensions for each drawer. This visual guide will be very helpful.

Step 2: Plan Your Drawer Design

We’re going to build a simple, sturdy box design. This is perfect for beginners and works great for under-bed storage.

Basic Drawer Box Construction:

A standard drawer box has four sides and a bottom. For under-bed drawers, we’ll assemble them like this:

Two Sides: These will be the long pieces.
Front and Back: These will be shorter pieces. The front piece is usually the same width as the side pieces. The back piece is often narrower than the front to allow for easy grip and handle attachment, or simply left flush.
Bottom Panel: This slides into dados (grooves) or sits flush on the bottom edges of the sides, front, and back. For simplicity and strength with plywood, we’ll describe attaching it to the bottom edges.

Dimensions Calculation (Example):

Let’s say your measurements give you:

Max Drawer Height: 5.5 inches (so we’ll aim for 5.25 inches tall)
Available Width: 30 inches
Available Depth: 34 inches

If you want two drawers side-by-side:

Each drawer width: 30 inches / 2 = 15 inches. Let’s make them 14 inches wide for clearance.
Drawer Depth: Let’s make them 30 inches deep.
Drawer Height: 5.25 inches.

For a single drawer:

Drawer Width: Let’s aim for 28 inches.
Drawer Depth: Let’s aim for 32 inches.
Drawer Height: 5.25 inches.

Using 1/2-inch thick plywood for the sides, front, and back:

For two 14″ W x 30″ D x 5.25″ H drawers:

Sides (x4): 30 inches long x 5.25 inches tall
Fronts (x2): 14 inches wide x 5.25 inches tall
Backs (x2): 14 inches wide x 5.25 inches tall
Bottoms (x2): 14 inches wide x ~30 inches long (measure exact fit after assembling sides/front/back)

For one 28″ W x 32″ D x 5.25″ H drawer:

Sides (x2): 32 inches long x 5.25 inches tall
Front (x1): 28 inches wide x 5.25 inches tall
Back (x1): 28 inches wide x 5.25 inches tall
Bottom (x1): 28 inches wide x ~32 inches long (measure exact fit)

Notice how the front and back pieces are the full width of the drawer. The sides will attach to the ends of the front and back pieces. This makes the overall drawer width the dimension of the front/back plus the thickness of two side pieces. So, if your front/back is 14″ wide and your sides are 1/2″ thick, the total outside width is 14″ + (2 * 0.5″) = 15″. This is why we plan for slightly narrower drawer boxes than the total available space to ensure they slide easily.

If you use 3/4-inch plywood, adjust your calculations accordingly. For casters, you’ll need to account for their height. Attach them to the underside of the bottom panel, making sure they are positioned to fit within the drawer box dimensions and don’t interfere with the floor.

Step 3: Cutting Your Wood

This is where your measurements turn into actual pieces. Take your time and measure twice, cut once!

Prepare Your Wood: Lay out your plywood or boards on a stable surface, like sawhorses or a workbench.
Mark Your Cuts: Using your tape measure and pencil, carefully mark the dimensions for each piece according to your plan. Remember, you need to account for the blade’s kerf (the width of the cut itself). For most saws, this is minimal, but it’s good practice to mark the exact cut line and follow it precisely.
Make the Cuts:

With a Circular Saw: If you don’t have a long straight edge, you can use a carpenter’s square to draw your lines. For very long cuts, it helps to clamp a straight edge (like a scrap piece of wood or a metal ruler) to your plywood as a guide for the saw.
With a Miter Saw: This is ideal for crosscuts (cutting across the width of a board). Ensure your wood is securely supported.

Cut Safely: Always keep your fingers away from the blade. Ensure the wood is stable before cutting. If cutting plywood, you might want to score the intended cut line with a utility knife first. This helps prevent tear-out on the plywood’s veneer.
Inspect Your Cuts: Once all pieces are cut, inspect them. Ensure the edges are reasonably square and the lengths are correct. Small discrepancies are usually okay, but big ones can make assembly difficult.

Understanding Wood Thickness and Joinery

When building, the thickness of your wood plays a big role in how you join pieces and the overall strength. Let’s look at a couple of common scenarios for under-bed drawers.

Table: Common Wood Weights and Strengths

Choosing the right wood thickness affects the final weight and durability.

Wood Type	Typical Thickness	Pros	Cons	Best For
1/2-inch Plywood	1/2 inch	Lightweight, strong, easy to cut, cost-effective	Can be prone to tear-out, less durable than thicker wood	Beginner drawers, general storage
3/4-inch Plywood	3/4 inch	Very strong, durable, good for heavier loads, less tear-out	Heavier, can be harder to cut, slightly more expensive	Heavy items, long-term storage, robust drawers
Pine Boards (1×4, 1×6)	Approx. 3/4 inch thick	Natural wood look, easy to sand and finish, readily available	Can warp, prone to dents and scratches, requires more joining methods for strength	Decorative fronts, when a natural wood look is desired

Joinery Methods for Under-Bed Drawers:

For simple under-bed drawers, we want strong, easy-to-achieve joinery. The most beginner-friendly and effective method is butt joints reinforced with screws and optional glue.

Butt Joint: This is where the end of one piece of wood butts up against the face of another. For our drawers, the sides will butt against the ends of the front and back pieces.
Why it Works: When combined with wood glue and screws, butt joints are surprisingly strong, especially when you use the thicker plywood. The screws pull the pieces tightly together, while the glue creates a molecular bond.
Reinforcement: Pre-drilling pilot holes is essential. This prevents the wood from splitting when you drive the screws, especially near the edges. Ensure your screws are long enough to go through the first piece and get a good bite into the second piece, but not so long that they poke through the other side! For 3/4-inch plywood sides joining 1/2-inch plywood front/back, 1.25-inch screws are often a good choice.

If you wanted to get fancy, you could learn about rabbet joints or dado joints, which involve cutting grooves in the wood to create a more interlocking and stronger joint. However, for under-bed storage, the reinforced butt joint is more than sufficient and much simpler for a first project.

Step 4: Assembling the Drawer Box

Now it’s time to put those cut pieces together! This is where your project really starts to take shape.

Prepare for Assembly: Lay out your four side pieces (two long sides, one front, one back) on a flat surface.
Apply Glue (Optional): If you’re using wood glue, apply a thin, even bead along the edge of the piece that will receive the screw. For example, apply glue to the ends of the front and back pieces where the side pieces will attach. Wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out immediately with a damp cloth.
Attach the First Side: Take one of your long side pieces and position it against the end of the front piece. Ensure the edges are perfectly flush. Clamp them together securely.
Pre-drill Pilot Holes: Using a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of your screw, drill two or three pilot holes through the side piece and into the end of the front piece. Space them about 1.5 to 2 inches apart.
Drive the Screws: Switch to your driver bit and carefully drive wood screws into the pilot holes. Don’t overtighten, as this can strip the wood. Just snug is usually good.
Attach the Back: Repeat steps 3-5 to attach the back piece to the other end of the same side piece.
Attach the Second Side: Now, take the second long side piece and attach it to the free ends of the front and back pieces, using the same method (clamp, pre-drill, screw). You should