Plywood Dresser Plans: Three-Drawer Cut List
A 36"-wide, 32"-tall three-drawer dresser in plywood. The carcass and drawer fronts are 3/4", the drawer boxes are 1/2", and the drawer bottoms and back are 1/4". All three materials are nested below, so you can see how many sheets of each to buy.
- Finished size
- 36" W × 32" H × 18" D (with back)
- 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 1 sheet · 76% yield
- 1/2" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 1 sheet · 46% yield
- 1/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 1 sheet · 58% yield
Assumptions behind every number
- 3/4" plywood measures 23/32", which is typical for US sheet goods. Parts that fit between two others subtract the actual thickness. Measure your sheet; if it differs, edit the sizes in the optimizer.
- 1/2" plywood is taken as 15/32" for the drawer boxes. Check yours before cutting.
- Every layout uses a 1/8" saw kerf on every cut, run through the same optimizer as the app.
Cut list
3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
| Part | Qty | Width × Length | How it's sized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | 2 | 17 3/4" × 32"(grain locked) | full height |
| Top / bottom | 2 | 17 3/4" × 34 9/16" | 36 − 1-7/16 |
| Toe kick | 1 | 3 1/2" × 34 9/16" | 36 − 1-7/16 |
| Drawer front, bottom | 1 | 10 3/16" × 35 7/8" | 36 − 1/8 wide |
| Drawer front, middle | 1 | 9 1/2" × 35 7/8" | 36 − 1/8 wide |
| Drawer front, top | 1 | 8 1/2" × 35 7/8" | 36 − 1/8 wide |
1/2" plywood, 4×8 ft
| Part | Qty | Width × Length | How it's sized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box side, bottom | 2 | 8" × 16" | 16" slides |
| Box front/back, bottom | 2 | 8" × 32 5/8" | 33-9/16 − 2 × 15/32 |
| Box side, middle | 2 | 7 1/2" × 16" | 16" slides |
| Box front/back, middle | 2 | 7 1/2" × 32 5/8" | 33-9/16 − 2 × 15/32 |
| Box side, top | 2 | 6 1/2" × 16" | 16" slides |
| Box front/back, top | 2 | 6 1/2" × 32 5/8" | 33-9/16 − 2 × 15/32 |
1/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
| Part | Qty | Width × Length | How it's sized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drawer bottom | 3 | 15 1/2" × 33 1/16" | inside + 2 × 1/4 groove − 1/16 |
| Back | 1 | 36" × 32" | full case size |
Width × length is in inches, with length along the face grain. Parts marked "grain locked" are kept with the grain running their length in the layout.
Sheet and board layouts
This is the optimizer's output for exactly this list: 1 sheet of 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft, 1 sheet of 1/2" plywood, 4×8 ft, 1 sheet of 1/4" plywood, 4×8 ft.
3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft: 1 sheet, 76% yield
1/2" plywood, 4×8 ft: 1 sheet, 46% yield
1/4" plywood, 4×8 ft: 1 sheet, 58% yield
Materials list
- 1 sheet of 3/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 1 sheet of 1/2" plywood, 4×8 ft
- 1 sheet of 1/4" plywood, 4×8 ft
- Three pairs of 16" side-mount (1/2" clearance) drawer slides
- Three or six drawer pulls
- 1-1/4" screws for the carcass, 1" brads or 23-gauge pins plus glue for the drawer boxes
- Wood glue and 3/4" brads for the back
How it goes together
The carcass is 17-3/4" deep, and the 1/4" back is nailed on to bring it to 18". The top and bottom sit between the sides at 36" − 1-7/16" = 34-9/16". The bottom rests on a 3-1/2" toe kick set about 2" back from the front. If you want an overhanging hardwood top, screw it on through the carcass top.
Drawer openings are not divided: the drawers run on side-mount slides screwed straight to the carcass sides. With 1/2" slides, each box is 1" narrower than the 34-9/16" opening, so 33-9/16".
Drawer boxes are 1/2" plywood (15/32" actual) and 16" deep for 16" slides. The fronts and backs sit between the sides at 33-9/16" − 2 × 15/32" = 32-5/8". The 1/4" bottoms sit in 1/4"-deep grooves with 1/16" play, which makes them 33-1/16" × 15-1/2".
The full-overlay fronts are 35-7/8" wide (1/16" reveals). Their heights are graduated: 10-3/16" bottom, 9-1/2" middle, 8-1/2" top. With two 1/8" gaps and a 1/16" top reveal, they cover exactly the 28-1/2" from the kick to the top. The box heights (8", 7-1/2", 6-1/2") leave clearance inside the 27-1/16" opening.
The sheet layout lets the drawer fronts turn, which suits paint-grade fronts. For stain-grade fronts where the grain should run across all three, lock their grain in the optimizer and check the layout before you buy. It is a tighter fit.
Build order
- Cut the carcass parts and fronts from the 3/4" sheet, the drawer box parts from 1/2", and the back and bottoms from 1/4".
- Assemble the carcass (sides, top, bottom, kick), square it and nail on the back.
- Groove the drawer sides, fronts and backs 1/4" deep and 1/4" up from the bottom edge, then assemble the boxes around their bottoms.
- Mount the slides in the carcass and on the boxes. Install the boxes, then fix the fronts with double-sided tape, drive screws from inside and remove the tape.
FAQ
How many sheets of plywood to build a dresser?
For this 36" three-drawer dresser: the 3/4" sheet count shown in the layout for the carcass and fronts, about half a sheet of 1/2" for the drawer boxes, and one 1/4" sheet for the bottoms and back. Taller dressers add drawers, and each extra drawer adds a front and a box.
Why are the drawer boxes 1" narrower than the opening?
Standard side-mount ball-bearing slides need 1/2" on each side. Check your slide's spec sheet before cutting. Undermount slides use different clearances and a different box depth.
Why do the sizes subtract 1-7/16" instead of 1-1/2"?
Plywood sold as 3/4" actually measures 23/32" (about 0.72"). Two sides are 1-7/16" thick, not 1-1/2", so every part that fits between two sides is cut 1-7/16" shorter than the outside width. Measure your own sheet with calipers before cutting: if it is a true 3/4", subtract 1-1/2" instead and re-run the list in the optimizer.
What saw kerf does the layout assume?
A 1/8" kerf on every cut, which is a standard full-kerf table saw or track saw blade. With a thin-kerf blade the parts still fit; you just get slightly bigger offcuts.
Change a size, add a part or use up offcuts. The optimizer re-nests it in seconds.
Open this plan in EZNESTING →