Bedside cabinet

Create a stylish bedside cabinet using interior plywood and Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish.

Ways with wood with Mark Rayner - Project 20

Difficulty level: Challenging

You will need: 22mm plywood cut to the following dimensions:
two 800mm x 300mm for the sides,
two 400mm x 300mm for the middle and bottom shelves,
one 500mm x 330mm for the top,
9mm plywood cut to 440mm x 800mm for the backing panel.
40mm zinc plated panel pins, 25mm zinc plated panel pins, hammer, nail punch, paintbrush, pencil, ruler, sandpaper, saw, wood filler and PVA glue. Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish gloss.

To get the look: Mark painted the background wall with Resene SpaceCote Flat tinted to Resene Paris White and the woodwork with Resene Enamacryl tinted to Resene Alabaster.

Other ideas: For a more colourful effect, stain the plywood with any of the colours in the Resene Waterborne Colorwood natural wood stain range before applying the Resene Aquaclear.

Step one
Cut the plywood to the dimensions as listed above.

Step two
Sand any rough edges with sandpaper.

Step three
Use a pencil to rule a faint line 200mm from the top edge and 25mm from the bottom edge of each of the side panels, as shown.

Step four
Turn the side panels over and tap in three 40mm panel pins approx 190mm from the top edge and three 40mm panel pins approx 35mm from the bottom edge, as shown.

Step five
Align the bottom edge of each shelf with the pencil lines on the side panels and fix the shelves into position using PVA glue and the previously positioned panel pins.

Step six
Fix the backing panel into position using PVA glue and 25mm panel pins. Position the top with an even overhang at the sides and front, then fix with PVA glue and 40mm panel pins.

Step seven
Use the nail punch to sink the heads of the panel pins approx 2mm below the surface of the plywood and fill with wood filler. Once the wood filler is dry, sand smooth.

Step eight
Step eight Apply two coats of Aquaclear gloss to the cabinet, allowing at least two hours for each coat to dry. Leave to fully cure for three days before placing any objects on the cabinet.