How To Add Drawers To A Workbench

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While a workbench is always a handy investment for your dwelling house or shop, not all of them come with drawers. Fortunately, if you decide you demand to add some storage space to your workbench, the process for retrofitting drawers is easy. Start past measuring the infinite yous have and installing plywood spacers under the bench. Then, construct each drawer to fit the infinite. After installing sliders onto the spacers and drawers, slide the drawers into identify and bask the new add-on to your workbench.

1
Measure the available infinite nether your workbench. Accept a tape measure out and bank check the height, length, and width of the space nether the workbench. Write each dimension down so you don't forget information technology. Utilize these measurements to cutting the wood to the right size.^[ane]
- Remember that yous're only measuring the infinite underneath the bench, not the whole workbench. Measuring the whole bench will make your measurements too large.
- Mensurate at every step of this projection to confirm that your sizing is all correct. If whatever of your measurements are off, the drawers and runners will exist the incorrect size.
ii
Mensurate and mark 3 pieces of plywood to fit under the bench. These plywood sheets volition class the spacers for the drawers. Standard, ¹⁄₂ in (i.3 cm) thick plywood is ideal. Measure each one to match the height and length of the space nether the bench demote. Use a straightedge to marker each board to the right dimensions.^[2]
- Each spacer volition be installed vertically, meaning their edges will point upwardly and downwardly. The idea of cutting them it to make sure they slide into the infinite under the bench while pointing vertically.
- If the space under your workbench is a length of thirty inches (76 cm), and a superlative of 40 inches (100 cm), then measure out the boards to embrace those dimensions. Each board should have the aforementioned dimensions, unless the bench is crooked or wasn't congenital directly.
- If the plywood boards are as well pocket-size for the workbench, y'all can use multiple boards in a row or, if you're non installing that many drawers, just exit the boards short. If you lot want to fill up all the space under the demote, y'all tin can probably fit 2 or iii columns of drawers that are half-dozen inches (xv cm) deep and 12 inches (thirty cm) broad, although this depends on the size of your workbench.
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3
Cut the pieces of plywood sheets forth the lines. Use a table saw or circular saw. Cutting along each line y'all drew on the plywood. Keep the saw straight so your cuts aren't off.^[3]
- Always wear goggles and gloves when using a ability saw. Continue your fingers at least half dozen inches (15 cm) away from the blade while it's spinning.
- For the straightest cuts, a table saw is best. If y'all don't have a tabular array saw, then pay shut attention to staying on the lines with a circular saw.
- Examination each piece earlier moving on. Make sure it slides underneath the bench easily.
4
Drill one pocket hole into each corner of the plywood sheets. Pocket holes are drilled at a 15-degree bending with the wood to make a path for a diagonal screw. Employ a power drill and brand a pocket hole in each corner of the plywood, where the sail will attach to the bench. Each sail should have iv holes, ane in each corner.^[4]
- Drilling diagonally is dangerous and you could sideslip. Continue your hand out of the manner of the drill to avoid accidents.
- There are pocket pigsty molds that make drilling the holes easier. Get ane from a hardware store and clench it to the wood. Drill through each of the guide holes for perfect pocket holes.
5
Adhere a plywood canvass to each side of the workbench. Take the first 2 sheets and slide them into the workbench on each side. Permit the sheets rest on the support beams that run across the front and back of the bench, if the bench has these. Brand certain the sheets are affluent with the front and back of the bench. Hold them in place and drill a screw through each of your pilot holes and into the bench.^[v]
- If the sheets make a tight fit, use a rubber mallet and tap them into position.
- If the sheets are short, then lift them and so they touch the elevation of the bench and clamp them in identify. Then screw them in.
- This assumes that your workbench is made of woods, which most are. If your demote is made of metal, so you'll have to pre-drill holes through the metal and attach the boards with nuts and bolts.
vi
Install the third sheet directly in the center of the workbench. Measure and mark the betoken directly in the middle of the bench. And so slide the third sheet into position at that bespeak. Make it flush with the front and back of the bench. Drill screws through the pocket holes to secure information technology to the bench.^[6]
- If there is 48 inches (120 cm) between the two sides, so make a mark at 24 inches (61 cm).
- This is only if you lot want your drawers to be equal sizes. If you want one drawer bigger than the other, then adhere the spacer appropriately.
- The the demote has horizontal back up beams, the spacers should rest on them. If not, they can rest on the floor.

1
Measure the width betwixt each spacer in the workbench. This determines the width of each drawer. Utilize your tape measure and cheque the altitude between each spacer. Write these measurements downwards and apply them to make your drawers.^[7]
- Have special care to mensurate exactly if you lot're making drawers that aren't the same size. Confirm how much space you have for each one.
- Even if you made the spacers equal-distance autonomously, nonetheless measure each side to confirm. Otherwise, your drawers might non be the right size.
two
Marking the plywood for the base of operations, front, dorsum, and sides of the drawers. For the drawer sides, measure the length of the workbench and how deep you want the drawers to be. For the forepart and back, measure the width between the spacers and the depth of the drawers. For the base, measure out the length of the bench and width between the spacers. Marker all of these measurements on the wood in pencil.^[8]
- The amount of woods you use depends on how many drawers you're making.
- The depth of the drawers depends on how much storage space you want. For papers or light items, 3 inches (vii.half dozen cm) would piece of work. To store tools or larger items, make them at least 6 inches (xv cm).
3
Cut the plywood for the drawer base and sides. Use a table saw, circular saw, or miter saw to make the cuts. Cut along each line y'all drew. Brand sure you proceed the saw straight then the cuts are exact.^[nine]
- Wear gloves and goggles while operating the saw.
4
Screw the drawer sides together to brand a rectangle. Adapt the side, forepart, and dorsum pieces of each drawer to make a rectangle. Drill 2 screws into each corner to secure the pieces together. Echo this process for all the drawers.^[10]
- If you adopt, yous can drill pocket holes into each piece. This hides the screws meliorate, but it isn't a necessary stride.
- If you won't be storing heavy items in these drawers, so you could just apply woods mucilage to spike them together.
five
Clasp a layer of wood mucilage along the bottom border of the drawer. Work forth the border and squeeze out a line of glue. Employ the aforementioned corporeality on each drawer yous're building.^[xi]
- This is a quicker method of attaching the base. If you prefer, you can apply screws on the base of operations as well, instead of mucilage.
six
Printing the base piece onto the glue. Line upwards the base lath with the sides of the drawer. And then press the board down and apply pressure to make the glue stick. Run your paw around the border to ensure the lath is attached at all points.^[12]
- For extra security, you can add together nails or screws along the bottom to hold the base in place. If the panel is sparse enough, you can besides use staples.
vii
Install handles on the front of each drawer. Measure the distance between the screw holes in the handles y'all're using and marking those points on the forepart of each drawer. Drill a hole into each point. Then, hold the handle over the holes and install the screws from the dorsum. Repeat this for each drawer.^[thirteen]
- You can purchase handle kits from hardware stores.

1
Adhere the sliders to the bottom of each drawer. This hardware allows the drawers to slide in and out of the bench. Place a slider on each side of the drawers. Line them up with the bottom edge of the drawer, running from front to back, and brand sure they're straight. Then screw each one into place.^[14]
- Unlike slider kits may come with different instructions. Follow the directions on the production you employ.
- Slider kits are available at hardware stores. Match the sizes to the size of the drawers you're making. Get equally many as you need for the number of drawers y'all're making.
ii
Mensurate the distance from the tiptop of the drawer to the sliders. Utilise your record measure and check the altitude from the acme of each drawer to the slider. If yous made each drawer the same size, then this should be the same measurement on each one, merely double check just to brand certain. Write this measurement downwardly so you remember it for the next step.^[15]
- If yous made the drawers different sizes, and then be sure to check the altitude for each one.
three
Mark the distance for the slider mounts on each spacer. Accept the distance you measured from the acme of each drawer to the slider. So, measure that altitude downward from the top of the workbench. Employ a straightedge and make a line at this indicate to betoken where the slider mount should go. Echo the procedure on all the spacers.^[sixteen]
- If you're installing multiple drawers down in a column, and then measure the length from each slider to the next.
4
Attach the sliders to the sides of each spacer. Take the mounting sliders that correspond with the sliders on the drawers. Hold each one upwards to the line you drew and brand sure information technology's straight. And then screw the slider into place. Do the same for the respective slider on the other side. Echo this for each drawer.^[17]
- Unlike spacer kits may have different installation instructions. Follow the directions provided.
v

Slide the drawers into place. Accept each drawer and line upwards its sliders with the slider mounts in the demote. Tilt the front of the drawer down to insert it into the mount, the bending it up and slide it into position. When you've installed each drawer, and so the upgrade is consummate.^[18]

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Things Yous'll Demand

Carpenter pencil
Tape measure
Power drill
Plywood boards
Table or circular saw
Woods glue
Gloves
Goggles
Screws
Slider kit

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