DIY Vintage Inspired Nightstand (No Thrift Store Required!)

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When Bamboo Lab reached out about a collaboration, I knew it was the perfect excuse to tackle a project that had been on my mind for a while. I wanted to replace the small table in our entryway with something that better matched the rest of our home. The old one worked just fine, but the light-colored wood felt out of place.

Lately, I’ve been bringing more warm, Spice Brown-stained oak into our home, and I absolutely love how it’s tying everything together. You’ll find it on our kitchen island, vent hood, laundry room cabinets, built-in aquarium, and even in our master bathroom on the vanity and built-in armoire. It only made sense to continue that same look in the entryway, too. Instead of hunting for the perfect vintage piece, I decided to build one from scratch so I could get the exact style, size, and finish I was after.

With the plan figured out, it was time to start building! I began by cutting down scrap pieces of 3/4-inch oak plywood to build the carcass (that’s just the fancy woodworking term for the main box of the cabinet). I used my table saw to rip the plywood into the correct sizes. If I were ripping down a large 4×8 sheet of plywood, I’d use my track saw instead.

Once all of my pieces were cut, I used my Kreg Foreman to drill the pocket holes. If you build furniture often like I do, the Foreman is absolutely worth it. It makes adding pocket holes incredibly fast, and it’s one of those tools I find myself reaching for on almost every project.

That said, don’t feel like you need a Foreman to build this! If you’re just getting started, there are plenty of budget-friendly options that work great. Kreg makes a portable pocket hole jig that comes with its own clamp, so all you need is a drill and the included drill bit. If you’re looking to spend even less, their basic pocket hole jig is another great option. You’ll just need to provide a drill, your own clamp and a sturdy work surface to clamp it to. No matter which jig you use, you’ll end up with strong, hidden joints that are perfect for furniture projects like this.

Before assembling everything, I gave all of the plywood a quick sanding with my orbital sander using 220-grit sandpaper. Since most hardwood plywood comes pre-sanded from the store, there’s no need to get aggressive here. This step is really just to smooth out any minor imperfections and prep the surface for stain later. (I just lowered the blade of my table saw and I’m using the surface as a work bench)

Since this project was part of my collaboration with Bamboo Lab, I wanted to incorporate some 3D-printed tools into the build. One of the handiest was this 90-degree corner assembly jig. After applying wood glue, I used it to hold the plywood pieces perfectly square. Before driving in the pocket hole screws, I shot a few brad nails into the joints to lock everything in place. That kept the boards from shifting while I drove the screws, making assembly much easier and helping everything stay perfectly aligned.

Here’s a closer look at the corner assembly jig in action. It worked really well! The fit was a little snug because oak plywood tends to be slightly thicker than standard plywood, but once I got it on, it held everything nice and square while I assembled the cabinet.

Since I wanted this piece to look like it was built from solid oak, I covered all of the exposed plywood edges with iron-on oak edge banding. It’s a simple step, but it makes a huge difference in the finished look. Once the edge banding had cooled, I used another 3D-printed tool that holds a standard razor blade to trim off the excess. It made getting a clean, flush edge quick and easy. Way easier than free handing it with a razor knife.

I repeated the same process on all of the exposed plywood edges. Once everything was trimmed and sanded smooth, you could hardly tell it was plywood at all.

With the edge banding finished on the side and back pieces, I attached the top and bottom using the same process: wood glue, a few brad nails to hold everything in place, and pocket hole screws to pull it all together. I chose to apply the edge banding before installing the top and bottom because it made trimming the excess much easier. Trying to trim those edges after the cabinet was fully assembled would’ve been a lot more awkward. I also edge banded the top and bottom (and the shelves) before attaching them.

Next came the shelves. Before cutting anything, I figured out how much space I wanted between each shelf and then ripped a few spacers from scrap plywood on my table saw. For this cut, I also used a 3D-printed push guide as part of my Bamboo Lab collaboration. It gave me better control over the smaller pieces while keeping my hands safely away from the blade. Using spacers is an easy way to make sure every shelf is evenly positioned without having to measure over and over again. Once the shelves were in place, I secured them with glue and pocket hole screws, creating strong, hidden joints that keep the inside of the cabinet looking clean and professional.

Now technically, these aren’t really shelves, they’re the dividers that the drawers will slide between. Because of that, I didn’t actually need to use full pieces of plywood. I could have used narrower strips positioned toward the front of the cabinet and achieved the same result while saving a little material. But since this was a relatively small project and I already had plenty of plywood on hand, I decided to keep it simple and use full pieces.

I decided to make the top drawer a little shorter than the bottom two drawers to give the piece a more balanced, vintage-inspired look. (If you’re wondering why it looks like the bottom drawer in these photos, that’s because I have the cabinet flipped upside down while I’m building it!) After sizing the top drawer opening, I cut new spacers to make sure the bottom two drawer openings were evenly spaced.

Next up was building the tabletop. I wanted this piece to be solid oak instead of plywood because I planned to route a decorative profile around the edges. While edge banding does a great job of hiding plywood edges, it can’t recreate a routed detail. Using solid oak meant I could shape the edges however I wanted and give the tabletop that classic vintage look that really helps sell the finished piece.

The only problem? They don’t sell solid oak boards wide enough for the tabletop I needed. So, I did what woodworkers have been doing forever, I glued several boards together to make one wider panel. I spread an even layer of wood glue along each edge, clamped everything together, and then added a couple of dumbbells on top to help keep the boards nice and flush while the glue dried. Sometimes you have to get creative with the tools you already have! After letting it cure overnight, I had one seamless, solid oak panel ready for the next step.

The next day, I removed the clamps and was left with one solid oak panel. (Always a satisfying moment when everything comes together exactly like you hoped!) Then I cut it down to its final size by trimming the length on my miter saw and ripping it to width on my table saw because the miter saw wouldn’t reach far enough to cut down the width.

To make sure the tabletop was perfectly centered, I first trimmed just a small amount off one end with my miter saw. Then I measured from that fresh edge and cut the opposite end to the final length. This gave me two clean, factory-straight ends and ensured I removed the same amount from each side, leaving the tabletop perfectly even and symmetrical.

With the tabletop cut to size, it was time for sanding. I used my orbital sander to smooth the entire surface, paying extra attention to the glue joints where the boards were joined together. Even if the boards feel pretty flush after glue-up, a little sanding helps blend everything together so it looks and feels like one solid piece of oak. I started with 180 grit sandpaper and ended with 220 grit. Once I was done, the tabletop was silky smooth.

Before I could move on to routing the tabletop, I needed to build the base. Unlike the top, I didn’t need a full solid panel underneath, so I decided to use 1×3 oak to create the bottom frame. It uses a lot less material while still giving the table the look I was going for. I didn’t happen to have any 1×3 oak on hand, but I did have a 1×6 that was the perfect length. So, I headed over to my table saw and ripped it right down the middle to make my own 1×3 boards. Sometimes it’s easier (and cheaper!) to make the lumber you need than to run back to the store.

Once all of the pieces were cut to length, I laid them out to make sure the overall dimensions matched the tabletop. Taking a minute to double-check the fit before assembly is much easier than discovering something is off after everything has been glued and screwed together. Thankfully, everything lined up just the way I wanted it to.

Once I was happy with the fit, I drilled pocket holes into the frame pieces and gave everything a quick sanding. Since these boards were already fairly smooth, it didn’t take much, just enough to remove any rough spots and prep the wood for assembly.

With everything prepped, it was time for assembly. I applied wood glue to every joint before driving in the pocket hole screws. I know the screws do a great job on their own, but I always add glue too. It creates a much stronger joint, helps prevent movement over time, and it’s such an easy step that there’s really no reason to skip it. As you can see in the below pictures I am using clamps to hold everything flush as I screw it together.

After the frame was assembled, I gave all of the joints one final pass with my orbital sander. Even with accurate cuts, there’s almost always a tiny ridge where two boards meet. A quick sanding blends everything together and removes any dried glue squeeze-out.

With both the tabletop and bottom frame complete, it was time to add one of my favorite details. I clamped each piece securely to the edge of my workbench and used my router with a round-over bit to soften all of the exposed edges. It’s a messy step, but it makes a huge difference.

You can see here what I mean by messy! I ALWAYS use a mask and eye protection when using the router. It might look silly, but I use goggles because it fills the air with saw dust and it will get behind regular safety glasses!

After routing the edges, I hand-sanded the profiles to smooth out any tiny tool marks and get rid of any tear out.

I attached the bottom first because I didn’t want to risk scratching up the finished tabletop while the cabinet was sitting upside down on my garage floor. I applied a generous bead of wood glue, then carefully centered the base so it had an even 1/2-inch overhang on all four sides. Once I was happy with the placement, I secured it with 1¼-inch brad nails. The nails act like tiny clamps, holding everything exactly where it needs to be while the wood glue dries and creates a strong, permanent bond.

Since the cabinet was already upside down, it was the perfect time to drill the mounting holes for the legs. I ordered these furniture legs from Amazon, and they’ve quickly become one of my favorite finds. I’ve used them on several projects now because they have that perfect vintage-inspired look while still being sturdy and easy to install.

Once the legs were installed, I could flip it over! There’s just something satisfying about seeing a project stand on its own for the first time. At this point, it was really starting to look like a piece of furniture instead of a pile of wood in my garage.

With the table finally standing on its own, I attached the tabletop using the same method as the bottom. I applied wood glue, carefully centered the top so the 1/2in overhang even on all sides, and secured it with 1¼-inch brad nails.

Normally, I use soft-close drawer slides because they’re smooth and easy to install. But for this project, I wanted to stay true to the vintage style. That meant skipping the modern hardware and going old school.

Instead of metal drawer slides, I installed simple wooden runners along the inside of the cabinet for the drawers to slide on, just like you would find in an authentic vintage piece of furniture. It’s a much more traditional method, and while it doesn’t have that soft-close luxury, it adds so much character to the finished piece. Sometimes the old ways really are the best (and cheapest) ways! I attached the runners I made with scrap wood with wood glue and brad nails using a spacer below the runners to make sure they were level on both sides.

These drawer runners are actually much simpler than they look! I installed them so they were set back 3/4 inch from the front of the cabinet. Since the drawer fronts will be inset into the face frame, these runners will double as built-in drawer stops. That means when you push the drawer closed, it’ll stop at exactly the right spot every time without needing any extra hardware.

Before building all three drawers, I put the first one together as a test fit to make sure everything slid smoothly on the wooden runners. Thankfully, it worked exactly like I’d hoped! At that point, I couldn’t resist jumping ahead a little and trying out some hardware. Sometimes you just need a little preview of the finished piece to keep the motivation going. I was deciding between the pulls or the knobs, both in the color antique brass.

For the drawer boxes, I cut all of the pieces from 1/2-inch plywood. I prefer using 1/2-inch over 3/4-inch because it makes the drawers feel lighter and less bulky. Since these are relatively small drawers, there’s really no structural benefit to using thicker material, so 1/2-inch is more than strong enough.

To assemble them, I used wood glue and 1-in brad nails. Is it the fanciest drawer joinery out there? Nope! Methods like dovetails or tongue-and-groove joints are definitely stronger on paper, but honestly, this method has served me incredibly well for years. I’ve built countless drawers this way and haven’t had a single one fail. The key is the wood glue, don’t skip it! The brad nails simply hold everything together while the glue cures, and once it’s dry, the glue is doing the heavy lifting.

At this point, I only assembled the two sides, the back, and the bottom of each drawer. I intentionally left the front off because the decorative drawer front will actually become the front of the drawer. Before attaching those, though, I wanted to do a test fit to make sure everything slid smoothly and all of my spacing was just right. It’s much easier to make small adjustments now than after the drawer fronts are attached and everything is finished.

Once I knew the first drawer fit perfectly, I built the other two using the same process. To make the drawer runners, I grabbed a scrap piece of oak and ripped it down to about 1/2 inch wide on my table saw.

I measured and attached the wooden runners to the sides of each drawer box using wood glue and brad nails. I installed two runners on each side so they would sandwich the runner that was already mounted inside the cabinet. This creates a simple, old-school drawer slide system that keeps the drawer aligned while still allowing it to glide in and out smoothly.

Another test fit!

Success! They fit perfectly! That’s always one of the most satisfying moments in a build. Once I knew everything was sliding smoothly, I applied wood glue to the front of each drawer box, set it back into the cabinet to keep it perfectly aligned, and then positioned the drawer front in place. With the spacing just right, I secured it with brad nails.

For the drawer fronts, I used 3/4-inch oak plywood instead of solid oak. Since the edges would be visible, I applied iron-on oak edge banding first to hide the plywood layers. Once it was trimmed and sanded smooth, it looked just like a solid oak drawer front but used less material and kept the build more budget-friendly.

After a final sanding, it was time for my favorite part, stain! I used my go-to Spice Brown by DuraSeal stain to match the other oak pieces throughout my home, then installed the drawer pulls, and just like that… it was finished!

Well… mostly. 😅 Since this project was part of a partnership, I was on a bit of a deadline, so I haven’t had a chance to apply the clear coat yet. I’ll be going back to do that soon because it’ll help protect the finish and make it hold up beautifully over time.

There is one thing I’m still debating, though. I used 3/4-inch oak plywood for the drawer fronts with iron-on edge banding, and while they turned out pretty good, I’m not completely sold on them. The edge banding catches just a tiny bit when opening and closing the drawers, and I think solid oak drawer fronts would not only solve that issue but also give the piece an even more authentic vintage look. So… don’t be surprised if you come back later and see that I’ve rebuilt the drawer fronts. Sometimes projects evolve even after they’re “finished,” and honestly, I think that’s part of the fun of DIY!

The old table that was in my entryway was where I got the idea for the drawer slides.

Once I got the table in place, I noticed the drawers weren’t sliding quite as smoothly as I wanted. Since this was my first time building drawers with traditional wooden runners, I did a little research to see what the old-timers did.

Turns out, a simple bar of soap is a great lubricant for wooden drawer slides! I rubbed a little soap onto both the runners inside the cabinet and the mating runners on the drawers, and what a difference! The drawers slid much more smoothly, and as a bonus, the inside of the cabinet smelled pretty nice too. 😄

Another popular option is furniture wax or even skateboard wax, but I already had a bar of soap sitting by the sink, so it was free, easy, and worked surprisingly well!

I went back and added the felt to the feet that came with the legs.

To tie everything together for my Bamboo Lab partnership, I also printed a few decorative pieces on the 3D printer to style the finished table. I love mixing traditional woodworking with modern technology like this. Building the furniture by hand gives it that custom, heirloom feel, while 3D printing lets me create unique decor and accessories that perfectly complement the finished piece.

I continue to be amazed by all the things you can create with a 3D printer! It’s such a fun tool because the possibilities are practically endless. And as for the table… I absolutely LOVE how it turned out! It has all the vintage charm I was hoping for, but it’s built exactly the way I wanted it and fits the space perfectly. Honestly, I think it looks like it’s been in this entryway for years, and that’s exactly the look I was going for.

Would you try drawer slides like this??