Another Do-It-Yourself Project from Georgia-Pacific
Storage Headboard
Hardwood Plywood
" Phillips screwdriver
" Slot style screwdriver 3D 16
" Hacksaw with 18 or 24 t.p.i. blade
" Heavy duty metal snips (for cutting shelf
support ends)
" Fine file (for smoothing cut metal)
" Finish sander
" Paint brushes: 2 and 3
" Safety glasses
Instructions
Construction begins with the measurement
of your bed, which determines the width of
the overall unit. The drawer units determine
the depth of the unit. Each drawer in the
example shown is 191D 2 deep. A regular full
mattress and box spring should measure
about 54 x 75 , while a queen size will
measure 60 x 80 and a king size will be
76 x 80 . In all cases, you must make
allowances for sheets and other bedding,
and for clearance for your fingers when
Materials Needed making the bed. An end-to-end clearance
Storage Headboard
of 11D 2 is enough, while side-to-side clear-
" 5 sheets of 3D 4 hardwood plywood
ance can be just an inch. Primary material
Add looks and storage space in any
" 1 sheet 1D 2 hardwood plywood
for a paint finish is A-A interior plywood,
bedroom.Designed to be built around a
" 1 sheet 1D 8 or 1D 4 hardboard 3
D 4 thick. If you want a stained or clear
standard rolling steel bed frame; however,
finish, use a hardwood faced plywood
" Plywood edge tape: as needed, about 150
there is enough room for a short headboard
and plywood edging.
" Four (4) 8 1 x 10s or 1 x 12s (depending
to fit under the bottom shelf if desired.
on your shelf depth)
End Units
" 6 pair drawer glides
1. There are three basic units that now go
to make up the overall unit. The
" 4 shelf standards; 48
simplest of these are the narrow end
" 18 shelf supports; 10
shelf units. Use 3D 4 plywood for the
" 16 plug-style shelf supports
sides, top and internal diver; these
" 4d nails: 1D 2 lb should be at least 20 deep overall.
" 2d nails: 1D 4 lb 2. Start with the sides. Measure 3D 8 from
the back edge and cut out a groove
" 6 drawer knobs or handles
1
D 4 deep by 1D 2 wide down one side of
" Wood glue
each piece.
" Sandpaper
3. Cut a panel to fit the back of the unit
from 1D 2 plywood, and rabbet top edges
Tools
3
D 4 wide by 1D 2 deep to accept the top.
" Circular saw (or table saw)
" Dado blade attachment
" Drill
Georgia-Pacific Corporation makes no warranties
expressed or implied, regarding this plan and
" Pilot bit, 1D 8 or under
specifically disclaims the warranties of mer-
chantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
" 16 oz. carpenter s hammer
Check with an architect or a building expert to
" Nail set
make sure that this plan is appropriate to your
Page 1 of 3 (Storage Headboard)
situation and meets local building codes.
Did you know?
Hardwood plywood is much like traditional
softwood plywood.Both kinds are made
4. For adjustable shelves, find a small piece taste and space. There are three drawers
from layers of wood veneers that are
of 1D 4 pegboard, and check its thickness shown per unit, but more can be added.
against your drill bit. Measure another
bonded together,with the grain of each
2. To build the basic cabinets, cut two
7
D 16 up on the bit after it penetrates the
panels for each unit, 191D 2 x 271D 2 high.
layer running perpendicular to the next.
pegboard. Mark that spot with three
Make the toe space cutout 3 x 31D 2
This cross-grain construction makes
layers of duct tape, or use an adjustable
high as shown.
hardwood plywood stable and increases
drill stop. The pegboard can then be
3. Bottom panels are cut 191D 2 by your
used as a template to drill two holes in
its strength and durability.
choice of width (24 is common).
each side piece for supports to hold
The most noticeable difference between
4. The top will be 11D 2 wider than the bottom,
each adjustable shelf. Cut the shelves
but will have the same 191D 2 depth.
hardwood plywood and traditional ply-
to fit. (With this type of shelf support,
you ll usually want to make the shelves
wood is in the two outer layers or veneers. 5. Rabbet the backs of the sides, top,
1
D 2 or 3D 8 shorter than the actual width
and bottom to accept a 1D 8 or 1D 4
The outer layers of traditional softwood
of the internal space to allow for easy
hardboard back.
plywood take paint well and are generally
movement.)
6. Assemble the basic cabinet using 4d
used for construction and structural
5. Assemble the units with 4d or 6d finishing
finishing nails and glue.
purposes.Hardwood plywood allows the
nails and glue.
7. Drawers are constructed so they are
natural finish of the wood to be exposed
flush with the sides and top of the cabinet.
Center Shelves
and is usually used for decorative purposes.
Use 3D 4 plywood for the drawer fronts,
1. The center shelf unit has the same
1
D 2 for the sides and 1D 4 plywood or
The most popular face veneers are oak,
basic construction as the end units,
hardboard for the bottoms. (If you expect
birch and maple.The veneer varies with except for two things. They are much
to have fairly heavy loads in the drawer,
wider of course, and the method of
the species,producing unique color and
use the same 1D 2 plywood for the bottom
holding the shelves in place is different
grain characteristics.This real wood
as for the sides and back.)
because intermediate support is
veneer gives the appearance of solid wood
8. Drawers can be butt-jointed all around,
required. The sides are done in exactly
but you ll get a far stronger job by
without the cost.Hardwood plywood is the same manner as the end units,
grooving the sides and back to accept
except the top portion is widened to
a product well-suited for clear finish
the drawer bottom. You should also
accept the bed.
treatments which enhance the natural
groove the sides vertically to the back,
2. The center of the unit gets three sections
beauty of the wood grain.It is easily
and rabbet the drawer front to accept
of shelf support standards, which are
the sides. (Remember to allow space
machined,is resistant to splitting and
screwed to the back using the 1 Phillips
for the drawer glides and a flush front fit.
impact and can be scored and bent for
screws that usually come with such
These dimensions can be determined
standards. The shelf standards go on
special curved applications more readily
only after the drawer glides are on hand,
after the unit is assembled and finished.
than solid wood.
because each drawer glide system
3. Nip the ends of the brackets with metal
attaches differently and is slightly
snips so they don t extend up in front of
different in size.)
the shelves. Use brackets made for 10
9. Drawers are assembled with 2d and 4d
shelves and cut them so they fit a bit
finish nails and glue.
less than flush with the front of the
10. When the units are all assembled, you
shelves you used. For this unit, shelves
can use plywood edging to cover rough
will be about 3D 4 shallower than the
edges and decide on a finish.
spaces into which they fit. Shelf length
should be 1D 4 less than the overall width
11. Once the units are assembled and
of the space. The three standards
finished, place them around the bed
shown will serve as a support for 3D 4
and decide whether or not you want to
thick shelves as wide as 80 .
screw the unit together. If you do, make
sure all units are flush and screw through
Drawers
the inside cabinet panels, 3D 4 in from the
1. The units shown are 191D 2 deep and 28
edge, using #8 x 11D 4 wood screws to
high. The depth is somewhat variable,
hold them as a single unit.
but drawers that are too deep tend to
weaken and warp. You can, however,
adjust the width and height to suit your
Page 2 of 3 (Storage Headboard)
Drawer Unit
HEADBOARD
DIVIDER
Bed Frame
Drawer Unit
FRONT VIEW TOP VIEW
21
1
D 8 Hardboard back
1
D 2 Plywood top
and sides
Plywood edging on
all exposed edges
1
19 D 2
DRAWER UNIT
Side mounted drawer guides
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Building Products
55 Park Place, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30303
1-800 BUILD GP ©2005 Georgia-Pacific Corporation. All rights reserved.
www.gp.com/build Printed in the U.S.A. 10/05. Page 3 of 3 (Storage Headboard)
vary to fit
vary to suit