Drawer edges on low cost dresser

[Jeff Hallam]

Here is my design for a plywood dresser for my daughter's room. I wish I had the time and money to build an heirloom for her, but necessity and reality dictate that a faster solution be built.

I'm pretty happy with how the applied moulding will look. I've also decided to add a wood edge to the top so that I can put an edge treatment on it.

My concern is the durability of the drawer fronts (specifically the corners) and how the edges will look once painted. Any tricks for smooth, painted, plywood edges (i.e. filler, spackle, etc..)??

Thanks for the input. Oh, I'm probably going to add some kind of arch cutout at the bottom of the sides.

Jeff

140563

[Lex Boegen]

Personally, I would rip poplar boards down into 1/4-inch strips and apply that as edge-banding on the plywood. Plane flush and it will disappear when painted. The solid wood will take dings better than ply. You could also make them thicker than the drawers and round-over the edge for a beading detail on the drawer fronts.

[Art Mulder]

Jeff,

I've built two tall dressers for my two oldest. They have a fair amount of plywood in them, but I put solid wood on for the drawer fronts. Otherwise, I'd do something like Lex suggested.

Threads about my dressers: one (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=52208), two (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98708)
or a single web page (http://www.wordsnwood.com/2007/dresser/).

[Jeff Hallam]

Appreciate the suggestions. I think I'll try what Lex said, although I'll just plane the boards flush instead of beading. Hopefully, with the edges covered this should last for a number of years, in spite of being plywood.