In this article, we take you step-by-step through the process of building dovetail drawers. Once you understand the basics, you’ll be able to consistently make beautiful dovetail drawers for your woodworking projects. Some of the same skills can be used for dovetail joints used in other applications, too.
Difficulty Level
Moderate
Finishing
Paint or stain, and polyurethane
Time to Complete
2 Hours
Recommended Tools
Miter saw or circular saw Router and router table with 1/4" straight bit Dovetail jig and router bits Eye protection and hearing protection
Materials Needed
1 x 4 poplar or pine for drawer sides 1/4"-thick plywood for the drawer bottom 1 x 6 stock for the drawer front Drawer handles Tape measure Pencil Woodworker’s glue 1" wood screws Paint or stain in color of choice Sandpaper
Cut the Sides to Length
The first step is to cut the four sides of the drawer to length. Drawers typically are built from 1x stock, but the widths can be dependent on the height of the drawer required.
Cutting the Dovetail Tails and Pins
Once the sides of the drawer are cut to the appropriate lengths, we’ll turn our attention to cutting the dovetails. While traditional dovetails are cut by hand with a dovetailing saw and chisel, we’re going to use a dovetail jig and a router.
TIP: Be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions that accompany your dovetail jig for perfectly fitting dovetails, as each dovetail jig has a different set of steps for cutting the tails and pins. For this reason, the following directions are general instructions; your actual process will vary a little depending on your jig.
Cut the Grooves for the Drawer Bottom
With the pins and tails properly cut in the four sides, we’ll turn our attention to cutting the groove in each of the four drawer pieces to accommodate the drawer bottom.
Begin the Assembly of the Drawers
Before we move onto the final assembly, it is a very good idea to dry fit the entire dovetail drawer box. If any adjustments are going to be necessary, it will be much easier to address before any glue is applied to the assembly.
Attach the Pins to the Tails
Insert the Drawer Bottom
With three of the four sides of the drawer assembled, insert the drawer bottom into the grooves. There should be no glue used to attach the drawer bottom, as the bottom should be allowed to slide freely in the groove to accommodate seasonal movement in the stock. Simply set the side of the dovetail drawer on your woodworking table with the two pin boards extending vertically, and slide the drawer bottom into the grooves of the pin boards. Ease the lower edge of the drawer bottom into the groove of the tailboard at the bottom.
Attach the Fourth Side of the Drawer Box
Clamp the Drawer
TIP: Always clamp the drawer with a couple of clamps on the bottom and at least one clamp on the top of the drawer. Check the four joints to make sure they are properly seated. Tap the joint with your rubber mallet to tighten the joint if needed. It is also a good idea to use a couple of pieces of scrap stock between the jaws of the clamps and the tail boards to prevent any scarring from the clamps.
Sand the Assembly and Attach the Drawer Front
Once the glue in the joints of the drawer box has had time to dry, we’ll prepare to complete the drawer.
