How to build a bedroom nightstand from reclaimed wood.
This little pallet wood night stand transpired by accident. Sort of.
The Summer Tour of Homes was FAST approaching, and you know how you have a little done in every room but no room is really complete?
I challenged myself to replace a too small file cabinet with a proper night table that I actually liked. Deciding that baskets would be the drawers, the frame was built to suit. Here’s how I did it!
Prepping the wood
This wood starts course! The legs were 3 x 3 solid oak, part of a large crate. I sanded the boards heavily with a palm sander using coarse and fine grit. You’d never know it was the same wood!
For those that write me asking how I remove nails out of pallet boards, builders, please cover your eyes for a moment…
Cheater builders… I DIDN’T! 🙂
I couldn’t get these guys out, so I gave up and just beat the nails back into the wood sideways. I call it junk jewelry. NEXT!
The Frame
Here’s a side shot of the basic framework for the front and the back of the nightstand. 4 boards per size. And size is determined by what size baskets you use.
Just know, this didn’t become this in 5 minutes. I went through several drafts. Do you call these drafts? I don’t know. Proofs? Messes? Trial runs gone south? Dumpster fuel? You get the idea…
I built the frame around the baskets while everything was laying on the ground.
Tweak time: the front 2 x 4 boards were switched out for 1 x 4’s to remove some bulk. Much better!
Thank-you neighbourhood friend Corinne for your photography! ( while I struggled along pretending to know the score )
Hey… it stands! Things I build that stand still amaze me to this day.
The yardsticks and surveyor’s stick added a little junky bling. The wood had to be there anyway so why not use something cool to look at?
With basket drawers in place…
And a top to come! The top was created with crate planks I had gathered awhile back. I wasn’t sure about the very blonde colour but that ended up being my favourite thing about the build after the fact.
Oh… and I forgot to attach them. Cheaters, they are still loose. Guess the boards were heavy enough to be ok with that.
Reveal
And here is the nightstand in action in the master bedroom. Super functional, sturdy, and rustically cute.
With the twiggy lampshade lamp on top. Would you believe I forgot to take a picture of this stand all together?
This nightstand design would also look kinda neat as a coffee table or even bench. It’s very adaptable with a little added bracing for strength here and there.
See the sidetable in my Summer Home Tour is HERE.
Very cute Donna… I think my favorite part is the surveyors stick in the front!
Susan
Adorable! That’s just too cute! ~Tammy
Beautiful job Donna! As always!!
Don’t you just love using up some of your stash and getting something functional?! Great job!!!
That is just so neat!
Love love love it! You are such an inspiration!
I love it!
That is one very cool and unique night table! Love the combination of the old rough wood with the yardsticks. And the hammered down nails just add some more rustic-ness to the table 🙂 Your twig lampshade is super-cute – off to read about that project now…
Wonderful… love the easy peasy way you made it and the baskets make a nice touch.
I bet it would be great stained even a bit darker too. the sky is the limit with pallet wood!
This is the neatest thing! So cute, quirky and whimsical, just like a lot of us! LOL! Hugs, Leena
This is so darned cute, love the rusticity of the style. We would most likely put shelves across where you have the baskets but that’s what is so great about this table, the versatility for one thing. I so love ideas for reworking found lumber and we have bunches of it luckily. Now to get hubs busy, he’s been lagging lately but it is really hot out, can’t blame him. Maybe seeing this will inspire him to get busy. So glad you shared this table, it’s really special. Happy Days
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! Your building skills still amaze me. My goal is to get better at my power tool skills this summer 🙂
Gorgeous! Jealous!
😀
You call your projects happy accidents…we fans know it’s your great ‘crate’tivity…LOL
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
😉
Oh, I love this little piece! I might have to try my hand at one.
I love this little table and I am new to woodworking or should I say a wood crafter wanna be. I have only done very simple things, but this honestly looks so darn simple that I may have to try it. I’d love to incorporate it as a dog crate/night stand, for our Chihuahua. He needs a new crate.
Wish me luck, some day after I get done with my brick patio.