How to Build a Six-Drawer Chest from Two IKEA Dressers

IKEA furniture hacking has grown from a niche hobby into a mainstream approach for creating custom furniture at a fraction of the cost of high-end pieces. The basic idea is simple: take affordable, mass-produced furniture and modify it to create something unique that looks custom-built. A pair of inexpensive IKEA dressers can be transformed into a single stunning six-drawer chest with proper planning and basic woodworking skills. This project demonstrates techniques that apply to any furniture upcycling work, from joining pieces together to creating custom wood tops and decorative finishes. The same principles used to build a clever kitchen island with drawers apply here: structural joining, surface preparation, and careful finishing produce results that look professionally made.

Selecting and Preparing the Base Dressers

Choosing the right dressers to start with determines how smoothly the rest of the project goes. The YouTuber behind the Furniture Fables by Andy channel found a pair of used IKEA dressers that shared the same height and depth, which is the most important requirement for joining them into one cohesive piece. Width differences can be disguised with trim and molding, but mismatched height or depth creates a visible step that is difficult to hide.

What to Look for in Base Dressers

IKEA offers several dresser lines that work well for this type of project. The MALM and HEMNES series are popular choices because of their simple box construction, flat tops, and removable drawer fronts. These models use particle board with a melamine or veneer surface that takes paint well after proper sanding and priming. The KOPPANG series also works but has a slightly different drawer structure that requires more modification.

Key Selection Criteria

• Identical height and depth between the two pieces within 1/8 inch
• Flat top surfaces that can accept a custom wood topper without modification
• Drawers that slide smoothly and have removable fronts for finishing
• Solid back panels or the ability to add reinforcement across the joint
• Wheel or leg attachment points that can be removed or replaced with new legs

Before starting any modifications, remove all drawers and hardware. Label each drawer with tape marking its position so it goes back into the correct opening after refinishing. Clean the dresser surfaces with a degreaser or mild soap to remove any dust, oil, or residue that could prevent paint adhesion. The Gulf Wax paraffin trick for smooth wooden drawers works well here for lubricating the drawer slides after reassembly.

Joining Two Dressers into One Solid Piece

Once the dressers are empty and clean, the next step is to join them side by side into a single structural unit. The YouTube tutorial shows using a drill and strong wood screws to attach the two pieces together securely. This method works when the dressers have solid side panels with enough material thickness to hold screw threads.

Structural Joining Methods

Three approaches can join furniture pieces permanently, each with different strength and difficulty levels:

The wood screw method used in the tutorial is the most accessible approach for DIYers without specialized tools. Use screws that are long enough to pass through the first side panel and bite at least half an inch into the second panel without protruding through the interior surface. Pre-drill pilot holes to prevent the particle board from splitting. For additional guidance on modifying IKEA furniture, the IKEA pull-out drawers hack from Family Handyman covers similar techniques for working with particle board construction.

Reinforcing the Joint

After screwing the dressers together, add a strip of wood glue along the seam on the inside for additional shear strength. For wider dresser combinations, install a horizontal brace across the back using a 1×3 board screwed into both dresser frames. This prevents the joint from flexing when the piece is moved or when drawers are opened and closed with force.

Building the Custom Wood Top with Diagonal Inlay

The most visually striking feature of this project is the custom wood top with a diagonal inlay pattern. The YouTube creator used pine boards cut at an angle with a miter saw to create a geometric design that contrasts with the painted body of the dresser. This technique transforms a flat particle board top into a furniture-grade feature that looks like it came from a high-end woodworking shop.

Materials and Cutting Process

Pine is an excellent choice for this application because it is affordable, easy to cut, and takes stain uniformly when properly prepared. The original dressers had an inset top recess, so the diagonally cut wood pieces fit flush with the surrounding frame. If your dressers have a flat top without an inset, you can build a shallow frame using 1×2 mitered trim pieces to contain the inlay.

Step-by-Step Top Construction

1. Measure the top surface area and calculate the dimensions needed for the inlay pattern
2. Cut pine boards into strips of equal width, typically 2 to 3 inches wide depending on the scale of the dresser
3. Set the miter saw to a 45-degree angle and cut each strip with parallel diagonal ends
4. Dry-fit the pieces on top of the dresser to verify the pattern fits within the inset recess
5. Apply wood glue to the back of each piece and press into position, using a roller for even coverage
6. Clamp the assembly and allow the glue to cure for at least 24 hours before sanding

Matching pine wood trim is then applied to the front and back edges of the top so that the inlay surface appears flush with the rest of the piece. This trim covers any gaps between the inlay and the dresser frame, creating a seamless transition. The same techniques used to build a DIY midcentury desk with custom drawers apply here when constructing and attaching the top assembly to the base.

Painting and Staining for a Two-Tone Finish

The two-tone finish in this project combines a dark black painted body with warm coffee brown stained wood elements. This contrast creates visual depth and makes the custom top and decorative inlays stand out against the dresser body. Getting this finish right requires proper surface preparation and understanding how different materials accept paint versus stain.

Painting the Dresser Body

The tutorial used a sprayer to apply Fusion Coal Black mineral paint to the entire dresser body. Spray application produces a smoother, more even coat than brushing and eliminates brush marks on large flat surfaces. For DIYers without a sprayer, a high-density foam roller followed by a light sanding between coats produces acceptable results on IKEA particle board surfaces.

Surface Preparation for Paint Adhesion

IKEA furniture typically has a melamine or laminate coating that resists paint adhesion. Proper preparation steps are essential:

• Lightly sand all surfaces with 120-grit sandpaper to create a mechanical bond surface
• Wipe away all sanding dust with a tack cloth or damp rag
• Apply a bonding primer designed for laminate or melamine surfaces
• Sand the primer lightly with 220-grit sandpaper before applying paint
• Apply two to three thin coats of paint rather than one thick coat to prevent drips

Staining the Wood Elements

The pine wood top, decorative inlays, and legs received a warm coffee brown stain. Apply stain to raw sanded wood using a rag or brush, working in the direction of the wood grain. Wipe off excess stain after five to ten minutes for a medium color depth, or leave it longer for a deeper tone. Seal the stained wood with a clear polyurethane topcoat to protect the surface from scratches and daily wear. If your existing dresser has worn drawers that need attention, the methods covered in how to fix worn drawers with a furniture repair guide will help restore smooth operation before the refinishing work begins.

Adding Decorative Front Inlays and Hardware

The dresser in the tutorial features decorative tri-toned inlays on the drawer fronts that match the diagonal pattern on the top. This repetition of design elements ties the piece together visually and creates a cohesive custom look. The inlays appear to be created using the same method as the top: cutting thin strips of pine at angles, gluing them into recessed areas on the drawer fronts, and staining them in different colors.

Applying Inlays to Drawer Fronts

Creating recesses for inlays on existing drawer fronts requires either routing a shallow channel or building up a frame around the inlay area. The router method produces cleaner results but requires a plunge router and a steady hand. The buildup method uses thin strips of wood glued around the perimeter of the inlay area to create a shallow box, which is simpler for beginners.

• Plan the inlay pattern on paper first, matching the scale to each drawer front size
• Cut inlay pieces slightly oversize and sand to exact dimensions after glue-up
• Use a contrasting stain color for the inlay pieces to create visual depth
• Sand the assembled inlay flush with the drawer front surface using an orbital sander
• Apply the same polyurethane topcoat to the inlays as the top to ensure consistent sheen

Selecting and Installing Hardware

The tutorial finished the piece with deep bronze drawer pull handles. Hardware selection dramatically affects the final appearance of a refinished piece. Consider these factors when choosing pulls or knobs:

• Bronze, brass, or oil-rubbed black finishes complement dark painted bodies with warm wood tones
• Bar pulls work well on wide drawers and provide good ergonomics for daily use
• Cup pulls or recessed handles suit modern and minimalist aesthetics
• Check the existing drawer front thickness to ensure screws are the correct length

Measure the existing handle spacing before purchasing new hardware. Many IKEA dressers use a 64-millimeter or 128-millimeter center-to-center spacing on the drawer fronts. If the new handles use a different spacing, fill the old holes with stainable wood filler and drill new pilot holes after the filler dries. The fast fix for worn drawers with DIY repairs covers filling and re-drilling techniques that apply when modifying drawer fronts for new hardware placement.

Reassembling the finished dresser requires installing the refinished drawers in their correct positions and attaching the new hardware. Wax the drawer slides or runners with paraffin wax if they feel sticky after painting, as the added paint layers can create friction on the sliding surfaces. The design principles behind under-stair storage solutions with drawers and shelving use similar techniques for creating custom drawer installations in non-standard spaces, making this project excellent practice for larger furniture building work.