How to Build a DIY Coffee Table with Storage Drawers

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kreg Tool, and I received product and/or compensation. It also contains affiliate links, which earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.

This DIY coffee table with storage has two deep drawers and an open shelf, so remotes, games, and blankets finally have a home. It’s built from knotty alder with pocket-hole joinery, and it pairs with my storage side table as a matching set. The free plans are on Kreg’s site, and below I’ll walk you through every step — plus what I learned after [X years] of using it every day.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PLANS

Project at a glance

Why I built this coffee table

I wanted a coffee table that hid clutter but still looked like real furniture — the kind of piece you’d see at Pottery Barn but one that I built myself that I could customize to my own specs and liking. I also built a matching side table that goes perfectly with it!

Tools and materials

The full cut list and materials list are in the plans. Here’s what I used:

Tools (some of these are affiliate links)

• Pocket-hole jig
• Table saw and/or Kreg Adaptive Cutting System
• Thickness planer (only if milling rough lumber)
• Miter saw
• Clamps (bar or pipe clamps for panel glue-ups)
• Kreg drawer slide jig and cabinet hardware jig
• Right-angle drill adapter (you’ll need it in Step 12)
• 3/4″ Forstner bit
• Sander (belt, drum, or orbital)
• Router with roundover bit (optional)

Materials

• 4/4 and 6/4 knotty alder (or 1x and 2x dimensional lumber)
• 3/4″ and 1/4″ plywood
• Two pairs of 18″ side-mount drawer slides
• Six desktop fasteners
• Two drawer pulls
• 1 1/4″ and 2 1/2″ pocket screws, 1 1/4″ wood screws
• Wood glue
• 3/4″ narrow crown staples or brad nails

Choosing your wood

I used knotty alder because it’s affordable, stains evenly, and has a warm, rustic look. Alder is sold as rough 4/4 and 6/4 boards, so you’ll need to mill it to 3/4″ thick. If you don’t own a planer, use standard 1x and 2x pine or poplar from the home center — you’ll only need to rip a few boards to custom widths.

How to build a coffee table with storage

Step 1: Mill the lumber

Rip the boards to rough width, then run them through a thickness planer to 3/4″. I used my Adaptive Cutting System for the rips.

Tip: Cut every panel piece (sides, shelf, top) slightly long. You’ll square and trim them to final length after glue-up.

Step 2: Glue up the side panels and shelf

Glue the edges of the side-panel boards and clamp them. Tighten only until glue just starts to squeeze out — overtightening bows the panel. I skipped pocket holes here because they’d show on the finished sides.

For the shelf, drill 3/4″ pocket holes along the board edges. Glue, clamp, and join with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Step 3: Build the coffee table sides

1. Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes in the 2×2 cross supports.
2. Square one end of each side panel, then cut to final length.
3. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes on all four edges of each side panel.
4. Build the frame around the panels with glue and 1 1/4″ pocket screws.
5. Attach the legs to the cross supports with 2 1/2″ pocket screws.

Step 4: Install the shelf

Drill 3/4″ pocket holes in each end of the trimmed shelf. Mark 7 1/4″ down from the top of each side and align the top edge of the shelf with those marks. Glue, clamp, and secure with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Step 5: Install the bottom aprons

Set the 1×2 aprons 1 1/2″ up from the bottom of the legs. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes in each end, then glue, clamp, and attach with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Step 6: Add the center divider and back panels

Attach 1×2 uprights to the plywood center divider with 1 1/4″ pocket screws. Center the divider in the base, drive 1 1/4″ wood screws up through the bottom into the uprights, then pocket-screw the top into the shelf.

For the back panels, drill 3/4″ pocket holes in the sides and top edges. Drive 1 1/4″ wood screws up through the aprons into the panels, then pocket-screw the sides and top.

Step 7: Build the tabletop

Joint a straight edge on each 6/4 board, then rip to width on the table saw. Spread glue over the full edge of each board and clamp until glue just squeezes out.

Once cured, sand the top smooth. Square one end, flip it, and cut to final length.

Step 8: Build the drawer boxes

Rip 3/4″ plywood to width and cut to length on the miter saw. Drill 3/4″ pocket holes in the front and back pieces, then glue, clamp, and join with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Optional: Before assembly, round the top edges with a roundover bit or soften them with a sander.

Measure the assembled box, cut the 1/4″ plywood bottom to fit, and attach it with glue and 3/4″ staples or brad nails.

Step 9: Install the drawer slides

Mount the 18″ side-mount slides to the base using the Kreg drawer slide jig. Clip the drawer members onto the boxes, set each box on 1/4″ spacers, and slide it in. Pull the drawer halfway out and drive the included screws, then pull it all the way out and finish the remaining screws.

Step 10: Attach the drawer fronts

1. Drill pull holes in the drawer fronts with the cabinet hardware jig.
2. Set each front in place with equal stacks of playing cards for a 1/8″ gap on all sides.
3. Drive 1 1/4″ screws through the pull holes into the drawer box to hold it.
4. From inside the drawer, drive 1 1/4″ screws into all four corners of the front.
5. Remove the temporary screws, drill the 3/16″ holes through, and install the pulls.

Step 11: Install the desktop fasteners

Trace each fastener on the top edge of the base, three per end. Drill about 1/8″ deep with a 3/4″ Forstner bit until the fastener sits flush, then secure with 1 1/4″ screws. Desktop fasteners let the solid-wood top expand and contract with the seasons without cracking.

Step 12: Attach the tabletop

Center the top so the overhang is equal on all four sides. There’s only 7 1/4″ between the shelf and the top, so use a right-angle drill adapter to drive 1 1/4″ screws up through the fasteners.

Step 13: Finish the coffee table

You can finish this coffee table any way you like! Stain and polyurethane, paint, or (my personal favorite) polyurethane only.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to build a coffee table with storage? Lumber prices vary depending not only on your region but also what type of lumber you are using. So this is a tough one to estimate.

Can a beginner build this coffee table? Yes, if you’re comfortable with pocket holes. The drawers are the trickiest part, and a drawer slide jig makes them much easier.

Can I build it without a planer? Yes. Use standard 1x and 2x boards, which are already 3/4″ and 1 1/2″ thick. You’ll only need to rip a few pieces to width.

Why use desktop fasteners instead of screwing the top on directly? Solid wood expands and contracts with humidity. Fasteners let the top move so it doesn’t crack or pull loose — important even in dry climates like Arizona’s.

Where can I get the plans? The free plans, with the full cut list and diagrams, are on Kreg’s website.

Build the matching set

This coffee table pairs with my DIY storage side table — same alder, same lines.

The post How to Build a DIY Coffee Table with Storage Drawers appeared first on ADDICTED 2 DIY.