How to Build Kitchen Drawers on Rollers

Creating the Drawer Pieces

• 1

  Measure the drawer opening, both from front to back and from side to side as well as the height of the drawer opening. Subtract 1/4 inch from the width and 1/2 inch from the height and about 2 inches from the depth to allow adequate clearance. Since undermount roller systems engage the bottom of the drawer, the drawer is wider than those with side drawer slides.

• 2

  Measure and mark a sheet of 1/2-inch thick plywood to create two drawer side pieces. The sides measure the height and depth as calculated. Mark two more pieces, using the drawer width and height dimensions, to form the drawer front and back. Cut out all the pieces with a table saw.

• 3

  Mark and cut a sheet of 1/4-inch plywood to make the drawer bottom. Reduce the drawer width and depth by 1/2 inch each to fit the piece accurately; the bottom inserts halfway into each frame piece, so the framing directly around it measures only 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut a sheet of 1/16-inch thick laminate to the same dimensions if you prefer an extra-strong drawer bottom, especially for large drawers or heavy loads.

• 4

  Measure and mark 1/4 inch from the bottom edge of each piece, from the front and back to the sides. Draw a straight line across the piece to create a cut guide. Measure 1/4 inch higher and make another cut guide. Repeat at another 1/16 inch if you are using a laminate bottom reinforcement piece. These lines show where the drawer bottom will insert into the drawer pieces when complete.

• 5

  Adjust a regular table saw blade to 1/4 inch above the table surface. Move the table saw fence to 1/4 inch from the the blade, checking to see that the blade aligns with the first cut line. Run each piece through the saw, following the cut line the length of the piece involved. Push the fence over slightly after each pass to continue cutting away wood between the outermost cut lines. Stop when you come to the final line. This is a kerf cut and the groove created, called a dado, is wide enough to allow the drawer bottom to nestle inside the relief. Use either a 1/4 or 5/16 dado blade, attached to the table saw, or a router alternatively.

• 6

  Create additional dados on either side of the drawer front and back. Measure 1/4 inch from the edge, make a vertical line, then make another at 1/2 inch from the edge. Cut out the dado with a table saw or a router. When complete, both the front and back pieces have vertical-running dados at either end as well as the horizontal-running bottom dados.

• 7

  Move the table saw fence back to 1/4 inch from the saw blade. Lay a drawer side piece, dado facing up, with an end against the fence. Run the end through the saw to make a vertical kerf cut 1/4 inch deep. Flip the piece on edge, dado facing outward, and pass through the saw once more. The result is a rabbet edge, an L-shaped lip that fits inside the dado in the front or back piece. Repeat with the opposite end of the same piece, then again with either end of the other drawer side piece.

Building and Installing the Drawer and Rollers

• 8

  Glue the laminate to the bottom piece, if applicable. Squeeze a thin bead of glue into the bottom dado on the front, rear and sides. Add more to the vertical dados on the front and rear pieces. Insert the bottom into one piece at a time, joining the vertical joints at the same time. Clamp the drawer together and wait for the dry time specified by the glue manufacturer.

• 9

  Measure and cut a finished drawer front, using 1/2-inch-thick wood lumber, if you want an overlay drawer. An overlay drawer has a board that rests on the outside of the drawer frame when the drawer is closed, instead of sitting flush inside the cabinet. Make the drawer 1 inch larger both vertically and horizontally. Center the board over top the drawer front piece. Attach with four screws, one in each corner, driven from the inside of the drawer out into the wood cover board. Add a drawer pull in the center, secured similarly.

• 10

  Reinforce the drawer joints with finishing nails. Drive through the front and rear dado and rabbet joints every 4 inches vertically. The bottom requires no extra reinforcement, supported by both the drawer walls and glued in place.

• 11

  Attach the rear flange on the drawer back piece. Measure across the width of the piece to determine the exact center. Mark with an "X." Align the center of the tab with the mark. Check to ensure the bottom of the flange is flush with the bottom of the drawer. This position determines the height of the roller, which must engage in the drawer slide below. When positioned correctly, drive screws through the holes in the flange into the back piece to secure.