DIY Projects With Old Dressers

Bathroom Vanity

• For this project, you'll need a dresser that is at least 20 inches deep, which is enough room for a standard size sink. Cut out the top of the dresser so that the sink slides into place, or replace the top of the dresser with a countertop with a built-in sink. Caulk around the sink to prevent water from getting inside the dresser. To make room for the plumbing, make the first drawer stationary, cutting out the back and bottom to make room for pipes, and move the back of the second drawer forward, shortening it, or make it stationary as well. Refinish the dresser to match your bathroom décor and enlist the help of a plumber if you’re unsure as to how to hook up the new dresser-turned-vanity.

Storage Bench or Container Garden

• Transform a wide, solid-wood dresser into a storage bench or container garden. Remove every drawer except for the bottom two and remove the slides. Cut off the top and install wood trim along the newly exposed edges with wood glue to give the dresser a finished look. Save the front of the drawers that you removed to cover the back of the dresser. Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood to fit across the top of the remaining drawers and attach it to the dresser. Place an upholstered seat on top of this to finish the bench. Skip the cushion and use the storage bench to display houseplants in a sunroom or kitchen.

Kitchen Island

• Repurpose the dresser as a kitchen island to increase work space and storage. Refinish the dresser so that it looks good all the way around, installing beadboard on the back to hide this often less-decorative side. Install a countertop that matches or coordinates with the counters in your kitchen, using the existing top as the base. Include some overhang to make working at the island comfortable. For a double kitchen island, place two old dressers of the same height back to back and install a piece of ¾-inch plywood on top, joining them together. Install molding to hide the small gap between the dressers, and secure a new counter to the plywood.

Bookcase

• Build a DIY bookcase with a dresser, placing it in your home office, play area or bedroom to display decorative items or as storage. Remove the drawers and slides from the dresser and refinish the back so that it matches the decor in the room. Paint, wallpaper or beadboard are all good options. Cut 3/4-inch plywood to the width and depth of the inside of the dresser and install shelf pins, four per shelf, along the inside of the dresser. Finish the front of the plywood shelves with wood trim and paint them to match the dresser before sliding the shelves in place.