Elegant White Oak Floating Night Stands

In November 2021, we completed a woodworking project that culminated in the creation of our White Oak Floating Night Stands, a piece that combines the beauty of white oak with a contemporary design. This piece remains one of the favorite pieces that we have made! Follow along for the steps used to build it and visit us @JWJansenWoodworking on instagram for step by step photos and additional details. 

Materials and Dimensions

For this project, we selected high-quality white oak, known for its durability and exquisite grain patterns. The floating night stands final dimensions were 18″ in width, 12″ in height, and 14″ in depth each and they featured a 4″ solid white oak drawer.  These dimensions, coupled with clean lines and floating design, make it a perfect fit for modern interiors.

The Build Process

Material Preparation and Main Box Build:

The initial step was to take the white oak boards which were about 5-6 inches in width and glue up multiple panels. The main box of the night stands were made of 7/8 thick white oak. The drawer side panels were made 1/2″ thick and the back panel and drawer bottoms were 1/4″ panels. Once all panels were created, the panels for the main box were cut to size and assembled using miter joints and wood glue. The miter joints were re-enforced with 1/4″ splines to ensure long lasting joint strength. 

Crafting the Drawer:

The drawers were constructed using a floating bottom which were installed using 1/4″ dados in the drawer sides. A solid piece of white oak was used as the drawer front. On one of the foating night stands, the drawer front piece had a small crack about 1/2 of the length of the piece and so bowties were utilized to help stabilize the crack and to add aesthetics to differentiate the two floating night stands.  

Creating the Floating Effect:

Achieving the floating effect is an essential aspect of this project. We opted to use a French cleat system as it provided significant hanging strength but also allowed for a very easy install process. 

Finishing Touches:

We used General Finishes Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer (Satin) on all aspects of the build prior to final assembly. This finish is our go-to on high use builds as it provides an extremely durable finish that maintains the natural wood look and feel. 

Installation and Final Look

With the project complete, the floating night stands were installed on a wall for marketing pictures. These floating night stands sold within 2 weeks at a local craft fair!

We invite you to explore the entire build process, from inception to completion, on our Instagram page @JWJansenwoodworking. There, you can find additional detailed images and insights into the creation of this unique piece.