DIY Floating Nightstand Guide From Layout to Wall

I built my first floating bedside box one bright Saturday morning. Coffee filled the air with a rich nutty note. A saw sang through walnut. The drawer stuck on the first pull. I fixed the slide with a shim. That small win felt great. You can feel the same thrill in your own room. This guide turns the plan into reality.

Use it as a full road map. By the last screw you will hang a clean, modern box that seems to hover. Your floor will stay clear. Sweeping becomes easy. The room earns a fresh calm vibe. Ready to start. Let us walk through each step.

What a Floating Nightstand Is

A floating nightstand is a small wall mounted table. It holds items beside your bed. It has no legs. It looks light and modern. The wall supports it. The floor remains open for storage bins or nothing at all. The style fits many themes from rustic to sleek.

Key Gains

• Frees floor area for easy cleaning
• Makes a tight room feel wider
• Hides messy cords with smart channels
• Creates space for art or lights under the box
• Offers simple shapes that pair with many beds

Basic Parts

• Shell or case that holds weight
• Inner strip that accepts screws
• Drawer box or open cubby
• Mounting piece on the wall

Good Height

The top often sits two inches lower than the mattress. This keeps reach easy at night.

Plan the Spot

Good prep saves time. Grab tape, pencil, small board. Work through these checks.

• Measure mattress height from floor
• Mark a top level two inches under that line
• Note nearby outlets for lamps or chargers
• Find studs with an electronic finder
• Confirm with a tiny nail in the baseboard if needed
• Mark two studs for each table
• If you want a pair, snap a level line across both sides

Your eye likes symmetry. A laser line across the wall keeps the pair on one plane.

Choose Size

Common sizes balance storage and scale.

• Twenty inches wide sixteen inches deep eleven inches tall
• Fifteen inches wide eleven inches deep eleven inches tall
• Eighteen inches wide twelve inches deep ten inches tall

Stick with a depth under twelve inches. The box looks slim. Your arm never bumps an edge in the dark.

Select Material

Wood choice sets the look and cost.

• Pine is soft and cheap. It cuts with ease. A pre stain coat stops blotches.
• Poplar paints well. It may show a green tone under stain. Best for bold color paint.
• Oak feels tough. Red oak shows warm grain. White oak feels bright and calm.
• Maple is dense with a smooth face. Dye brings out gentle figure.
• Walnut glows with rich brown tones under oil.
• Birch plywood stays flat. Edge banding hides layers.

Strong wall mounting spreads weight across studs. Both hardwood boards and good plywood hold a lamp and books with ease.

Green Tip

Buy flat boards with straight grain and few knots. You waste less and keep the piece solid for decades.

Gather Tools

A small kit works fine.

• Circular saw or table saw for long cuts
• Miter saw for length cuts
• Drill and driver
• Pocket hole jig if you pick that path
• Random orbit sander
• Clamps and square
• Stud finder and level

Helpful extras add polish.

• Router with small bevel bit
• Flush trim saw for clean plugs
• Forstner bit for cable holes
• Brad nailer for light tacking

If you own only a circular saw use a straight guide. A scrap board and two clamps form a cheap guide rail.

Two Build Paths

Pick the path that matches skill and patience.

Path One Mitered Box With Waterfall Grain

Forty five degree corners let grain flow across each face.

• Pros*

• Seamless lines at each edge

• High end look

• Watch Points*

• Angle cuts need care

• Clamp setup must stay square
• Wood may swell across grain so leave room for drawer

Path Two Pocket Hole Box With Square Edges

Fast strong and forgiving.

• Pros*

• Square is easy to keep

• Screws hide on the inside

• Great for first build

• Watch Points*

• Fill any visible pocket marks

• Plywood edges need banding

Standard Cut Plan

Example uses twenty inch by sixteen inch by eleven inch.

Materials use three quarter inch thick boards or plywood.

Shell Cuts

• Top twenty inches by sixteen inches
• Bottom twenty inches by sixteen inches
• Left side eleven inches high by sixteen inches deep
• Right side eleven inches high by sixteen inches deep
• Back strip one by four eighteen and one half inches long for pocket path
• Inner cleat strip full interior width

Drawer Box Half Inch Stock

• Sides ten inches deep three inches tall
• Front and back fifteen inches wide three inches tall
• Bottom quarter inch sheet sixteen inches by nine and three quarter inches
• Drawer face sixteen and one half inches by five and one quarter inches

Hardware

• Pair of twelve inch full extension slides or push to open slides
• Wood screws two and one half inch for studs and one and one quarter inch for joinery
• French cleat boards same width as case
• Cable grommet if desired

Finish Items

• Sandpaper from one twenty to two twenty
• Wood filler or sawdust glue mix
• Oil or water varnish

Step Guide Pocket Hole Path

Cut Parts

Set blade square. Cut all shell pieces. Check faces with the square.

Drill Pocket Holes

Make two holes on each short edge of side pieces. Holes should face the inside.

Dry Fit

Stand sides between top and bottom. Check width. Corners must form right angles.

Glue And Screw

Spread a thin glue line. Clamp parts. Drive pocket screws. Wipe stray glue with damp cloth.

Add Back Strip

Place one by four between sides at the back flush with shell rear. Secure with pocket screws. This gives meat for wall screws.

Add Inner Cleat

Glue and screw a strip along the top back inside face. This spreads load.

Build Drawer

Cut sides front back. Drill pocket holes at front and back facing out. Glue and screw. Check diagonal measure for square. Attach quarter inch bottom with brads.

Install Slides

Fix case members inside shell half inch back from face. Use a spacer block so both sides align. Fix drawer members on drawer box.

Fit Drawer Face

Place cards around space for equal gaps. Screw face from inside drawer. Remove cards.

Sand Edges

Move from one twenty grit to two twenty grit. Ease edges with light passes.

Finish

Apply stain or oil in thin coats. Let cure as label says.

Mount

Use French cleat or direct screw method detailed below.

Step Guide Mitered Waterfall Path

Pick Grain

Lay one long board. Mark left side top right side in a row so grain flows.

Cut Sequence

Crosscut left side then top then right side then bottom.

Cut Angles

Set saw at forty five degree. Sneak up until two parts meet tight.

Tape And Fold

Place parts inside face up. Tape along seams. Fold chain into box. It holds shape.

Glue Clamp Cure

Brush glue on angles. Fold box. Strap clamp. Check square. Let cure.

Add Inner Cleats And Back Strip

Fix cleats and back strip like pocket path.

Install Drawer And Slides

Same as pocket path. Many builders use push to open slides here.

Sand Finish Mount

Follow same finish and wall steps.

Wall Mount Methods

French Cleat

Two boards cut with forty five degree mating edges.

• Why Love It*

• Spans two studs

• Lets case lift off later

• You can level wall part first

• Build Steps*

• Rip board to case width

• Cut board with saw at forty five degree along length
• Screw one piece inside case bevel up

• Screw other piece on wall bevel down

• Hang Steps*

• Level wall cleat at top line across studs

• Drive two long screws into each stud
• Drop case cleat onto wall cleat
• Add one screw through top inside cleat into stud for lock

Direct Screw Through Back Strip

Good for pocket hole shell.

• Steps*

• Support box at final height with scrap stack

• Level shell
• Drill pilot through back strip into studs
• Drive long screws
• Add one screw through top inside cleat into stud

Bracket Note

Hidden shelf brackets suit small open shelves. Drawer boxes ride better on cleat or strip.

Cable And Power

Clean cord lines keep style sharp.

• Drill one inch hole in back inside corner of shell
• Route shallow groove on bottom face for cord path
• Add plastic grommet for neat finish

Wireless Pad

• Buy low profile coil
• Check top thickness requirement
• Recess coil from below with Forstner bit
• Mark sweet spot with small inlay or dot of oil

Drawer Slide Choices

• Side mount ball bearing slide strong and cheap
• Push to open side mount slide sleek with no pull
• Undermount slide hidden and smooth

Side mount install works with a simple block spacer under slide. Keep case slide half inch behind face. Mount drawer slide at same height.

Push to open slides need a small extra gap. Follow maker chart.

Undermount needs bottom offset and notch at back. Use clips at front.

Finish Like A Pro

Prep Steps

• Sand to one twenty to level grain
• Raise grain with damp cloth if water finish used
• Sand to one eighty then two twenty
• Vacuum dust and wipe clean

Fill Tiny Gaps

Mix sawdust with glue. Press into gaps. Sand flush.

Color Ideas

• Red oak plus tan wash then clear oil for toned warmth
• Plain walnut under hardwax oil for deep brown glow
• Pine under pre stain then light brown stain for rustic charm

Topcoat Choices

• Water poly for clear tone
• Wipe oil for warm feel
• Hardwax oil for fast work and natural feel

Sand inside faces before glue up. Easy reach now saves work later.

Style Variations

• Scandinavian light oak square edge push to open
• Industrial dark stain black metal pull
• Rustic pine with light brown wash soft round edges
• Modern walnut with small bevel around drawer

Detail Touches

• Leather tab pull lends soft feel
• Tiny bevel around drawer adds shadow line
• Rounded front corners suit kids room
• Shadow gap between case and drawer creates floating face

Common Issues And Fixes

• Gap In Miter*

• Press glue sawdust mix into seam

• Sand once dry

• Case Rocks Or Sags*

• Add screw through top cleat into stud

• Slip thin shim behind back strip where wall bows

• Drawer Rubs*

• Loosen slide screws in oval holes

• Shift slide then retighten

• Push To Open Weak*

• Move slide forward tiny bit

• Check equal gap around face

• Stud Off Center*

• Use cleat wide enough to span two studs

• Fix case with inner screw into one stud

Cost And Time

Real shop numbers.

• Pine with side slide sixty to eighty dollars each
• Oak with push slide one twenty to one fifty dollars each
• Walnut with hidden slide one eighty to two sixty dollars each

Time.

• Pocket hole build one full day active
• Miter build two full days active

You save big coin over store units that often hit six hundred dollars or more.

Weekend Build Plan

Friday Evening

• Measure room pick size buy wood slides finish

Saturday Morning

• Cut and assemble shells add strips and cleats

Saturday Afternoon

• Build drawers install slides sand first coat finish

Sunday Morning

• Light sand second coat finish fit drawer faces drill cable holes

Sunday Afternoon

• Fix wall cleats hang cases adjust drawers relax in new space

Quick Answers

• Can I build my own floating bedside table*

Yes. The project suits a new wood worker with simple tools.

• Is the floating nightstand worth the effort*

Yes. You gain floor space and spend far less than store price.

• How high should I set the top*

Place it two inches under mattress top for easy reach.

• What can serve if space is tiny*

Use a thick shelf a wall cubby or a crate on a cleat. The room still feels open.

Safety

• Wear eye and ear guard
• Clamp parts keep hands away from blades
• Scan wall for wires before drilling
• Lift case with a friend if heavy
• Allow finish to cure before placing items

Care Over Time

Twice each year.

• Tighten wall screws
• Check slide screws
• Clean with mild soap water mix
• Rub fresh oil or wax if surface looks dry

Fix small nicks with color wax stick or fine sand and dab of oil.

Next Steps

After one box you may crave more projects.

• Two drawer version for extra books
• Open cubby with hidden tray under
• Painted case with natural drawer face
• Nightstand with gentle under glow light strip

Each idea grows from the same core skills learned here.

Final Word

The diy floating nightstand brings beauty and order to any bedroom. A slim box that floats feels almost magical. Yet you now know every cut and screw behind the illusion. Gather wood. Brew coffee. Let sawdust rise. By the end of the weekend you will smile at a fresh clean wall and a tidy bedside surface. Snap a photo when you finish. Your work will inspire the next builder.