These ready-to-build DIY nightstands are perfect for my organic modern bedroom. In my search for nightstands for my bedroom makeover, I struggled to find anything made of solid wood that was within budget. I usually have luck with finding furniture on Facebook Marketplace, but because I needed a larger size, my options were limited. So, I decided I would make my own nightstands. Then, I stumbled upon this ready-to-finish nightstand, and it was exactly what I needed! Read on for all the details on how to make an easy and affordable DIY nightstand.
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What I love about this unfinished nightstand:
- It’s made of solid wood, and yes, I mean solid! They are 100% rubberwood, which is a sustainable hardwood. Even the drawer bases are wood, although slightly thinner than I would prefer, but plenty for a nightstand.
- It is the perfect size nightstands, measuring 18″D x 24″W x 29″H
- These nightstands are ready to finish. Whether painting or staining, these nightstands are already sanded and ready to go, which makes it so easy!
A few downfalls:
- I don’t like the wood drawer knobs they come with, but I didn’t really care since that’s a great way to customize your DIY nightstands – I opted for these brass drawer knobs.
- A few pieces didn’t have pre-drilled holes or the holes were too small. Again, this was an easy fix as I just used my drill to add holes, but just something to note! Other than that, the directions were straightforward and easy to assemble (yes, I used power tools!)
Easy and Affordable DIY Nightstands
Materials Needed for DIY Nightstands:
- Ready-To-Finish Solid Wood Nightstands (only $160 each!)
- Solid Brass Drawer Knobs
- 220 grit sandpaper
- Staining Pads or Lint-Free Cloths
- Sanding Sealer / Wood Conditioner (optional)
- Wood Stain – I layered Early American and Weathered Oak
- Wipe-on Polyurethane in Satin
Tools Needed:
- Screwdriver or Impact Driver (recommended)
- Drill (only needed if missing some pre-drilled holes)
Assemble Your DIY Wood Nightstands:
These wood nightstands were super easy to assemble. The directions were straightforward (with pictures!) and took about 30-45 minutes to assemble each one. As I mentioned above, I did have to drill a few holes, but other than that, they went together easily! I used my impact driver to screw everything together, which helped it go quickly.
Stain or Paint Your DIY Nightstands:
Before staining, I did a very light sanding with 220 grit sandpaper just to make sure there weren’t any rough spots or residue leftover from manufacturing. I then wiped down my nightstands with water. This “pops” the grain and helps the wood absorb the stain more evenly. Allow the wood to dry fully and then move on to the staining process.
I chose to stain my nightstands a custom color to match my room. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy they were to stain and how smooth the finish was! Before staining, I did a test on the underside of the top of the nightstand. I actually found that it didn’t make any difference to use wood conditioner on the rubber wood vs skipping it, so I actually did not use it this time! For my stain colors, I used Early American, wiped off and immediately followed by Weathered Oak. This gave my nightstands a natural and lightly distressed look. This may not be “best practice” but I always just use these shop towels as lint-free cloths to stain my wood since they don’t shed. Although, I’ve seen/heard others using staining pads, so I may try that for my next staining project!
Lately, I’ve loved using wipe-on polyurethane for a durable, hand-rubbed finish. It’s so easy to apply and I’m convinced it’s impossible to mess up! I did three coats, waiting two hours between each one, and doing a very light sanding with 220/320 grit sandpaper between to get the finish to be perfectly smooth. Allow to dry for at least 24 hours, and that’s it!
Add Custom Hardware to Your Nightstand:
For my DIY Nightstands, I used these brass drawer knobs to give them a custom look. I love the size and style of these knobs, plus they’re made of solid brass which gives them a nice feel (and I’m someone who needs things to feel nice). I am debating if I want black knobs instead… What do you think? Should I paint the knobs or leave them as is?
DIY Nightstand Budget Breakdown:
- Nightstands: $172 each (with taxes)
- Drawer Pulls: $13 for 4
- Staining/Finishing Supplies: $0 (I already had it, but it would cost about $30-$40 if you had to buy everything)
TOTAL COST PER NIGHTSTAND: $185 – $225
I hope you love these easy and affordable DIY nightstands as much as I do! Of course, if you’d rather go the pre-finished route, I did round up some of the affordable nightstands I found below.
Affordable Nightstand Roundup:
One Room Challenge Bedroom Makeover Update:
If you’ve been following along on my One Room Challenge bedroom makeover on Instagram, then you know we’re already on week 6 and I have so much left to do! I have yet to finish my upholstered bed frame (although now that my linen is FINALLY the right color, I should have it done this week! Other than that, I’m down to the details, like actually doing my painting that I restarted, hemming my curtains, and decorating the room. Oh, yeah, and I still need to add drawers to our closet so I can get rid of my husband’s childhood dresser. I don’t actually know if I’ll finish this forever bedroom makeover in the next two weeks, but it will be at least close (I hope!).
Catch up on my previous updates here:
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5
Check out the other amazing room makeovers featured on the One Room Challenge Blog!
