Nightstand Tops
Main Nightstand PageInfo Top Drawers Front

The tops will be made from 3/4" thick birch plywood covered with Formica and edge banded with melamine strips.   Since the nightstands will be in the corners of the bedroom at the head of the bed and attached to the wall, the corner next to the bed will be rounded.  

3/4" plywood top cut out for left side nightstand.   Note the curved corner that will go next to the bed.  



This is a 1-1/2" radius corner.    



Cutting biscuit slots for mounting to the frame in the underside of the top.   I clamped a bar with marks for each biscuit position to the underside of the top.  



I use my DeWalt slot cutter for these, its a little more flexible than the Porter Cable which I only use for tyep FF biscuit slots.   Here I have the table flipped up so I can slot a flat surface.  



Bar clamped on the bed edge of the top, ready to cut a slot at the little mark.    



Actual slot cutting, the DeWalt is held against the bar aligning its mark with the one on the top of the bar.    



You can see the DeWalt's alignment mark aligned with the mark on the bar.    



Looking down at the bar clamped to the top, you can see one of the slots and it's mark.    



Slots for mounting to the frame in the underside edge of the top.    



Slots cut in the top of the frame.    



Glue in the slots, on top of the biscuits, and along the edge where the frame will end up.    



Both tops glued.    



Tops of nightstands with contact cement applied, notice they have a slight sheen.    



Underside of Formica with contact cement applied.  
Notice the little round white tubes on the far left, they will be put down on the contact cement on top of a nightstand.   The cement covered Formica laid on top and positioned.   Then the tubes will be removed, one at a time, as the Formica is pressed down against the wood top causing it to bond.   Last a "J roller" will be used to mash out any bubbles between the Formica and wood top.  



Formica contact cemented to the tops.   You'll notice the Formica overlaps all the edges of the wood.   I'll apply a melamine edge band then trim off the excess Formica.



Melamine edge banding iron-on applies easily around the curve, Formica is a little difficult on a 1-1/2" radius curve, you have to sand some of the backing off then heat it as you apply.  
If I use Formica, I have to saw a strip a little over 3/4" wide and 5 or 6 ft. long.   Sawing a thin strip off a large piece of thin Formica is very hard to do on my table saw with the limited space I have.



At the back edge, you can see the plywood layers on the back and how they're covered up by the edge banding on the side.