DIY Cell Phone Charging Station / Dresser Valet

This dresser valet is also a charging station for your phone.  It has a small port to put a charging cable through so the phone can be charged as it sits in the cradle section of the valet.  These make great gifts and can be made in a weekend for less than $25.

DIY Phone Charging Station / Dresser Valet Tools and Materials:

Compound Miter Saw	Ryobi Airstrike Brad Nailer	Wood Glue
18 Gauge 1-1/4-in Brad nails	Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator	Interior Polyurethane Spray, Gloss Finish
Black Felt	Wood Filler	Self-stick Round Felt Pads

 

DIY Phone Charging Station Wood List:

Quantity	Board	Length
1	1×12	4′
1	1×4	6′ (or scrap if available)
1	1×2	6′
1	1/4″ x 1 1/4″ lattice moulding	2′
1	11/16″ cove moulding	48″

 

DIY Phone Charging Station Cut List

Quantity	Board	Length
1	1×12	6″
1	1×4	6″ with one end mitered to 20°
2	1×2	7 3/8″ long end to long end with both ends mitered to 45°
2	1×2	12 3/4″ long end to long end with both ends mitered to 45°
2	1×2	3/4″ in length to long end with one end mitered to 20°
2	1 1/4″ x 1/4″ lattice  moulding	6″
1	1 1/4″ x 1/4″ lattice moulding	3 1/2″
2	11/16″ cove moulding	12 1/2″ long end to long end with both ends mitered to 45°
2	11/16″ cove moulding	7 1/4″ long end to long end with both ends mitered to 45°

 

 

DIY Phone Charging Station Instructions

1.Using the miter saw, cut a 1×12 board to 6″ in length.

2. Using the miter saw, cut the 1×2 boards that create the outer frame of the valet:

• Cut two 1×2 boards to 12 3/4″ long-end to long-end, with each end mitered to 45°
• Cut two 1×2 boards to 7 3/8″ long-end to long-end, with each end mitered to 45°

3.  Use wood glue and the nail gun with 1 1/4″ brad nails to attach the mitered 1×2 boards to the side of the 6″ 1×12 board.

4.  Cut the 11/16″ cove moulding: (note: you may want to purchase extra cove moulding if you are not experienced with mitering the ends as it can be a bit tricky and take some practice to get the cuts correct)

• cut two 11/16″ cove moulding boards to 12 1/2″ in length long-end to long-end with each end mitered to 45°
• Cut two 11/16″ cove moulding boards to 7 3/8″ in length long-end to long-end with each end mitered to 45°

5. Once all four pieces of cove moulding are cut,  use wood glue and the nail gun with 1 1/4″ brad nails to attach the cove moulding to the top of the 1×2 boards.

6.  Using the compound miter saw, cut a 1×4 board to 6″ in length end to long-end, with one end mitered to 20°

7.  Using the compound miter saw,  cut two 1×2  boards to 3/4″ from end to long-end (it’s best to first miter the ends of a longer 1×2 board, then trim them to 3/4″ in length)

8.  Using a 3/4″ drill bit,  drill a hole in the center of the board, just above the mitered end (ignore the writing on the board, I was using scrap wood to create the first charging station I made 🙂  ).

9.  Mark the center of the back 1×2 board of the charging station.  Drill a 3/4″ hole into the upper center of the back 1×2 board.

10. Use wood glue and the nail gun with 1 1/4″ brad nails to attach the 6″ mitered board to the middle back of the 1×12 board (the board should lean back at a 20° angle so the bottom mitered portion is flush with the 1×12 board).  Nail through the bottom of the 1×12 board into thee 1×4 board.

11.  Use wood glue and the nail gun with 1 1/4″ brad nails to attach the two 3/4″ mitered boards directly in front of the 6″ 1×4.  The mitered ends should sit flush against the 1×6 board.

 

12.  Using the miter saw, cut the 1 1/4″ lattice moulding

• Cut two pieces of moulding to 6″ each
• Cut one piece of moulding to 3 1/2″

13.  Using wood glue,  attach the 1 1/4″ lattice moulding:

• attach the 6″ moulding on each side of the 6″ and 3/4″ mitered boards
• attach the 3 1/2″ moulding directly in front of the 3/4″ mitered boards (this board should stretch between each of the two 6″ lattice moulding boards

14.  Apply wood filler to all holes and let dry completely.

15. Sand the charging station until smooth (I used 80 grit, then 120 grit, and lastly 220 grit sandpaper to ensure a super smooth finish).

16.  Stain with the Varathane Weathered Accelerator (or other stain of your choice).

17.  Apply three coats of interior polyurethane in glossy finish (let each coat dry between applications).

18. Once completely dry,  cut black felt pieces to the size of each of the four compartments in the charging station and apply to the bottom of each compartment (I used felt with an adhesive backing).

19.  Lastly, apply felt circles to the bottom of the charging station to protect your furniture.

20.  Feed your charging cord through the holes, plug in your phone and organize your dresser!  Here are some more pics of the completed DIY phone charging station / dresser valet:

This phone charging station and dresser valet makes a great gift and other than getting the cove moulding miters cut just right, is very easy to build!