How to build a TV cabinet with wall mount

EricL

Difficulty: Expert

This entertainment cabinet with built-in television mount is a great solution for renters and anyone looking to hang their TV without having to drill into walls. It features a floor-standing cabinet for your audio visual equipment and a partition for your TV.

The cabinet has been designed to accomodate a television as large as 75-inches with a weight of up to 60kg. The rear panel for hanging the TV can accomodate a display up to 1735mm wide by 1040mm high.

As this project involves power tools, please follow all safety guidelines provided by manufacturers and use the recommended protective gear, including safety glasses and a dust mask.

Let us know if you have any questions about building your own cabinet. We’d be happy to assist.

Steps

Step 1

Cut timber lengths.

Measure and mark timber according to the cut list below.

Clamp the timber securely to the saw horse and use a circular saw to cut the lengths accordingly.

Mark all the cut pieces with a black felt pen indicating their size. These will be the pieces used to form the cabinet's frame.

Use a Kreg jig to pre-drill mounting holes on both ends of all the cut timber pieces.

Cut list:

Three pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 1640mm
Two pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 1570mm
Two pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 1535mm
One piece measuring 70 x 35 x 1710mm
Eight pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 360mm
Two pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 425mm
Eight pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 527mm
Four pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 516mm
Two pieces measuring 70 x 35 x 500mm.

1.1 Use a tape measure to measure timber.png 1.2 Cut timber with a circular saw.png 1.3 Clamp Kreg jig to cut timber.png 1.4 Drill into cut timber.png 1.5 Mark timber size.png

Step 2

Construct the cabinet sides.

Take one piece of the 1570mm cut timber, two 360mm pieces and one 500mm piece. Form a small letter “d” with the 360mm pieces positioned horizontally inside and the 500mm piece on the outside. Clamp all pieces together on the saw horse to prevent movement. Use 64mm Kreg screws to secure them together.

Repeat the above steps to construct a second “d”.

Now clamp one “d” frame to the saw horse. Make sure it is standing up. Take two of the 1640mm cut timber pieces from Step 1 and clamp them perpendicular to the bottom of the “d” frame. Screw them to the frame.

Clamp the other “d” frame and screw the 1640mm pieces in from the other side. Once the two bottom pieces are secure, lie the entire frame downwards and secure to saw horse. Screw the next 1640mm piece to the top of the 500mm piece as seen in the photo.

2.1 Form 'd' frame.png 2.2 Clamp 'd' frame on saw horse.png 2.3 'D' frames side by side.png 2.4 Secure the opposite side's 'd' frame.png 2.5 Lie the frame down and attach top rail.png

Step 3

Assemble the rear frame.

Place two pieces of the 1535mm cut timber on a flat surface. Space them apart using two 527mm timber pieces on the sides and a central 516mm piece in between. Screw these timbers together.

Stand frame up and position the 1710mm length on top of the frame. Screw the 1710mm length to the ends of the 1570mm lengths (shaded yellow in the photo below).

3.1 Attach centre post 1535mm to 527mm segment.png 3.2 Attach 2nd middle post 1535mm with 516mm and 527mm segments.png 3.3 Stand frame upright.png 3.4 Attach 1710mm top rail to ends only.png

Step 4

Construct the shelf frames.

Take two of the 360mm cut timber pieces and screw them to the top and bottom parts of the lower frame and in line with the 1535mm vertical length.

Now screw the 430mm pieces in front of the bottom frame (refer to photo below shaded in yellow).

Repeat the process to construct the next segment of the cabinet’s bottom (refer to photo below shaded in green).

4.1 Interior cabinet frame 1 yellow.png 4.2 Interior cabinet frame 2 green.png

Step 5

Install TV mounting studs.

Attach six 527mm mounting studs between the outside vertical uprights on the cabinet’s rear frame. Then attach three 516mm mounting studs between the central uprights (refer to photo below shaded in yellow).

Now secure the centre uprights to the 1710mm timber length on top (shaded in orange in photo below).

5.1 Mounting studs.png 5.2 Secure centre posts to top rail.png

Step 6

Attach the rear and top side panelling.

Place the V Grooved panel in front of the cabinet's vertical uprights and secure with clamps.

Mark the top and side of the panel in line with the frame. Cut the panel accordingly using a circular saw.

The off-cut pieces from the panel will be used to cover the vertical sides of the frame. Position one of these pieces on the side of one of the cabinet's exterior vertical uprights to form a side panel. Drill a pilot hole on top of this side panel and secure it to the exterior vertical upright with a 25mm timber screw. Repeat for the other side.

These side panels will need to be trimmed flush with the frame. Line up the front cover panel with the side cover panel and secure with clamps. Once all the panels are lined up and square you can secure them with 25mm timber screws.

6.1 Position secondary front panel, mark position and trim.png 6.2 Mark side panel for trimming.png 6.3 Drill pilot hole on side panel.png 6.4 Attach front panel, cut and trim.png

Step 7

Attach the bottom side panelling.

Measure the width and the height of the bottom side frame and cut the V Grooved panel to suit. Use a circular saw for cutting.

Position the cut panel on the frame’s side and screw in place. Repeat process for the other side.

7.1 Measure, cut and fix bottom panel to frame.png 7.2 Repeat, measure, cut and fix bottom panel to frame.png

Step 8

Install shelf liners.

You’ll need three MDF panel sections to line the bottom of the shelves and six panel sections to line the sides of the shelves.

Measure the length and width of the base sections and cut the MDF panels according to these dimensions. Next, measure the width and height of the side sections and cut the MDF panels to suit.

Now measure the width of your cabinet frame and cut two lengths of 40 x 18mm Pine moulding to suit. Screw the bottom trim to the frame so that it is level to the MDF panel inside. Repeat the process for the top of the cabinet.

Once both trims are in place, screw the MDF panels into the cabinet frame.

To cover the frame’s exposed front, measure and cut four covering strips from the MDF panels to suit. Screw these into position.

8.1 Measure and cut MDF cabinet floor.png 8.2 Measure and cut MDF cabinet sides.png 8.3 Attach Pine trim top.png 8.4 Attach Pine trim bottom.png 8.5 Measure and cut MDF front cover.png

Step 9

Install shelves.

Install four shelf support brackets in each of the frame’s lower divisions. Space the shelf supports 400mm from each other on the side panel. You’ll need three shelves, one for each of the divisions.

Measure the distance across each division and cut the 800 x 450 x 18mm panel to suit.

9.1 Measure distance across each division.png 9.2 Install shelf brackets.png 9.3 Measure and cut shelves.png

Step 10

Construct the cabinet's tabletop and paint.

Position the 1800 x 600 x 18mm timber panel on top of the cabinet’s bottom frame. This will form the cabinet’s tabletop. Allow a 20mm overhang on both sides of the frame and a 20mm overhang on the front.

Trim panel to size. This will leave you with an off-cut piece. Screw this off-cut to the top of the rear panel.

Now fix a trim piece cut to the width of the rear panel directly under the off-cut to balance the look of the cabinet.

Add final touches to your cabinet by painting it and adding your preferred finishes.

Once dry, you can attach a standard bracket for hanging your TV. The Bunnings team has a step-by-step guide How to install a TV wall mount that you can follow. Make sure you attach the bracket to the studs from Step 5.

10.1 Measure and cut panel to form the cabinet's benchtop and to cover the top frame.png 10.2 Install the trim piece below the top cover of the cabinet.png 10.3 Finished cabinet.png 10.4 Finished cabinet painted.png

Materials

Two 9mm MDF Panels 2440 x 1220mm
9mm plywood lining panel V Grooved 2400 x 1200mm
Twelve 70 x 35mm 2.4m Framing MGP10 Untreated Pine lengths
Three 40 x 18mm 2.4m moulding Pine DAR clear lengths
1800 x 600 x 18mm timber Pine panel
1800 x 450 x 18mm timber Pine panel
Two packets Kreg 64mm screws 50 pack
8G x 25mm chipboard screws 100 pack.

Tools

Circular saw
Cordless drill
Tape measure
Clamps
Saw horse
Kreg jig, like Kreg Pocket Hole Jig 320
Black felt pen
Pencil
Safety gear, including safety glasses and dust mask.

Images

1.1 Use a tape measure to measure timber.png 1.2 Cut timber with a circular saw.png 1.3 Clamp Kreg jig to cut timber.png 1.4 Drill into cut timber.png 1.5 Mark timber size.png 2.1 Form 'd' frame.png 2.2 Clamp 'd' frame on saw horse.png 2.3 'D' frames side by side.png 2.4 Secure the opposite side's 'd' frame.png 2.5 Lie the frame down and attach top rail.png 3.1 Attach centre post 1535mm to 527mm segment.png 3.2 Attach 2nd middle post 1535mm with 516mm and 527mm segments.png 3.3 Stand frame upright.png 3.4 Attach 1710mm top rail to ends only.png 4.1 Interior cabinet frame 1 yellow.png 4.2 Interior cabinet frame 2 green.png 5.1 Mounting studs.png 5.2 Secure centre posts to top rail.png 6.1 Position secondary front panel, mark position and trim.png 6.2 Mark side panel for trimming.png 6.3 Drill pilot hole on side panel.png 6.4 Attach front panel, cut and trim.png 7.1 Measure, cut and fix bottom panel to frame.png 7.2 Repeat, measure, cut and fix bottom panel to frame.png 8.1 Measure and cut MDF cabinet floor.png 8.2 Measure and cut MDF cabinet sides.png 8.3 Attach Pine trim top.png 8.4 Attach Pine trim bottom.png 8.5 Measure and cut MDF front cover.png 9.1 Measure distance across each division.png 9.2 Install shelf brackets.png 9.3 Measure and cut shelves.png 10.1 Measure and cut panel to form the cabinet's benchtop and to cover the top frame.png 10.2 Install the trim piece below the top cover of the cabinet.png 10.3 Finished cabinet.png 10.4 Finished cabinet in colour.png