A custom home entertainment center can be made from cabinets.
Spare cabinets are one of the most surprisingly useful finds at garage sales, thrift stores or the as-is section at IKEA. Seemingly useless to the person getting rid of them, these cabinets can be incorporated into a stunning number of projects and will save the builder lots of time and effort due to their organized storage, swinging door and ability to support weight. Many DIY-ers use these cabinets as building blocks when creating new entertainment centers or wall storage units. With a few cabinets and a solid wood board or two to connect them, it is easy to create an entertainment center.
Instructions
1. Turn both cabinets upside down, and set one of the boards on top of them. Slide the cabinets to the ends of the board until the edges of the cabinet are flush with the edge of the board.
2. Predrill one hole down through the board into each corner of each cabinet. Fasten the board to the cabinets with the 1-inch wood screws.
3. Flip the assembled cabinets over, and repeat the process in Steps 1 and 2 for the other board.
4. Position one of the two shelf boards where you wish it rest between the two cabinets. Mark its location with a line on one of the cabinet walls; use a pencil to draw the line. Remove the shelf board, and drill two evenly spaced holes through that line on the cabinet wall into the cabinet.
5. Reposition the shelf, and use a pencil or long screw to mark where you should create holes on the side of the shelf that align with those in the cabinet walls. Predrill the two holes in the side of the shelf at the location of the markings. Attach the shelf in place using two wood screws, coming from the interior of the cabinet.
6. Set the level on the shelf board, and adjust the unattached side of the shelf until the shelf is level left-to-right and front-to-back. Draw a long pencil line on the cabinet wall to mark the location of the shelf's unattached side. Predrill two evenly spaced holes through that line, then move the shelf into position, and predrill holes into the side of the shelf through those holes in the cabinet wall. Attach the shelf in place with two wood screws, coming from the interior of the cabinet.
7. Stretch fabric along the back of the open section of the entertainment center, and staple it in place along one side. Stretch the fabric tight, and continue to staple the fabric in a circle. Leave one corner or section unstapled in each shelving compartment, so you can run electric cords through it.
Tips Warnings
You can easily paint or stain the cabinet entertainment center to match your other furniture in the room.
Do not stand or climb on the entertainment center or use its shelves as steps, because the weight might cause the assembly to break, causing an accident.
Tags: building, entertainment, center, wall, unit, cabinets, entertainment center, side shelf, cabinet wall, line cabinet, wood screws, Attach shelf
