How to Convert a TV Nook Into a Bookcase
Many newly constructed homes have a family room with a built-in nook for a flat-panel television. If watching television is not part of your lifestyle, adapting the nook for other uses is not difficult. If you don't have a book collection to house, add shelves and the space can be used for family photos, collectibles and crafts. Converting a TV nook into a bookcase is a straightforward weekend project for a handyman with basic carpentry skills and requires no special tools. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Joint compound or spackle
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paint
- Measuring tape
- 2-by-2-inch lumber
- Level
- Wood glue
- 3-inch wood screws
- ¾-inch shelving
Instructions
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1
Remove any extraneous parts of the TV nook like shelves or cubbyholes. Patch nail holes and other imperfections like holes made for wiring with joint compound or spackle and then sand them smooth.
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2
Prime the interior walls of the nook and then paint them. Light colors make the nook seem larger. Dark colors add a more sophisticated look. Painting the interior the same color as the walls in the room adds continuity.
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3
Determine the length of the shelf supports by measuring the inside walls from the front to the back. If you are making very long shelves for a large TV nook, measure along the back for an additional support.
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4
Cut 2-by-2-inch lumber the length you measured. Sand the ends and any other rough spots. Prime the supports and then paint them. Using the same color as the walls will make them less visible.
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5
Mark the walls where the supports will be attached. Use a level to make sure the lines are perfectly straight. Make sure the marks on opposite sides where each end of the shelf will rest are perfectly even.
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6
Attach the supports to the walls. Apply a bead of glue along the line you marked. Hold the support in place and screw it to the wall with 3-inch wood screws. Since the glue is what will hold the supports in place, you only need to use two screws on short sections or three on sections longer than 2 feet.
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7
Cut the shelving to fit snugly in place on top of the supports. Sand rough spots, prime the shelves and paint them. Using the same color as the walls will make the bookcase less obtrusive. Use contrasting colors to make a design statement.
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8
Slide the shelves into place.
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Tips & Warnings
Provide "invisible" support for the shelves by using a router to create slots in the sides of the nook. Slide the shelves into the slots.
Varnish the shelves rather than painting them for a natural look or use pre-finished shelves.
Add decorative molding around the opening. Match the molding on your windows and doorways.
