How to Make an Entertainment Cabinet

Pine will make beautiful entertainment cabinets.

An entertainment cabinet offers storage for media and media devices. Unlike a simple entertainment center, an entertainment cabinet has doors that allows the user's devices to be out of sight. Entertainment cabinets made from woods such as pine can cost up to hundreds of dollars. Building your own will allow you to spend a fraction of that cost. Although this project requires some woodworking experience, the time needed is only a few hours.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Safety glasses
• 2 Pine boards, 1-inch-by-20-inch-by-48-inch
• 2 Pine boards, 1-inch-by-20-inch-by-25-inch
• 2 Pine boards, 1-inch-by-20-inch-by-24-inch
• Pine board, 1-inch-by-25-inch-by-48-inch
• 2 Pine boards, 1/2-inch-by-12 1/2-inch-by-48-inch
• Table saw, with fence
• Dato blade, 1-inch
• Screw gun
• Drill
• Drill bit, 3/4-inch
• 4 Hinges, 2-inch with screws
• 30 wood screws, 2-inch

Instructions

1. 

   Always use caution when using a table saw.

   Position the fence on the table saw so it is 15 inches away from the blade. Raise the dato blade so it is ½-inch above the table. Make two dato cuts on the 20-by-48-inch board so there is a 1/2-inch-deep groove that is 15 inches away from each 20-inch edge of the board. These grooves must be parallel with the 20-inch sides. Repeat this process on the other 20-by-48-inch board. These two boards are the sides to the cabinet, and the grooves will hold the shelves.

2. Position the sides to the entertainment cabinet so they are parallel, standing on their 48-inch edges with the grooves facing each other, and so they are 23 inches apart. Position a 25-inch board perpendicularly at both 20-inch ends of the sides. These boards will be the top and bottom to the cabinet. Screw these boards to the side boards so the 20-inch edges of all the boards are flush.

3. Slide the 24-inch boards inside the grooves. Screw through the side boards and into these boards to secure the shelves. The 24-inch edges of these boards must be flush with the 48-inch edges of the side boards.

4. Lift the cabinet frame upright so it is standing on one of the 20-by-25-inch boards. Screw the 25-by-48-inch board to the edges of the top, bottom, and side boards. This will be the back panel to your cabinet. The edges of the this board should be flush with all of the edges of the cabinet.

5. Drill a ¾-inch hole 2 inches above each 24-inch shelf. The holes should be centered, 12 inches from each side to the cabinet. These holes will provide a spot for your wires to go through.

6. Position your entertainment cabinet so the open area is facing you and so the back panel is behind the cabinet. Screw a half hinge 4 inches down from the upper outside left hand corner of the cabinet. This hinge must be able to fold a full 270-degrees over the edge, and around to the outside of the cabinet. Screw another half hinge 4 inches above the lower left hand corner in the same manner. Screw the other halves of these hinges to the 48-inch edge of the 12 1/2-by-48-inch board. This is the door to the cabinet and should be able to fold open and away from the cabinet. Repeat this step on the opposite side to attach the other 12 1/2-by-48-inch door.

References

• This Old House: How to Build a Bookcase
• ronhazelton: How to Make a Free-Standing Entertaiment Center
• thisoldhouse: Building an Inexpensive Entertainment System
• binkyswoodworking: Basics of Building Cabinets