DIY Pop Up Plasma TV Stand

There is no classier way to watch TV than to have it pop out of a cabinet.

Nothing says class like a pop-up plasma TV stand. This handy design keeps a living room feeling uncluttered, and keeps the television out of sight when not in use. To design one yourself, you will need to buy a bit of necessary hardware. The goal is to build a drawer-like structure that slides up rather than out. This will take a bit of trial and error to get right, so be prepared to spend quite a bit of time designing this.

Things You'll Need

• DC linear actuator
• 12V DC power adapter
• Guide rails
• Universal TV bracket
• Remote control
• Cabinet
• 2x4s
• Power saw
• Sandpaper
• Plywood
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• L-brackets
• Carpenter's glue

Instructions

Cabinet

1. Find a cabinet that is taller than the TV, has more depth and is either the same width or longer.

2. Measure the length and width of the TV, and cut out a rectangular hole on the top of the cabinet that is slightly wider in all directions. Save the piece of wood you cut out for later.

3. Sand the edges of the hole and of the piece of wood you cut out.

4. Cut the 2x4s to the height of the cabinet that you will be installing the TV into.

5. Cut the plywood to be the same size as the hole you made.

6. Drill a small hole in the base of the back of the cabinet.

Build the Lift

1. Connect the guide rails to the middle of the 2x4s using the screws and the screwdriver. Offset the guide rails as needed--you want to make it so the guide rails are perfectly aligned to the sides of the TV so it slides up and down out of the hole as smoothly as possible.

2. Attach the 2x4s to the inside sides of the cabinet using the L-brackets.

3. Mount the base of the linear actuator to the bottom of the cabinet using your screws.

4. Attach the shaft end of the actuator to the sliding plywood. Try to mount the shaft end as high as you can on the plywood to keep the overall height of the lift down.

Attach the Power

1. Connect the power adapter to the linear actuator, then run the line through the small hole in the back to the power socket in the wall.

2. Connect the 12V DC power adapter to the red power line going to the remote control receiver. Connect the ground from the power adapter to the black power line going to the remote control receiver.

3. Connect the two wires from the actuator to the remote receiver output wires.

4. Plug in the power adapter to test out the hardware. Make any necessary adjustments.

Mount the TV

1. Place the TV on top of the stand.

2. Lower the lift to make sure the TV fits properly. Make any necessary adjustments. Glue the TV to the plywood.

3. With the lift lowered, glue the piece of wood you cut out on top of the TV.

Tips & Warnings

• The lifting mechanism is the actuator.

• You will need about 5 to 10 amps of current to ensure there is enough power for the actuator.

• Look at the professionally made TV lift (in the Resource section) for inspiration for how the lift should look.

• Protect the TV screen to make sure that it does not get scratched while you are testing out the lift.

References

• How to Make a Pop Up TV Lift

Resources

• Flat Screen Display Lift