RV TV Cabinet Installation

Installing a new TV cabinet installation can improve the RVing experience.

The most convenient way to retrofit a new TV in a recreational vehicle, or RV, is to purchase a lightweight flat-screen unit and hang a proprietary bracket from a wall. Unfortunately, conventional tube TVs are typically far too heavy to be hung from the composite walls of an RV, especially given that the weight strain transferred to their fasteners would be exaggerated by vibration when the RV is under way. To fit a conventional TV in an RV usually requires the installation of a TV cabinet, and good planning can make this a straightforward and simple project.

Things You'll Need

• Carpentry toolkit
• Flat-pack TV cabinet
• Plywood (optional)
• Impermanent marker pen
• "L"-shaped brackets (3 off)
• Fasteners

Instructions

1. Decide on a location for the TV cabinet, where the weight of the television will be transferred directly to the floor. Determine from the size of the screen how far away from your fixed seats or sofa the TV should be for comfortable watching, and how the cabinet can be angled to minimize its intrusion into high-traffic space.

2. Remove any preexisting furniture, such as cabinets or shelves, which would block the installation of the new TV cabinet. Retain any reusable material; trim and paneling could be repurposed to help the new cabinet blend in with the RVs decor and color scheme.

3. Assemble the TV cabinet using a purpose-built flat-pack from a home improvement warehouse or all original materials. Make the cabinet from good quality, light-weight plywood, not the particleboard typically used to manufacture RV furniture, because particleboard separates in conditions of high humidity. It is fine to use unfinished wood for the cabinet interior because it will be entirely enclosed.

4. Stand the cabinet in its predetermined location, then use an impermanent marker pen to draw lines on the floor where its back and sides will be. Lift the cabinet away and screw "L"-shaped brackets to the floor, one at the back and one to each side. Orient the brackets so that the vertical sections align with the inside of the cabinet's back and sides and the horizontal sections point inward toward the center of the cabinet.

5. Lift the TV cabinet and slip it down over the "L"-shaped brackets and into its predetermined location. Screw through the vertical parts of the now-hidden brackets into the cabinet back and sides.

6. Cut a two-inch diameter hole in the back of the cabinet, and route the power cord and antenna coaxial cable through the hole into the cabinet's interior.

7. Remove from the cabinet the shelf that the TV will rest upon. Fasten the television to the shelf screwing into its feet, then slide the shelf partially back into position. Connect the power cord and the antenna coax, then slide the shelf/TV assembly fully back into position and refasten it in place.

8. Fit wooden trim around the front of the TV to assist in its retention and disguise any gaps between the outside of the TV and the inside of the cabinet.

Tips & Warnings

• Fit a combination unit TV, DVD and MP3 player unit to save space and maximize the return from your installation time and budget.

• Conventional tube TVs produce considerable heat in the course of their normal operation. Ensure that there is sufficient flow-through of air past the back of the TV to dissipate the heat.

• The internal walls of RVs are thin. Before driving a screw into a wall, ensure its length is such that it will not protrude from the other side of the wall.

References

• TV for MY RV: Replace Your TV in Your RV Bedroom

Resources

• RV eCafé: Removing the TV in our RV
• Outbackers: TV Cabinet