How to Convert a Chest of Drawers to a TV Stand

Don't discard that old chest of drawers, especially if you need a TV stand. Convert it into a TV stand with just a few tools and some wood.



The depth of the chest of drawers determines whether to use plywood for the shelves of the TV cabinet. If the space between the back of the rails and the inside back of the chest is 11 1/2-inches or less, use solid lumber.



Minimal woodworking skills are all that is needed to help you successfully complete this project.

Instructions

1

Remove the drawers, along with any hardware installed for them. You may need a nail puller for some drawer hardware, but most manufacturers use screws, and you need only a screwdriver to remove them. Try not to damage the railing, which is the horizontal piece of wood between the drawers.

2

Place the chest on a worktable with the drawer openings facing up. Stand a carpenter's level on its end vertically and hold it against the top of the top rail. Adjust the level until it is plumb.

3

Draw a mark where the end of the level meets the inside back of the chest. Repeat this once more. Do this for each rail in the chest so there are two marks on the inside back for each rail.

4

Put the framing square on the marks and draw a line across the inside back of the chest. Measure the distance between the sides inside the chest. Cut one piece of 1-by-2-inch lumber for each rail.

5

Place the lumber on the lines. Secure it in place through the sides of the chest and into the lumber with the finish nails.

6

Measure the distance between the backside of the rails and the inside back of the chest. Use this measurement, along with the length of the 1-by-2-inch pieces, to cut shelves from the 3/4-inch plywood with a circular saw.

7

Drill a 1 1/4-inch hole 1 1/2-inches from one long edge of the shelf and midway between the ends of the shelves with the 1 1/4-inch paddle bit.

8

Set the shelves on the 1-by-2-inch lumber on the inside back of the chest so the holes are in the back. Hold the front side of the shelves so they are even with the top of the rails. Secure the shelves through the rails and the sides of the chest with the finish nails.

9

Make a mark on the inside back of the chest 2 inches above each shelf and midway between the sides of the chest. Drill a hole on the marks with the 1 1/4-inch paddle bit. These holes will be used for the wires that will connect various electronic components to each other.