Do it Yourself TV Stand

Building a simple do-it-yourself TV stand is a good project for a newcomer to woodworking or someone with moderate carpentry skills. Using basic joins and a simple design, you can make a sturdy and attractive TV stand for half the price a wooden one would cost from the store. Ask the lumber yard to cut your lumber to size for you; this will save you time and effort. Good choices of lumber include cedar and pine -- both are attractive, easy to work with and forgiving for woodworking novices.

Instructions

1

Stand the two 40-inch planks on a 1-inch edge, touching along a 10-inch face. Measure and mark a line every 8 inches along the length on the 1-inch edges facing up. These two planks will be joined to form the top of the TV stand. Repeat with the 39-inch planks, which when joined, will form the TV stand shelf.

2

Stand the four 20-inch planks up on a 1-inch edge and make three evenly-spaced marks across the 1-inch edges facing up. Once joined, these planks will form the sides, or legs of the TV stand.

3

Drill a 1/4-inch deep and wide hole at each position marked, centered on the 1-inch edge of all the planks.

4

Dip the dowel pegs in glue, then insert them into the holes of half the planks. Fit the two 40-inch planks together to form a 20-by-40 inch plank and the 39-inch planks together to form a 20-by-39 inch plank. Fit the 20-inch planks together to make two 20-by-20 inch planks.

5

Clamp the sides of the planks together to secure them as they dry. Leave for around 2 or 3 hours, or as long as the drying time stipulated on the glue bottle label.

6

Measure halfway along the 20-by-20 inch planks and mark a line. Cut a dado groove (a small recess) 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep with the router at the marked lines.

7

Miter one end of each of the 20-by-20 inch planks to 45 degrees with the miter saw, and both of the ends of the 20-by-40 inch planks to 45 degrees.

8

Bead a line of glue onto the mitered ends of the 20-by-40 inch plank, then mate the ends with the mitered ends of the 20-by-20 inch planks to form the corners of the TV stand. The dado grooves in the 20-by-20 inch planks should be on the inside. Set the corners into corner clamps to let the glue dry.

9

Tack finishing nails through the glued joint every 5 inches, then fill the nail holes with a dab of wood putty. Let dry.

10

Bead a line of glue into the dado cuts on the inside of the 20-by-20 inch planks. Insert the 20-by-39-inch plank into the dado grooves. Tack finishing nails through the side of the 20-by-20 inch planks into the ends of the 20-by-39 inch plank. Fill the nail holes with putty and let dry.

11

Sand the TV stand, then wipe off with a dust cloth. Varnish, paint or stain the TV stand as desired. Use long, steady strokes of the paintbrush going with the grain of the wood.