DIY Wood TV Stand

Buying a TV stand can set you back a pretty penny, so if you have a bit of woodworking experience, making a do-it-yourself TV stand will be more economical. A DIY TV stand can be a simple project, and if you use a router to cut dadoes (grooves) to join the wood, the TV stand will be a solid piece of furniture. Take the TV stand measurements to the lumber yard and save time by getting them to cut the lumber to size for you.

Instructions

1

Place the 1-by-6 plank flat on the work surface, then place the 1-by-2 plank centered on top of it, flush with one end. Ensure that the 1-by-2 plank is at exactly 90 degrees to the 1-by-6 plank, using the set square. Drive four 1 3/4-inch wood screws through the top of the 1-by-2 plank into the 1-by-6 plank. This is the router jig for making straight cuts with the router.

2

Lay the two lumber 40-inch planks next to each other on the work surface, 40-inch sides touching. Measure in 2 inches from either end of the planks and mark a straight line across the faces of both planks, parallel with the 24-inch side. Make a third line centered between the first two.

3

Lay one of the planks with a 40-inch side flush with the edge of the workbench. Clamp the jig over the top, with the 1-by-2 part of the jig flush against the 40-inch side on the edge of the workbench and the 1-by-6 side going across the plank, parallel with the lines marked earlier.

4

Adjust the jig so that the 1-by-6 plank is far enough away from the first line on the plank that when the router blade is on the line, its edge rests against the edge of the 1-by-6 plank, which will guide it to make a straight cut.

5

Measure the exact thickness of the 24-by-24 inch planks (it is often a little less than the stated thickness) and attach a router bit of this thickness to the router.

6

Cut a 1/4-inch-deep dado groove with the router across the 40-inch plank at the position marked, using the edge of the jig to keep the router straight. Do this for all the lines marked on the 40-inch planks, so that each has three dado grooves. Sand all the components of the TV stand.

7

Lay one 40-inch plank flat on the work surface, dado groves up. Bead a line of wood glue into each dado. Insert the three 24-by-24 inch planks upright in the dadoes. Bead a line of glue onto the tops of the upright 24-by-24 inch planks and put the remaining 40-inch plank on top, the dadoes on that plank encasing the ends of the upright 24-by-24 inch planks.

8

Check that the upright 24-inch planks are on square with the set square, then clamp the 40-inch planks to hold the structure tight while the glue dries; around 2 to 3 hours.

9

Drive six of the 2-inch wood screws through the top of each 40-inch plank into the ends of the 24-inch planks to secure the stand together. Scrape a small amount of wood putty into the screw holes, then patch-sand once dry.

10

Paint or varnish the TV stand as desired and leave to dry for the time specified on the paint or varnish can label.