Entertainment unit help (noob)

[chris targett]

hi all,

Ok now my wife and i are moving soon and we have purchased a new tv 65" and it weighs 25kg.I dont like the stand so i want to mount it on the wall,wife says no holes lol.
So i want to build an entertainment unit with a high back to mount it on.I love the look of film face ply with a beveled edge.So i need some help in designing the piece i have done some sketches which should be attached the this post and also 2 pics of what im after.I was thinking of a lumber frame and 6mm ply panel and staining that black, or , would film face 17mm ply be strong enough to take 25kg vertically free standing?.

Any help and guidance will be more than appreciated

thanks in advance

chrisfirst choice.jpgsecond choice.jpgmy media sketch.jpgedge effect.jpgI am aiming for a unit like the first pic,I think mine will be to heavy and i want the look of the last pic. thanks.

[Jerry Miner]

I'm a little confused (seems to be more and more common for me )--- if you use 6mm ply, how are you going to get the beveled edge look of pic #4?

Your structural drawing looks ok, but a little bit of over-kill. You could easily do the interior structure out of 1 x material (19mm, or 3/4" which is common here in the US. Don't know where you are or what materials are common there)

The shelf support looks weak, though. Note the vertical dividers in pics #1 and #4---they add a lot of strength. You CAN, of course, use metal brackets, but be sure they are substantial enough to carry the load.

I would NOT expect 17mm ply to function as the back wall in a single thickness. The load-carrying capacity is fine, but unsupported, it is unlikely to stay flat. Your "hollow-wall" concept (essentially a torsion box) is better. Stick with that.

[chris targett]

Hi Jerry thanks for your reply,yes the look of #4 is out the question with 6mm ply.I am in Australia,and i do plan on vertical dividers.When you say 17mm ply without support will sag would a couple of batons down the vertical sides be good enough?. Also if we could put a few drill holes into the stud wall,would 17mm ply be strong enough with cleats and a couple of batons down the sides?

thank you in advance

[Dave Richards]

What do you have in mind for dimensions for this thing? Do I understand correctly that you plan to attach this to the wall behind it?

[chris targett]

Ok now my wife has seen cleats in particular the aluminum type from the hardware store and she is kind of on board.
so how could i make this one work?20140801_231335.jpg 17mm film faced ply, beveled edge and on cleats maybe some strips of ply as batons? also the shelving unit is seperate to cut weight also 17mm film faced ply im on about weight all the time as the tv is 25kg and 150cm x 90cm.this sketch is 170cm x 110cm for the top part and 240cm x 30cm x 30 cm.

[chris targett]

What do you have in mind for dimensions for this thing? Do I understand correctly that you plan to attach this to the wall behind it?

hi mate thanks for the pm i did reply twice but i dont think they are being sent

[Dave Richards]

Chris, I got both of them. They are going through.

I hope the drawing made some sense and gives you some ideas. It would be easy to modify to something more like your idea if you want to go that route. i like the idea of shop made cleats that float the panel off the wall more than the metal ones typically wood.

[Jerry Miner]

Chris, I think you are making good progress in the design of this thing. Using "French cleats" on the wall is a great way to go. Yes, 17mm ply will be plenty adequate, with cleats and batten "stiffeners".

You are in great hands with Dave Richards coaching on the design---he has world-class expertise.

[chris targett]

thanks Jerry and Dave.how would be the most simple way to join the storage half half of this?.I would love to just screw and glue it with pilot holes.But would i get bulges if i screwed into a mitered end?. If I kept the ends square i would lose the beveled edge.

[Dave Richards]

Chris, I would arrange to hang the storage section with French cleats onto the panel as I described in my PM.

I'm having a bit of a hard time reading your sketch. I'd make a cleaner drawing for you if I could.

Jerry, thank you for the high praise.

[chris targett]

Hi Dave sorry about the poor sketch,I've done a crude one in paint it seems a bit more clear.paint sketch.png

[Dave Richards]

That's easier to read. What model is the TV?

[Dave Richards]

So maybe like this?

You can have the beveled edges on the case if you want.


Case and panel on French cleats. I think you could glue a piece of plywood to the back of the panel and place the middle cleat such that the TV is really hanging on the cleat instead of the panel. If you're still concerned about the panel staying flat over time, glue some vertical ribs between the cleats.

Actually for the center cleat I would make the piece on the panel large enough so the TV mounting hardware can be screwed to it and ultimately into the wall.


This way the TV and its mounting hardware are effectively attached to the wall and not the panel so the panel isn't supporting the weight of the TV at all.

[Jerry Miner]

thanks Jerry and Dave.how would be the most simple way to join the storage half half of this?.I would love to just screw and glue it with pilot holes.But would i get bulges if i screwed into a mitered end?. If I kept the ends square i would lose the beveled edge.

I think you are asking about how to join the mitered corners of the lower unit. Yes, you can glue and screw, without bulges if you are careful about proper pilot holes and driving force. You might want to experiment on some scrap.

A more sophisticated approach would be a "splined miter joint" with a separate spline glued into the miter for additional glue surface (and some help with alignment). Both can work, as can biscuits, Dominoes, nails, brads, glue alone, ...

[chris targett]

Dave its a Samsung ua65h6400 heres the link http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/t...UA65H6400AWXXY it has an ugly stand but a great panel,that's why i want to mount it.

Jerry yes the mitered edge on the bottom unit,i have been reading its real difficult to join mitered ply.I am a complete novice. I done a little joinery when i was in school 25 years ago and worked on building sites when a youth, even spent some time as a plasterer.but Im a butcher of 20 years now lol.the plastering background is why my original plans had a stud frame,its what i know how to do.But im quite confident i can do 4 mitered edges they wont be perfect but i should be able to do a good job,with a little practice.And i also like the look of the splined miter. thanks