Help please my client.

[Matt Campbell]

I have a potential client. He is the head guy at the local PF Changs. He's buying a 50" plasma for the outdoor dining area, and he would like me to build a cabinet around it for security. I plan on using jatoba for its strength and appearance, and I will hand-cut dovetails on the cabinet carcass. The pins will be on the horizontal pieces as that obviously would resist gravity more efficiently than vice versa.

Questions...

1) How can I add elegance so this isn't just a cabinet?

2) How can I hang this on a stucco wall? This will certainly be heavy.

3) How can I hinge the doors to fold back on themselves? Does that make sense? Imagine you're opening the left door. You'd pull the door, and it would fold back 180 degrees onto its other half. The other half would be hinged onto the side panel. I'd like to do that because the doors will be very wide, and I wouldn't want long doors sticking out when it's open.

4) Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[Bryan Berguson]

Matt,

I can help you on question # 3. SOSS hinges. I used them on a TV cabinet to do exactly what you need to do and they worked perfectly. LOML wanted 27 inch doors to completely retract into a 23 inch cabinet and you lose about 3 inches with the slide hardware. I had to build each door into 2 doors and attach them together with the SOSS hinges.

IMG_2495.JPG

IMG_2494.JPG

Hope this helps.

Bryan

[Matt Campbell]

Bryan,

That's perfect. Thank you.

[Bryan Berguson]

You're welcome Matt, glad I could help.

A note about the 2nd picture - it looks like there is a gap (and there is) because the 2 halves were slightly open. When it's closed tight, you can't get a sheet of paper between them. Just wanted to clear that up...

Bryan

[Dan Barr]

just that,

French cleat on the wall anchored to the studs should hold about 4 of those.

ciao,

dan

[Matt Campbell]

I've never drilled into stucco, and I don't know if the wall is hollow or not. How would I go about attaching the cleat to the wall? Masonry bit to drill and then what?

[Henry Flippo]

Usually stucco is spread over plywood. Obviously it would be hollow behind the plywood. I am guessing but would think the plywood is either 1/4 or 3/8 thick. I would try to find a stud, they are 16" on center if they are 2x4.. 24" if they are 2x6 stud walls.

[Rick Gifford]

Well I would plan to use a faceplate, possibly top and bottom. If this cabinet is going to be heavy, and it seems it will especially with the TV in there then you'll need excellent hanging.

Just like building a deck, run your faceplate level and anchor into the wall. You'll absolutely have to find the studs. Too bad it isn't block behind that stucco then you'd have great anchorage.

Any additions, or decks, I've built I always tend to go heavy on the hardware. I just don't believe in "too strong".

Design your cabinet to set over the faceplates so they don't show. You can lag into the plates and secure the cabinet that way. Treated 2X4's for your plates would probably be enough for this job. It not like a deck where there is traffic and changing loads.

Since we have no idea what the wall your mounting to is like, it's hard to give ideas like this.

Anyhow off the top of my head I saw faceplate top and bottom, well anchored into the studs. Cabinet designed to fit over the plates and lagged securely to them.

It'll hold solid like that.

[Charlie Plesums]

For a 50 inch plasma in an outdoor dining area, I would focus more on weather resistance and theft and vandal prevention, than on elegance, fancy wood and joints.

Soss hinges are neat, but I don't know if they are suitable for exterior use. Blowing wind and rain needs more than a close fitting door to keep the TV dry... overlapping joints, weather stripping, etc. And a BIG lock at night.

[Bryan Berguson]

Soss hinges are neat, but I don't know if they are suitable for exterior use.

They are available in stainless steel. They are also very good for high security areas as they are completely contained within the wood.

Bryan

[Michael Gibbons]

Couple thought rattled through my head.

1. How bad is the neighborhood really? Does he really want to take a chance of having it stolen?

2. Is there an overhang with rafter/trusses hanging out over the side walls that you could secure the cabinet to? You could get 3 lag bolts to attach to the rafter since the cabinet wiil be larger than 50' an having the truss bottom board spaced 24' on center.

3. Use a weather resistant wood maybe Cypress. Secure the edges with weather stripping. Drill holes in the bottom of cabinet to let any water escape and cover holes with a screen to keep pests out like wasps /hornets/ bees

[Steve Rozmiarek]

50" plasma will be a heavy beast, echo Rick here, anchor to the studs. If it is an LCD, not plasma, the weight will be about a third. I'm guessing it might be an LCD, because of the none glare screen being desirable in the glare prone great out of doors.

Wierd idea, am I the only guy who likes being outside to escape the TV?

[Dan Barr]

[quote=Wierd idea, am I the only guy who likes being outside to escape the TV?[/quote]

That's why they're following you out there with the TV.

ciao,

dan

[Paul Girouard]

Usually stucco is spread over plywood. Obviously it would be hollow behind the plywood. I am guessing but would think the plywood is either 1/4 or 3/8 thick. I would try to find a stud, they are 16" on center if they are 2x4.. 24" if they are 2x6 stud walls.

The stud size has nothing to do with the stud spacing.

The ply underneath the stucco would MTL be 1/2" CDX or 7/16" OSB.

You should find the studs for a more positive connection.

If the home owner doesn't know , and more than likely this guy will NOT , you can use a stud finder inside the house thru the sheet rock , then some how measure at a door or window to transfer the location to the outside.

Use a masonary bit to get thru the stucco, if the wall this cabinet is on is exposed how are you going to weather proof this cabinet??

The holes in the stucco could I guess be filled with silcone after the holes where drilled.

I better go re-read your post , will this cabinet be outside in the weather?

It must be under cover by your post but still outside , so maybe direct weather isn't a issue .

Panio hinges would do all most the same thing as the Soss hinges , those doors will be a lot of weight hanging on what ever hinge you select a continous hinge may be a better choice. As you know thoses doors will get left open and get blown around by the wind , etc . People that can afford stuff like this tend not to take very good care of it , so building it "bullet proof" is a good idea.

Good luck.

[Matt Schell]

I have done some work with a mason. And when he needed to anchor something through stucco into block or wood he always pulled out his Hilti hammer drill and used specifically designed fasteners manufactured by Hilti. The drills are crazy expensive but can be rented and the fasteners are not cheap either but they really seemed to "bite"

A Hilti rep or website may even have some suggestions.