# TV lift cabinet with shelving design



## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

Hi, I am new to the forum . great Looking forum !! I am in the process of having my home rebuilt due to hurricane sandy and could really use some help with a half wall design . It will be a cabinet with a tv lift and shelving in front of it. My contractor is not sure how to do it the way i need so its kinda up to me to come up with a design and possibly build it myself. I have done some woodworking before but not really like this . I mainly do small cnc stuff so i am in need of help to build it. 

I will post pic of a quick drawing i came up with in sketchup and the specs on the lift kit so you guys have a better idea of what im trying to do. 

My contractor wants to use 2x4's like on the walls and such but im not sure thats a good idea. It does need to be a super beefy structual piece ,just a regular cabinet and i havent seen any cabinets that use big 2x4's.

My plan was to use 1x pine,poplar or even oak boards along with plywood for the framing and kitchen cabinet filler pieces as finisher panels for cosmetics. it will have a granite countertop as well. So its built more like a standard built in or kitchen cabinet type construction. Im not really concerned with the countertop just the design for the cabinet itself. 

The tv lift part needs to be 75"w x 12" D and 42"H and have a 8-9"w x50" opening in the top and space inside. i will access the inside of the tv lift part in the back. The shelving cabinet part will be in front of the tv lift at the same height of 42". Will have adjustable shelves inset into the cabinet around 48"w x 36"H x 12"D .The rest of it will just be cabinet face going to the wall. In the back of the tv lift cabinet will have a table at 34"H but im not concerned with that part of the design as it will have its own legs and not really part of the cabinet. 

Can anyone help with how i should build this .Framing and type of wood etc or if anyone can make a quick drawing for me of how you would do it. The tv is a flat panel LED 50" so its pretty light and doesnt need to be really structural. 

In the drawing the framing i just drew quick . I was also thinking of just framing the edges and have plywood giving it strength. Just need the tv specs to fit for the lift and the shelving the right size .It can be 1 piece or two piece or even two piece (tv cabinet and shelving cabinet) joined together. However you guys think is best. Thats why i need help lol. 

Heres my drawings. 

Front


Front view of tv lift section without shelving section in front of it yet or finisher panels


front view without finisher panels .Showing tv lift location and shelving framing in front(frame doesnt have to be like this )


back view of tv lift cabinet section with rear access to inside


Tv lift specs ( tv is 50" samsung LED 28"H x 1.5"D)
http://www.tvlift.com/l39-tv-lift-installation-dimensions.html


Thanks in advance for the help. I know its a lot to read through and im asking a lot. Kinda desperate at this point as it needs to be done soon and id like it done right.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

If I was making it, it would be done with just ¾" plywood and 1x's as needed. I don't think I would do it as open framing. Once you decide if you want shelving or panels, the answer for the front would be obvious. You have the wall, and the protruding wall to tie to, so, overall the cabinet would be secured. In allowing space for the lift mechanism, you could just make that back panel a door with concealed hinges.





















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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

However you do it I have one suggestion.
I bevel the opening and the panel under the TV at 45 degrees.
This way you can adjust the stop so when it "bottoms out" it is perfectly flat and centers itself.
The lifts I've used were not steady/sturdy enough to accurately lower in the same position every time, and leaving a gap was necessary without the bevel.


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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> If I was making it, it would be done with just ¾" plywood and 1x's as needed. I don't think I would do it as open framing. Once you decide if you want shelving or panels, the answer for the front would be obvious. You have the wall, and the protruding wall to tie to, so, overall the cabinet would be secured. In allowing space for the lift mechanism, you could just make that back panel a door with concealed hinges.
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Thanks for the quick reply. How would i go about tieing it into the wall . Also do you have maybe a pic of how it should be built using 1x's and plywood. Im with you on thats how it should be built but not sure of the proper way to build it . I think i can get it done somehow but not sure if it would be the proper way it should be done. My plan is for the finished sides to use kitchen cabinet filler panels as the plywood. The refrigerater filler panels for example come in solid finished wood in 48"x96" size and can be cut down to fit. They also have matching 3", 6" and 12" filler panels for smaller sides as well. Basically i got the idea from this office that someone built pretty much entirely out of filler panels shown here.

http://www.kitchencabinetdiscounts.com/rtacabinetsoutsidekitchen

The solid wood filler/trim panels i would be getting from here. They would make up the face walls of the cabinet basically .
http://www.kabinetking.com/iks-cabi...en-cabinets-mocha-shaker-panels-and-trim.html
http://www.kabinetking.com/iks-cabinets-mocha-shaker-kitchen-cabinets-mocha-shaker-fillers.html

I would need shelving in the front for electronics and stuff .What im also worried about is making the shelving and front panels seamless and finished looking.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

If you are making the project, you would be making all those panels to fit. As for the cabinet itself, it would be made just like a base cabinet. It would have a floor, and ends, and dividers where necessary. The tops of the ends and dividers get rails (1x's) that tie it all together. As for attaching to the wall, for those ends, they just get screwed to studs. The far end could be screwed to the floor, or, a block can be hot glued to the floor, in the toe kick area and attached through the floor of the cabinet, or through the toe kick. 

By the time you get all the cabinet parts on and the TV and granite installed, all you need at the end is some resistance to sliding, which the block will do.


















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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

I decided to just skip the prefinished kitchen cabinet filler panels and just use the plywood walls as the outside and stain them myself. This way the structure is the finishing panels like most cabinets . My main question however is what type of plywood do i use? I can get birch ply at homedepot in 4'x8' . How would you guys go about doing the outer (seen) wall. the length of the shelving cabinet from end to the wall is 108" long x 42" H .This means i cant possibly do it in a single piece of plywood. However that would leave seams How do i go about making it seamless looking? 

I was thinking of making it 2 pieces. The shelving section from the outside end to the end of the shelving recess being 75" and then the rest going to the wall 28" . Should i use some type of molding to hide the seams. Also around the shelving recess do i plunge cut out a hole in the face plywood say 36"H x 48"L or do it in pieces . I would think it would be hard to plunge a perfect rectangle that big out of the middle of 3/4" birch ply ?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would use a hardwood (veneered) faced plywood in the species you want. For the most part, the seams would be vertical ones, that you can match up to look like a flitch. Cabinet face grains would be vertical. If your height is 42", you'll get two crosscuts on a 4x8 sheet.


















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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> I would use a hardwood (veneered) faced plywood in the species you want. For the most part, the seams would be vertical ones, that you can match up to look like a flitch. Cabinet face grains would be vertical. If your height is 42", you'll get two crosscuts on a 4x8 sheet.
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Flitch? Sorry im not up on all the woodworking terms yet. I am a quick learner though. What Plywood would you guys suggest . From home depot the only thing i can find in 4'x8' is 

Birch hardwood Plywood 3/4"
http://www.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-x...omestic-Plywood-165921/100077837#.UdXZr5Hi6NU

Red oak hardwood plywood 3/4" 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-x...omestic-Plywood-165956/100046409#.UdXahZHi6NU

.I dont need to get it from home depot though .Just not sure what there is out there. Im thinking i would also need the 1x boards to match so it looks the same when stained, no? Maybe maple hardwood 1x's and maple plywood or birch 1x's with birch Ply?I will be staining it a very dark walnut or expresso with SherwinW stains maybe (No minwax) I will putting it together with titebond wood glue and my kreg jig. Should i do that?

Dont happen to have a diagram of how the face should be made ? The rest of it im pretty sure how it goes with plywood walls and 1x's like a base cabinet but not sure on the front where it will be a long area of nothing and then a pretty long shelf area. Kitchen base cabinets usually have a face frame with 1x solid wood with draws and doors so theres no large span of wood like on my project. The best i can think of is mounting 2 or mor pieces of plywood to a vertical 1x4 behind the ply wood and maybe do some boxed (maybe halfround) decorative molding on the face to cover the seams or just leave the 1 vertical seam visible

Where the plywood face meets the recess for the shelf area wouldnt there be a exposed plywood edge as well that i would need to do something with? In the pics below i used a 1x 3/4"x3/4" hardwood piece glued to the exposed edging of the plywood. Is that the correct way to do it?

I appriciate you taken the time to help me out. Thanks bud

Heres some new drawings on how im thinking it should be built .In the drawing the light tan pieces are 1x hardwood and knotty pieces are hardwood plywood.I denoted the plywood parts that are seen by making them a lighter color and not seen areas are a greenish color.Do you think i can match the stain color of the plywood to the 1x faceframed pieces? What species for both should i use? Let me know if this is correct or any better ways,tricks ,things i should add ect. In the front shelving cabinet space where there are no shelves by the walls(filler area) i figured i would try putting something there to make it useful space.So in the pic i framed out the inside to make a box so the granite countertop in that part can have a hinged door and store things inside. The couch sits in front of that area so i didnt want to make it a regular cabinet with doors.


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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

Any advise on my previous post ? 

To add . I went around to a few lumber yards around me but none had any cabinet grade hardwood plywood. All pretty much the same china stuff as HD and lowes. I got one other place that im going to try tomorrow. Where do you guys find A grade wood? Is there anyplace i can maybe order it online. Shipping would probably be a fortune though for 4'x8' sheets. As it stands now from reading around my last resort is Oak plywood from Lowes and Red oak 1x's . Im not sure though. Is the oak plywood from lowes red oak or white oak . Would it match red oak 1x's ? I got the idea to use oak because i am staining it a very dark brown and from what i read oak takes dark stains the best. Is that true? Is it possible to get a dark stain on maple and not be blotchy ? For finishing i am thinking using bullseye sealing shlack to seal the wood then use general finishes Java gel stain .Not sure on a top coat yet?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

SandyRebuild said:


> As it stands now from reading around my last resort is Oak plywood from Lowes and Red oak 1x's . Im not sure though. Is the oak plywood from lowes red oak or white oak . Would it match red oak 1x's ? I got the idea to use oak because i am staining it a very dark brown and from what i read oak takes dark stains the best. Is that true?


The Oak the big box stores sells is rotary cut Red Oak. You need to decide what hardwood you want to finish the cabinet with. You would need a plywood species that is also readily available in solid lumber. If you are shopping at the box stores, you are pretty much limited to Red Oak and Maple.



SandyRebuild said:


> Is it possible to get a dark stain on maple and not be blotchy ? For finishing i am thinking using bullseye sealing shlack to seal the wood then use general finishes Java gel stain .Not sure on a top coat yet?


It is possible. For lighter color stains a conditioner (sealer) would be beneficial. If you seal it too well, you won't get the proper penetration of color. The sealer if using shellac should be a dewaxed version, like Zinsser Seal Coat. Red Oak needs no conditioner. It doesn't blotch. As for how to configure the front of the cabinet for the opening, a basic 1x frame works , which stiffens the face frame, and ties the cabinet together. It also provides support and a means to install a top.


























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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks . I would be going with a reduced mix of sealcoaat with denatured alcohol. 

I may have found a place that has face sawn ply. 

I have never really been fond of the grain oak has , Just feels old fasioned to me . What is the next best wood with a more even grain that i can get a dark even finish on?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

SandyRebuild said:


> Thanks . I would be going with a reduced mix of sealcoaat with denatured alcohol.
> 
> I may have found a place that has face sawn ply.
> 
> I have never really been fond of the grain oak has , Just feels old fasioned to me . What is the next best wood with a more even grain that i can get a dark even finish on?


Was your structural question answered?








 







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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> Was your structural question answered?
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I think . So my pics look good? I should just add a 1x on top to tie the dividers walls and faceframe together and also to mount the top ply for the countertop? I changed one thing on my pics too .On the front i made the face from go all the way to the wall and i will inset the large finished front piece of ply into the faceframe. I also changed the face frame vertical pieces from 1x2"s to 1x3 and horizontal 1x4's . 

Do you think thats right ? Also do you think i will have a issue with the shelves being a 5ft span unsupported in the middle or should i divide it into 2 2.5ft spans ? Also i could make the shelves not adjustable and have them go into a horizontal face frame board. Then i could also use ply for the shelf.


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## SandyRebuild (Jul 3, 2013)

Got a big question on finish i really need help with . I am using red oak.

I need to use a grain/pore filler because i would like a nice glossy finish on the cabinet. I have never seen nor used this before .

Here is the filler i am planning on going with. 
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?Offerings_ID=17353

Do i apply this to the bare wood before staining ,dyeing sealing etc or after ? <<<<<<<<<<<<

Heres how i would be finishing the cabinet otherwise. 

1. Transtint dye /water mix (applied by flooding by hand)
2. HVLP spraying bullseye sealcoat dewaxed shellac
3 (possibly applying a gel stain to get in pores if even needed?)
4 HVLP spraying sealcoat with transtint as toner
5.HVLP spray sealcoat without toner
6 HVLP topcoating with a clear laquer. 

Where does the pore filler end up in those steps and will it effect any of the steps?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Stain first with that particular grain filler. Then apply the filler.








 







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## Steve M. (Jun 4, 2013)

The August/September 2013 issue of Woodsmith magazine has very detailed plans for a TV lift cabinet similar to this.


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