Safe to say, entertainment units can be quite expensive these days.. specially if you're after one that looks nice. I've had a lot of requests for this blog post so here it is 😊
First up...
TOOLS, MATERIALS AND HARDWARE REQUIRED:
2mm and 5mm drill bits
A screwdriver
A Brad Nailer (we have this Ryobi one from Bunnings which is absolutely amazing!)
40mm screws
Kmart rattan side tables (optional)
Please keep in mind that the list of tools above is just a guide, you don't have to use the same brands or a table saw for example, if you have other tools that you can use to cut its perfectly fine.
One thing to note though is DO NOT USE a drop saw to cut the bamboo couch trays, they will split badly, hence why I've used our table saw which has a very sharp blade so we could get a perfectly neat cut.
Let's start making it now 😊👏
Like I mentioned in the caption of my reel, you don't need to use the Kmart rattan side tables for the body of the unit, I only used them because I already had them there and it was easier for me but I have to say that that using 5 of these units only cost me about $245 a year ago (not sure if they're even still available now) but if you can't get your hands on them, it would be best to start it from scratch but using the same principle and this would also help you skip a couple of steps that I'll mention below.
STEP 1: GETTING THE FRAME RIGHT
If you're using the Kmart side tables, the first step would be to remove the Right side of the first unit and the Left side of the last unit, then remove both sides to all the middle units. You will be using the shelves as divisions that's why you don't need the sides anymore BUT.. they will come in handy later on so don't throw them out just yet 😁
You will also need to trim down the 3mm backs a little. As you're removing the sides that means the width of the cabinet will be a bit smaller. The outside ones will be different in size compared to other ones so don't cut them all the same size
STEP 2: ADD IN YOUR DIVISIONS
As mentioned above, use the shelves as your divisions but you'll also be using them to join the units together.
The tops and bottoms of the side tables already come with holes for dowels so use them to join the units as well
You'll have to place the shelf, half and half between each unit then close the gap using the dowels, glue and nails like in the pictures below
Once its all done, your frame should look this
STEP 3: MAKING IT WALL HUNG
I would recommend making this frame even if you decide to not make it wall hung
As we've now removed most of the sides and have only joined them with one division, the unit as it is will be a bit flimsy so having that extra support at the back will keep the unit together nicely
Using the 42 x 18mm LOSPs, cut up a top, bottom and middle dividers to make a shape like below
Once you've cut your pieces, liquid nail all of them on the backs and screw the frame from the top, bottom and sides of the whole unit using 40mm screws... Pre-drill first to avoid the timber from splitting.
STEP 4: GETTING READY TO PAINT
Fill all the nail and screw holes with putty and also fill the joins with epoxy putty so they become as seamless as possible.
You might still see a fine line by the end of it but this is where it would be better to start the unit from scratch so you don't have to make a support frame and you won't have join lines either
Totally up to you 😊
Fill in the joins and sand it back as many times as you need until you're happy with what it looks like dry
I even painted only the joins and screw holes once and waited for it to dry to test it out.
Sometimes it looks like it's all good but once you paint it, the lines appear again so take your time and make sure it's a good before applying that final coat of paint
Colour wise, I've used our wall paint colour which is Dulux astor white and for the doors I've used Taubmans Barely Beige which is a nice light grey contrast to the white frame
STEP 5: MAKING THE DOORS
The only thing you will need to add to the original doors is a middle rail which you can get by cutting the extra sides that you will have left over 😊
Then glue on the couch trays using liquid nails, add weights on top and wait 24 hours before trimming the doors to size
I recommend making your drawer boxes first before cutting the doors
STEP 6: MAKING THE DRAWER BOXES
For the runners, we've used Goliath 250mm ones from Bunnings but I would seriously recommend getting better ones if possible. Find ones that are "full extension" to make use of the full depth of the drawer and if you can also find some soft close ones... even better 😊
But if you're happy to use the ones we have used, here's how to work out your drawer boxes:
These slimline runners are a bit thinner than the normal ones on the market so your formula should be :
Overall width of drawer box: Internal Width of cabinet - 23mm
Overall depth of drawer box : Length of the runner itself.
Overall height of drawer box : 295mm
This is what we've used for the drawers : 16mm Melamine board from Bunnnings
The reason why I used the 1800 x 295mm was to make it easier for myself and minimise cutting. If I used the 295mm part to be the height of the drawer, all I then have to do is cut everything to length 😊
You will have to measure each opening and cut the drawer box to suit, just in case each
of them is 1-2mm different. With ball bearing runners, the drawer box needs to be to the
exact size for them to work properly
Just to give you an example of the cutting list you might need (Guide ONLY)
Internal cabinet width : 453mm
Drawer box cutting list:
Sides: 250w x 295h
Front and back: 430w x 295h
Bottom: 430w x 217d
Once you've cut your parts, use iron-on edging from Bunnings and edge the top parts of the drawer box that will be seen. It should look like this picture
Fixing the runners:
This is going to be a long one for me to explain so here's a very detailed Youtube video that will definitely help
NOTE: The runners on the far left and right sides will need to sit in in comparison to the others
STEP 7 : THE HANDLE
For the handles I've simply used cheap ceramic coasters from Kmart. At only $6 for a pack of 4, it was definitely the winner for me.
All I had to do was use the offcuts of the 42x18mm LOSPs, cut up little blocks, paint them white, liquid nail them on and screwed them on to the door
To make sure the little blocks don't split in half, I pre-drilled them with a 2mm drill bit, then drilled a 5mm hole to the centre of the door. To screw the handles to the door, I used 28mm chipboard screws. Go slowly when screwing it on
So here are pretty much all the steps you will need to make this entertainment unit. I tried to be as detailed as possible but I'm sure some of you might still have questions and I'll be more than happy to answer them, just please ask them below in the comments so other people can see the responses as well .. it would help me a lot 😊
If you ever need to go back to the video, CLICK HERE for easy access:
GOOD LUCK WITH THE PROJECT AND ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL ENTERTAINMENT UNIT 💛
Comentarios