# Wall mounted entertainment center



## J123 (Dec 29, 2011)

I have an idea for a wall mounted entertainment center. I know that I will have to beef up the design, but I'm not sure how, by how much, or where. Has anyone seen plans for one?

The design will be a rather simple four door cabinet, around 5' long, but will have a floating off-centered slab top. The slab top will be slightly deeper than the cabinet, and overhang on one side by about 2 feet.

So, overall, it will be fairly heavy and I am concerned that, depending on how I hang it, the joints will weaken over time or the cabinet will go out of square.

Again, I'm looking for plans, but pictures, drawings, detailed descriptions, etc. will suffice.


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

floating slab? we need more info or maybe a drawing.

if you build a typical 3/4" plywood cabinet right with a face frame, it's not going to weaken or go out of square.

Hanging this cabinet is no different than an upper kitchen cabinet with screws through a cleat in the back.

What are you putting in/on this cabinet? A 2 ft. overhang is doable if it's 1 1/2" thick but I wouldn't go sitting on it. The idea seems….interesting. when it comes to art pieces, who am I to judge until I see it.

If you make the cabinet only as deep as necessary, based on your receiver- I guess, that will help keep the protruding weight down. If you make the back out of 3/4" plywood or add beefy 3" cleats, top and bottom for the lag bolts or large screws, it should hang fine without having to beef up the stud framing.

Are you putting a flat screen on top? If you like the floating look, you could hang the flat screen on the wall which would help with the weight and make it tip proof. just an idea.


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

Saw this one at cymax.com. Lots of good entertainment center ideas on their website. I'd hang the box with a continuous French cleat, but I think I'd hang the TV separately and fish the wires up the wall.


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## J123 (Dec 29, 2011)

John, that is my plan. The TV is hung already, and I just finished all the wiring. A french cleat is actually what I wan envisioning, although I did not know the name. So we are on the same page.

Reedwood, I purchased a 2" slab of spalted hackberry over the summer for a bed project, and he gave me a good deal on a second slab. I couldn't pass up the price. It won't be for sitting on, but it may end up with a lamp or vase. The cabinet is planned to be fairly contemporary in style, and the slab will be live edge on the front. I plan on planing the slab down some, but I don't know if I will make it down to 1-1/2". This is my first experience hanging a cabinet, so I'm nervous what it will do ten years from now.

It sounds like as long as I stick with 3/4 ply I should be ok.

Now that I'm looking at french cleat images I am having a rash of inspiration. I call it a rash because it will bug my wife as I spend the next XX months in the shop having fun.


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

Jeff - When you use a continuous French cleat, screwing the cabinet to the wall isn't necessary. Attach the "up" part to the wall studs, the "down" part to the back of the cabinet, and then just hang the cabinet. That's the way I installed all of my kitchen cabinets, and the only screws that I used were sleeve-screws to join the individual cabinets. You might want to consider making a long entertainment center in a few manageable chunks and installing the sections like kitchen cabinets.


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## J123 (Dec 29, 2011)

Thank you for the info, John. I might consider splitting the cabinet. How would I split it and still hide the joint(s)?


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## bullhead1 (Mar 29, 2012)

You might try looking at some of the sign industry supplier sites for French cleats. I've seen them relatively thin and can be rabbited into the back to fit the item flush against the wall. One of them is Signbracketstore.com. They provide a lot of information also.


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## reedwood (Jan 27, 2011)

"It sounds like as long as I stick with 3/4 ply I should be ok."

or 3/4" solid wood.

John H's cabinet could be made with solid wood - no face frame or plywood edge to deal with.

A 1/4" or 3/4" back on it will give it the strength you need to keep it square and from possibly flexing from the doors.

The cabinet is only 5 ft. long. Splitting it in two will add more weight. You will end up with a butt joint in front…... looks like a premade kitchen cabinet.

The thing about cleats is they are a just not necessary. You have to build the cabinet with a recess for it or extend the sides so it doesn't sit off the wall. it can be done but why? what is the difference of screwing a French cleat to the wall and hanging a cabinet on it vs. just hanging the cabinet with the same screws? To me, it's an extra step and a pain to deal with, especially if you have outlets cut out in the back.

Sorry boys, but only frenchy dudes in make up with puffy sleeves and powder wigs use those. Real men just screw it to the wall and walk away. Ha! jk!


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## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

Jeff-If your entertainment center is only 5' long, one piece is probably easier/better. I use 1x poplar for my cleats, and pull the back of the cabinet in by 3/4" so it hangs flush with the wall. Something like what's shown for the floating shelf below.


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