Thread: Entertainment Unit

G'Day Deathcock

I've built two entertainment units and am planning two more, all will be very different in design, construction method and finishing. I've listed them in order of suitability given your design and the fact that you'd like to keep costs down (A strong criteria in all my work) I hope at least one method suits you!

E-Unit 1

Solid pine frameless (similar to your design) stained and varnished

Advantages: Resonably cheap to build and easy to construct. Most dimensions were chosen to match those of available timber and with pine, that's a good range. Can be stained to the preferred colour.

Disadvantages: Pine is fine for the bookshelves and sides but not so great for large horizontal surfaces as the TV will mark the timber, this can be overcome with a panel of laminate or other material (MDF?) immediately under the TV. Pine isn't as durable as hardwoods but probably does better than chip board laminates.

E-Unit 2

Varnished 90 x 35 Pine frame for vertical supports, Painted 19mm MDF for horizontal surfaces

Advantages: Really easy to build and very strong, asthetically good as the varnished pine and the black painted MDF provide an attractive contrast. Pine can be stained to colour of choice and MDF stained or painted.

Disadvantages: Open design may not suit your other furniture. There are limited options for finishing the MDF, it can be stained but unless you spend a lot of time playing with shades it will be difficult to match with the pine. The painted horizontal MDF surface is also vulnerable to scratching.

E-Unit 3 (To be constructed)

Solid Jarrah frameless with a natural oiled finish (probably Ubeaut products)

Advantages: I'm hoping this will match a set of Jarrah veneer speakers that dominate my lounge room, this is also going to be my first adventure into an heirloom quality piece. Jarrah looks great and is hard wearing.

Disadvantages: EXPENSIVE! I'm sure there will be others but this is my dream project at present so I'm seeing it through rose coloured glasses.

E-Unit 4 (also to be constructed)

Natural finished Jarrah or Ash frame with stained MDF insert panels

Advantages: Reasonably cheap to build and easy to construct. Interesting contrast between hardwood and MDF.. Strong and durable. This will be the application of leasons learnt in the previous projects (particularly the first two E-Units). A whole room (Family room) of furniture will be built in this design so I needed something attractive, hard wearing and different but inexpensive and easy to construct.

Disadvantages: Once again this project will be the application of what I learnt building other projects. I'm hoping that I've removed most of the disadvantages!

Anyway, I hope this helps. I've spent a fair bit of time designing, building and making mistakes on entertainment units, I'm glad all this effort is able to serve a greater purpose beyond filling myscrap timber pile!

If I can work out how to post photos I'll get you some pics on request.

regards

Manix

Based on your piccie, I would be building it out of veneered particle board (your choice of veneer) from somewhere like Brims. Their product is called Brimsboard. http://www.brims.com.au/brimsboard.htm

Cheers
Michael

Originally Posted by mic-d

Based on your piccie, I would be building it out of veneered particle board (your choice of veneer) from somewhere like Brims. Their product is called Brimsboard. http://www.brims.com.au/brimsboard.htm

Cheers
Michael

That pretty much looks like what I'm aiming for. The only question is cost, so I might calculate how much material would be required and get them to provide me with a quote.

Cheers

You can do better in Melbourne on pricing if you try Universal Timbers in Dandenong, probably worth the extra beeps on the e-tag for what you will save, and they will cut to size too.

That's useful to know Iain. Brims won't cut - it's full sheet or nothing.

4 or 6mm ply is one thing, but a full sheet of 19mm particle board is a total barsteward to manhandle alone. DAMHIKT!

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

but a full sheet of 19mm particle board is a total barsteward to manhandle alone. DAMHIKT!

Amen to that !

Deathcock:eek: If you are going to build it in modular form ie: 3 units like shown you will need 4 1/2 sheets (you will have to buy 5) @ $74 per sheet of 19mm and around $40 for delivery. Melboards in Hallam or Nikpol in Moorabbin will cut it to size for a modest fee. Its worth doing it that way and they will also edge it for you if you need. On top of that you will need some solid Tas-Oak for the doors and drawers (If you go for solid drawers you could get away with 4 sheets of board) Have fun

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

4 or 6mm ply is one thing, but a full sheet of 19mm particle board is a total barsteward to manhandle alone. DAMHIKT!

Woose

Not when the length of the sheet is three times the available turning space in the shed, and the roof is too low to up-end it. Never mind that it weighs enough to bring a bloke out in a sweat

Woose y'self anyway

I'm going to redesign the unit to correct some small "design flaws" such as joins etc etc. The large area where the TV sits on is of concern since it will be accomodating a 68cm TV and I'm not 100% convinced that my current design will hold the weight of the TV without any supports or bracing.

Also, all boards in my design were based on 20mm thick boards, not 18mm which will need to be corrected.

Download Google Sketchup and grab my design from here.

Cheers

Do a search on the use of torsion boxes - it's not necessarily the size of the timber that counts...