If you have an outdoor television, you will want to do everything you can to protect it. When you leave a TV outside, you let it be susceptible to theft, damage, and other potential problems. One of the best ways to mitigate these issues is to build a TV cabinet for it. That way, you can have your TV outside to watch the games without worrying about it getting damaged.
In this article, we have laid out a step-by-step guide to building your outdoor TV enclosure. This cabinet project is for a standard, 50” wall-mounted flat-screen television, and you can do it in the afternoon. If your television is bigger, you will have to make some adjustments to the measurements, but the steps will be the same. By following these steps, you can feel safe leaving your television outside while adding an attractive feature to your yard.
What You Need
Before you get started on this project, you will need a few materials. For the wood itself, you can choose any type you like, but standard lumber will work just fine.
- Screwdriver
- Tape Measure
- Circular Saw
- Level
- 2x4 Lumber (10 ft)
- 1x6 Decking (50 ft)
- T-Hinge (x4)
- Deck Screws
- 6” Exterior Lag Screws (x8)
- Door Bolt Latch
Image credits: Glenn Carstens-Peters via Unsplash
Step 1: Secure the TV to the Wall
Before you begin, secure the television in place of the wall. Make sure you pick a spot where you can see it from any place in the yard and that you feel comfortable securing it permanently. It will be a lot harder to move it if you have to take the cabinet off and move it as well.
Use the bracket that comes with the wall-mounted TV to mount it to the side of the house. Follow all the instructions thoroughly and make sure you put it close to a power outlet and convenient enough to get to it. Once you have secured the TV to the wall, you can begin building the cabinet.
Step 2: Cut the 2x4s to Length
After the TV has been secured, you can start cutting your lengths of 2x4. Cut two lengths to 60” and two more to 40” for the vertical sides. These will act as the frame cleats that will be anchored to the wall with the lag screws.
The doors for our TV cabinet will be secured to the inside edge of the 2x4 cleats. It means you do not have to add any extra length to the doors, and everything will come out even since the decking is 6”. It prevents the need for a table saw or any precision cutting.
Step 3: Secure Cabinet Frame to the Wall
After your cleats are cut, you can then secure them to the wall. Measure from the outside of the television to ensure that it will be in the center of the frame. Then, use a level to mark out where your 2x4 cleats will be secured to the wall.
Use the 6” lag screws to secure the cleats in a box shape around the TV. If your outside wall has stucco, you may need to drill through it at first to make sure you get a decent purchase on the lag screws and that you don’t crack the stucco as you drill. When the frame is secured to the wall, check with the level again to make sure everything is straight.
Image credits: Louisse Lemuel Enad via Unsplash
Step 4: Cut Decking to Length
Cut your 6” decking into 10 40” planks. These will make up the doors and give them a barn-style look that will be rustic and fit in nicely with any backyard decor. It will also be durable and weather-proof to protect the TV from damage during high winds.
Your doors will be made up of 5 planks each. Since the decking is 6” wide, this will make two 30” doors that will span the entirety of the cabinet itself. Because of this, you don’t have to rip any boards to size, and everything will fit securely together.
Step 5: Build Doors
Once your door planks are cut, cut 4 30” lengths of 2x4. It will be used to mount the planks and give the doors a base to sit on. Then, secure the planks to this base and build your completed doors so they can get ready for mounting on the wall frame.
If you like, this would be a good time to finish the doors with a polyurethane topcoat. A top coat can help seal the doors and protect them from moisture and rotting over time. It will also give them a finished look that will add a lot to the aesthetics of the cabinet itself.
Image credits: PublicDomainPictures / 17902 images via Pixabay
Step 6: Secure Doors on Hinges
After your doors have been built, you can mount the hinges on them and the frame. For this project, we have opted to use T-hinges for their durability and their rustic country look. Plus, they are easy to install and will be able to withstand the weight of the doors.
Secure the hinges to the doors and the frame, then mount the doors. Sand the edges of the doors down if necessary to create a tight seal that is still easy to open. Then, mount your door bolt latch either in the middle of the doors or at the very bottom for easy access. You can then lock the cabinet up when it is not in use with a padlock.
Outdoor TV Cabinet for Safety and Security
Your outdoor TV cabinet can give you the sense of security that you need to feel comfortable with leaving your television outside. If you like, you can also get a cover that can be used to protect the cabinet from rain or snow if you live in a cold climate with extreme weather.
If your area gets very cold, it might be a good idea to remove the television itself from the bracket and bring it inside. Then you can use the closed cabinet doors to hide the bare bracket.
Do you have an outdoor DIY TV cabinet that you love? Let us know about it in the comment section below!