This post is going to show you how to use a repurposed tv to make a new and useful piece of furniture.
This is one of many t.v. cabinets I recently picked up at my local Habitat ReStore over the Summer.
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Here you can see them all lined up ready to be sanded and painted.
This is after they were all primed. The one I’m showing you today is the one in the very front (left). Check out what I did with the plastic console and chicken wire (the one in the back-right)
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While I was painting some cabinets recently, I had some paint left in my Finish Max, so I gave this a quick coat of white.
After further investigation I found that there were some pieces that needed to be removed in order to move forward.
I got busy with a socket, hammer and pry bar to remove the casing around the inside.
I wanted to put a back on this piece, to do that, I needed to remove this lip across the bottom. (back) I used my jigsaw to cut it off.
I of course wanted to cover up all this mess on the bottom shelf. I used some Gorilla Glue Wood Glue.
Then I nailed a thin piece of plywood down with my nail gun.
I didn’t have anything to use for a shelf, so I made a shelf using 3 1x’s connected with Kreg Jig pocket hole screws. Whenever I use my Kreg Jig, I mark lines where I want my holes to go. Using a pocket hole jig can get confusing if you’re not careful.
I love using this Kreg Face Clamp
After I joined my three boards, I gave it a quick sanding.
I used some temporary scrap pieces of wood to raise the shelf to where I wanted it to go. I installed the shelf using pocket holes.
I gave the piece a quick coat of diy chalk paint, then added some bead board to the back.
To get a good finish on the piece, I paired my HomeRight Finish Max with some Plaster of Paris, and Behr Premium Plus Paint.
After one coat of DIY chalk paint sprayed on with the Finish Max
After allowing that DIY chalk paint to dry, I then used the Finish Max & Behr Premium Plus paint straight up to do a topcoat.
I love how this paint works with the Finish Max!
This is the hardware that belongs on this T.V. console. It’s still the original white when I sprayed it the first time.
My question to you is, what color do you think I should spray the hardware? Or perhaps use some rub-n-buff? I look forward to hearing what you think!
gail
see other project ideas for old tvs below:
Do you have to thin your paint down to use the sprayer?
Yes, I always thin the paint, and strain it for the best results. Cleanup is a breeze (and a must) which offers you a perfect finish every time. 🙂
Hello. I am repurposing these as well, but have been reading that there is some shock danger in gutting. No problems with the first(and I just went at it not knowing the danger), but have picked up another and now am nervous! How do you remove the tv tube safely to avoid any old stored electric current? Thanks!
I’ve only personally removed one myself. I don’t think I even knew about a possible danger of shock, only about not letting the tube to break. Perhaps you could call a local repair shop for some advice. I have heard they may even take the guts off your hands because they have regular pickups to recycle them.
be safe!
gail
Thank you!
What did you do with all the tubes? I see some really nice tv sets on craigslist but I don’t know where to take the tubes when the are removed from the wood.
I bought my t.v. already gutted. but this site might be helpful http://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/775/scrap-television-and-scrap-tv
gail
What beautiful pieces! Very clever. As for color, I would say that white is really pretty! 🙂
That looks really awesome!!! It’s hardly recognizable how, well, moderate it looked before!!! I just discovered your blog and couldn’t stop reading, I really find everything so interesting. I am running a blog presentation on my blog at the moment, maybe you would like to participate? More info you can find here: http://blog.no-ordinary-stuff.com/2013/11/may-i-introduce-your-blog-november.html
Cheers, Sarah
Thank you Sarah! I’ll check it out.
gail
Wow! you got lots of activity on this post girl!
I read it earlier in the week…but don’t think I got to leave a reply…
LOVE this repurposed idea. I’ve seen people make pet beds out of these. I personally… think it would make a great flat screen console. If I ever get a flat screen…I want one of these to put it on and have my other components underneath… Yeah…quirky I know.
As to hardware. I would think ORB paint was look classy and not blend too much with the dark paint… I can’t remember what a rub and buff is…but, whatever you do. It will turn out great I’m sure.
– Pat
You are total crafty genius. I love your work. I think the handles would be fun in a bright, bold color like coral or jade green.
Love this transformation Gail. I vote for brassy gold for the handles. It just makes black look rich and warm. Or maybe branch out a bit and go for copper?????? and then add copper highlights in Rub N’ Buff? Maybe I am wanting Fall back with this suggestion since Pittsburgh had abot a week of it and then we went right to winter…….. Either way, you’ll make it look just right.
XO,
KIm
I think silver would look good….great job on the project
Wow look at all those consoles!! So awesome! I love reading your posts Gail! I would totally do a color that will stand out from the black, if the rub and buff does that then give it a try! If you spray paint them and don’t like how it looks, you can always spray another color! Good luck! Oh, and thanks for your sweet comment on my blog! 🙂
black on black
black
If it was for my house, I’d paint the hardware RED. I like a pop of color.
seems like if you took the base off you could stack these to make a really impressive shelf unit.
Rup & Buff on the dark side.. An Awesome project!!
Rup & Buff on the dark side.. Ane Awesome project!!
Amazing as always! The Rub and Buff is probably practical but I would do some wild color that pops…like turquoise or lime green.
Love the redo! I would choose a deep magenta or red for a modern jolt. silver or brushed nickel for the traditional look. I might also paint the edge of the shelf in the same color. A little color hours a long way to convey style. Other than that, it’s done.
Rub-n-buff those puppies gold or silver 🙂 Of course my first choice is gold lol
I love this! Bronze or Pewter would be my choice. Take care of that shoulder.
You’re fantastically good!
This looks amazing!!
Keep it Touched,
KG
http://www.kgstyleinc.com
At first glace I wondered what Gail was up to next! LOL…..I love it. I actually have a piece like this that was given to me. I put my tv on it in the bedroom and the DVR’s and stuff like that on the shelve….but I hung a curtain in front of all that…..Great job.
I would do the rub n buff in a shiny silver!
I think some hammered brass spray paint would look nice on the hardware.
Looks awesome! I would use the rub & buff!!!
I’m in Northern California and have two of these TV’s for free if anybody wants to try this. We don’t have the space for the projects (wife has a stack of other shabby-chic projects backed up).
just want to know, did you have to prep it, like prime it and what type of paint
should be used on furniture? Thx. your work is inspiring.
Carmen,
I did prep it with diy chalk paint, and then used Behr premium plus paint for the finishing coat (which is my favorite paint for furniture)
gail
You are a real production line… amazing woman!
I don’t understand the need for so many layers of paint… I understand the primer, but then white and 3 layers of black? Why so many? And how come the chalk paint isnt your final coat? Why not just 2 solid layers of the black chalk paint and some wax? Just seems like a lot of extra steps to acquire the same desired look…
Katie,
The original coat of primer was just to get the “ugly” off of it, so I could decide what I wanted to do with it. The coat of white was because I had some paint left in my sprayer and thought it would look good white. After adding the shelf, I decided it wanted it to be black. Because the white paint was semi-gloss, I needed to prep it with some kind of primer, so I chose the DIY chalk paint primer. That took two coats. I finished it off with Behr semi-gloss instead of wax because I have a bad shoulder and waxing and buffing hurts too bad. The sprayer is so easy, that even though it seems like a lot of extra steps, it was very easy on this old gal to get the look she wanted. 😉
gail
love the finished produck why not antique the hardware? wish i had some things to do this with. i never go hunting for furniture like this and missed out on an old lounge chair that was dirty and icky sitting by a trash bin.. think that would have had to been stripped to the bones and re-padded then upholstered..I have no tools or i would have.. they are on my wish list this year.. drill, stapler, saw dremle tool
Either brushed gold or silver would look really good.
Love it…. what is Finish Max? So you did chalk first, then mixture of Finish Max and POP, and then chalk paint again?
Lynn
Finish Max is a great paint sprayer from my friends at HomeRight.
These are the steps I took
a diy chalk paint with POP, brushed on. (using an oops black)
a diy chalk paint with POP sprayed with the Finish Max (using the same oops black)
A topcoat of Behr Premium Plus semi-gloss paint in Beluga (no POP)
I hope that clears it up for you. I’m here if you have any other questions.
gail
Love what you did! I just bought two heavy duty bedside tables with drawers on Monday from Craigs list, both for $30, which I consider a steal as I have been pricing tables like these for about 6 months. They are probably from the 80’s. I want to paint them black to match my dressers and change out the (gold/brass-looking) hardware to a modern pewter. I love the Behr paint because of the final finish and the fact that it already has primer in it. I keep hearing about chalk paint…what is it and why did you chose to use it versus regular black paint? Thanks!
Peggy,
I had painted this with some white semi-gloss because I thought I wanted it to be white. The behr semi-gloss paint would not stick to the white paint. I use a little plaster of paris paste in latex paint to make a very flat primer that will virtually stick to anything. You can see how I do it here: http://bit.ly/chalkyPAINTprimer
I’m here if you have any other questions, have fun with your bedside tables!
gail
Good morning Gail. You have an uncanny imagination combined with very great skills! I’m so jealous. I agree with Margaret, I think that brushed nickel, pewter, or the like would be a good choice.
Hi Gail. Love the idea of reusing these cabinets! Although I like black and white, unless I were doing this project for a custom order, I would stick with something a little more generic, like brushed nickel or pewter – or that effect from a paint.
Wonderful job! As for the hardware, I have fallen in love with that rubbed bronze spray paint but I’m not sure it would pair well with black. Pewter looks wonderful with black and would add a nice, subtle contrast. I fear the white is too much of a contrast and would distract from the overall look. Great project and goes to show you that with a little TLC, almost anything can be transformed into a useful piece.
I love this! I would paint the hardware a fun bright color 🙂 aqua, coral or chartreuse! haha!
Just passed one of these by on the curb because I could not visualize a completed makeover. Wonder if it’s still on the curb?
Beautiful. Are you selling this? As far as the hardware, check out my blog – the graphic paisley buffet. I left mine white on the black buffet. I need one of those sprayers!!!!!
I would consider pewter and/or ebony r-n-b. Very nice work…you’re quite talented and I’m quite envious and live my diy asperations through you and all the other diy gals.
I think a matte silver would look good on the hardware.
I would spray them brushed nickel
Hi you could use a silver or golden paint for the hardware!! silver would look modern while gold is more classic types
I would make the handles an antiqued silver or pewter color.
This looks awesome! I have one of these that my husband keeps trying to convince me to get rid of… your outcome gives me inspiration to redo mine
YOU have cool tools too! 😉 Great re-purpose on this! Hope you are feeling back to your old creative self!!
Looks great! I think you should paint them the same as the cabinet.
I actually have one of these old consoles in the barn…it has been headed to the junk yard for quite some time, but somehow always seems to be left behind! Love how yours turned out, and I can’t wait to try it on mine 🙂
Wow…I can’t believe how many of those tv cabinets you have….you are going to be busy! This one turned out awesome!
I think in this case, I would paint the handles the same color as the cabinet!
This is so awesome! I have a paint sprayer that I haven’t tried yet, and I am going to get a nail gun to make my life easier. I think the rub and buff would be great!
I am amazed at how clever you are with old pieces of furniture. You must feel very satisfied when you finish a piece. They look so good. I am not sure what to do with your hardware.