Happy day, Fiddle Leaf Friends! This week I am sharing one of my favorite DIYs to date – this easy DIY TV cover! I have wanted to cover the TV in our master for quite some time, but the project kept getting put off. Now that it is finally done, I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do it sooner!
I am going to make a few recommendations to you throughout this tutorial RE: changes I would make if I did this again – things like how I would hang it, materials I would use instead, etc. I also got the idea to use drawer slides form my friend Shannon over at Living With Lady! Now let’s get started!
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What You’ll Need:
- 1″x8″x8′ pine board
- 2″x8″x8′ pine board (or equivalent)
- I used two 1″x8″ boards and screwed them together, but I would suggest getting 2″ board if you can as it will be stronger.
- french cleat at least 3/4 the length of your 2″x8″ (If you have a larger TV, you may need two of these)
- drawer slides (ours are 22″, and you can go as large as 24″ without getting into the pricier industrial slides that I’ve seen go up to 36″) – the length will depend on your picture frames/size of your TV; I also recommend NOT getting the soft close slides. The regular ones are sufficient because you are not hanging anything heavy enough to warrant the soft close
- You want your drawer slides to be no more than 2-3″ shorter than the width of your picture frames
- 2-3 6″ L brackets (optional)
- 8 small L brackets
- 2 WOOD picture frames large enough to cover your TV when put side by side – ours are 20″x24″ with a 1.25″ wood frame
- You want your frame to be wood construction and at least a 1″ frame so you can drill your drawer slides into it with ease; I also suggest the linked frames because the face is plastic, not glass (don’t worry, you can’t tell)! This helps keep your frames on the lighter side, and safer too!
- level
- stud finder
- 4″ screws
- 3/4″ – 1″ wood screws
- miter saw
- wood stain of your choice – I used Minwax English Chestnut that I had on hand
- old rag
- step stool
How To:
Step 1: First, measure your TV. Your TV size will determine all of your other measurements – wood, picture frames, and drawer slides. Keep this in mind – I used 8″ deep wood because our TV is mounted on an arm that pulls out, so the total depth of the TV plus the arm is about 7″. If you don’t have that arm and/or your TV is mounted very close to your wall, you can adjust your wood depth to something more suitable for your space (as well as the large L bracket size). Heck, if you have one of those fancy flat mount TVs, you may not even need the side pieces you see on ours!
I also suggest leaving at least 2″ of space all around the TV. So if your TV measures 40″ wide, add 4″ – 2″ for each side. And if your TV is 25″ high, add another 4″, for a total of 29″ – these measurements will help you figure out your picture frame size. Our frames are 20×24, but with the 1.25″ frame, each measures 22.5″x25.5″. You may have to adjust you wood lengths based on your picture frames, given standard frame sizing. You can also search chunkier frames (i.e the frame itself is 2″ thick) to add extra space if needed. Just play around with the measurements until they work for your space.
Step 2: Gather all the materials you see above, according to your own personal measurements.
Step 3: Using your miter saw, cut your 2″x8″ wood to length. Measure the total depth of your picture frames, and subtract the exact depth of your 2″x8″ (usually it’s actually about 1.75″). Cut your 1″x8″ side pieces to this length. Stain everything with your favorite wood stain and an old rag.
Step 4: Mark the middle of your 2″x8″. Following the instructions included with your drawer slides, install the cabinet portion of the slide (what you would normally screw into your cabinet, NOT on the drawer). Be sure you install the top of the slide flush with the top of your piece of wood.
Step 5: Install the drawer portion of the slide onto your frame, making sure that it’s screwed in so that the end that first slides onto the cabinet portion of the slide is ALL the way to the very edge of your frame. Just like they say “measure twice, cut once,” you’re going to want to think twice and screw once here. Make sure that you are installing each piece of the slide correctly so that your frames will slide on and will be able to slide all the way to the center or your 2″x8″ once hung up over your TV!
Step 6: Mark the middle of your TV on the wall, approximately 1.75″ above the top of your TV. This is where you want to install the mid-point of the top of your french cleat. If you can, screw your french cleat into studs with your 4″ wood screws. If there are no studs, use drywall wall anchors or toggles. Install the corresponding portion of your french cleat to the back of your 2″x8″ piece of wood, as close to the top as possible. (Note: usually french cleats come with their own instructions, so follow those for this portion of the project!) Make sure you install everything using a level!
Step 7: Once hung, if you need extra support, install your large L brackets under your 2″x8″ and into the wall. You’ll see below that we ONLY used L brackets for support – I don’t recommend this. The french cleat will give you much needed support, and you may not even need the L brackets!
Step 8: Install your side piece 1″x8″s by butting them up underneath the edge of your 2″x8″. Using your small L brackets, attach the two pieces of wood together in the corner with your shorter wood screws. You can also add 2-3 small L brackets where the wall and each side piece meet. They will be on the inside of your TV box, so no one will see them!
NOTE: You could always build the entire box before installation, and use a kreg jig to hide your screws. However, I know our walls are not completely flat, so I didn’t want to risk having a fully flat box ready to be installed, only for it to go on a crooked wall. Being able to adjust the wood and add shims where needed was necessary in our very builder grade, not level anywhere home!
Step 9: Add your art and slide your frames onto the drawer slides, and there you have it! Your DIY TV cover is complete! The best part is that you can swap out the art seasonally to add some extra flair to your space!
PRO TIP: You may find that you need some extra space between the bottom of your frame and the side piece. Our frames tended to hang in towards the wall. So we just removed the small rubber piece on the inside of each drawer slide (which you will want to do anyway to make your frames completely touch in the center) and screwed it into the very bottom front face of each side piece. That way, it sits in between the side piece 1″x8″ and the frame, pushing the frame out slightly. It worked perfectly and we were able to repurpose the rubber pieces we otherwise would have thrown away.
Are you on board for hiding your TV after seeing this? THis project is honestly so easy once you have your measurements down (it’s the hardest part for sure)! But take your time with those measurements and the rest is a breeze! I just can’t wait to add Fall and Christmas prints to these as the seasons change!
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Until next time friends, happy DIYing!
XO,
Ana
