A cedar wardrobe can be converted into an entertainment center.
Because of its resistance to moisture, rot and pests, cedar is a common material used in the construction of wardrobe cabinets. Its bold, high-contrast grain lends itself to rugged and rustic country-style interiors. When converting a piece of furniture, such as a wardrobe, the key to success lies in deciding exactly how the furniture will be used and what changes need to be made to accommodate the new usage. Most wardrobe cabinets have thin, plywood panel sides, so reinforcing the side panels, or bulkheads, will be the first step. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove the hanging bar installed in the top of the wardrobe. Typically this will consist of a thick wooden dowel attached to the side panels with a round wooden bracket that is nailed and glued to the sides of the cabinet. Cut the dowel in half with a reciprocating saw and slip both ends out of the brackets to remove it. Pry the brackets gently from the side panels with a sharp wood chisel and hammer.
2. Measure the inside of the bulkheads from top to bottom and front to back, starting from the top of the drawers in the bottom of your wardrobe. Cut 3/4-inch thick medium-density fibrecore, or MDF, with a cedar veneer, to fit inside the doors of the wardrobe, covering the side panels on the inside of the wardrobe from above the drawers to the top and from the back of the cabinet to just behind the closed doors.
3. Apply 3/4-inch wide cedar veneer tape to the front edge of each piece. Use a hot household iron to heat and press the tape to the edge of the panel. Use a smooth wood block to press the tape firmly into place. Allow the tape to cool and trim the edges with a utility knife. Sand the edges smooth.
4. Drill two rows of holes into each bulkhead with a 3/16-inch bit. Drill one row 3 inches from the front edge, and one row 3 inches from the back edge. Space the holes 4 inches apart, starting from the top of each panel. Glue and nail the new adjustable bulkheads into the wardrobe, flat against the inside of the two side panels, using a pin nail and 1 1/4-inch nails. If your original side panels are thin, drive the nails in so that they hit only the thicker trim along the front, back and top of the cabinet.
5. Measure between the new bulkheads. Cut shelves to hold your entertainment equipment. Most televisions will take the bulk of the height; divide the remaining height and make one shelf for every 8 to 10 inches of space. Cut them from the cedar veneered MDF, 1/4 inch narrower than the space between the bulkheads and and as deep front to back as the bulkheads you added. Edge band the front edges of these shelves as you did for the front edge of the bulkheads.
6. Install plastic adjustable shelf pegs in the holes in the bulkheads, four pegs at every height that you will install a shelf. Set the shelves into the cabinet, tilting diagonally to clear the sides if needed. Install the bottom shelf first and work up.
7. Use a 2-inch hole saw to bore a hole in the back of the cabinet for a cable chase, or passage. Position the hole directly behind the area the television will occupy to conceal it.
8. Apply two coats of stain and finish all-in-one in a color matching the wardrobe. Use a fine bristle brush to apply the finish using long even strokes, working with the grain of the veneer. Spread the finish as evenly as possible to prevent runs and drips in the surface. Allow the label recommended drying time between coats and before using the entertainment center.
Tags: side panels, back cabinet, front back, front edge, between bulkheads, cedar veneer, from back