Watching your favorite show or movie outdoors is a great way to enjoy the summer weather. But your entertainment options are limited if you don’t have a weatherproof outdoor TV cabinet. You could build one yourself using this easy DIY tutorial. With just a few simple supplies, you can create an outdoor TV enclosure that will protect your TV from the elements. So gather your materials and get started today!
We love to spend as much time as possible outdoors during the warm weather seasons. This is because we live in NE Ohio and that time is limited. After Mr. DD built the DIY paver extension on our existing patio, he stated he wanted a TV outside so he could watch his sports outside.
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After all the hard work he has been doing, I said if you want one, make it happen. There were NO objections from me.
How to build an outdoor TV cabinet with doors
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The first step is purchasing the TV and the mounting bracket as this determines the size of your weatherproof TV enclosure. We purchased this 50″ smart TV so we can use the spectrum app to watch our favorite programs and sports channels without having to add another cable box.
Measure the size of the TV including the depth with the mounting bracket to determine your cabinet size. Our TV measures 44w x 25h x 4.25d. Mr. DD made our cabinet fit in between the timbers on the garage. So our box is a bit longer than needed. Our outdoor TV case measures 56W x 30h x 4.5d.
Since we used old barn wood to build our cabinet, we needed to plane the wood to make them all the same thickness. We used this Ridgid planner and shop vac. There is something so fun about running wood through a planner to make it all smooth and remove years of aging.
Figure out the proper viewing height and mount the TV bracket. We were able to place an electrical outlet right under the bracket. Having an electrical outlet inside the cabinet is a must to keep everything protected from the weather.
Cut the wood frame to size and begin to mount it onto the surface. We added wood pieces on the inside of the frame for added support as we screwed the frame into these pieces.
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Our side pieces measure 30 x 4.5 and the top and bottom measure 56 x 5.5. Having a deeper top and bottom allows the doors to fit inside the frame. This allows for more weather protection.
Building the TV cabinet doors
Cut and assemble the wood for the doors. We used wood glue only since we used the wood pieces on the outside.
The wood pieces served 2 purposes, one for support and the other for design. For more support, if you are not using pieces on the outside, use a jig on the inside to screw the panels together.
See the video below on how to use a Kreg Jig.
Our overall door measurement is 29 7/8h x 54.75. The sides of the frame are set in 1/2 inch and there is a 1/4 inch gap to allow for expansion of the wood. We used the wood on the outside to cover up the gap and it also serves as a weather protector.
Attaching the doors to the outdoor television cabinet
Attach these continuous hinges to the door panel first and then attach them to the TV cabinet. Make sure to prill drill the holes to prevent the wood from cracking.
How to weatherproof an outdoor TV cabinet
Yes, they sell these heavy-duty weatherproof TV cabinets, if you did not want to build your own cabinet. Or you can also purchase this fabric weatherproof cover or tv shield that would cover the TV inside your outdoor TV cabinet. We felt these options were not what we wanted so we did it the DIY way, of course.
We used Flex Seal spray waterproofing and sprayed the inside of the cabinet. This stuff really works. It even fixes leaks in our outdoor water fountain.
We added this twist knob lock so we could leave the TV in the cabinet. I know the cabinet looks pretty good with the natural worm-holed wood, however, we painted the tv enclosure to match the house so it would blend in better.
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We also added a hook and eye on the outside of each door to hold the doors open for viewing. This works perfectly to keep the doors open on windy days.
As you can see, our outdoor TV cabinet blends in with the design of our Tudor-style home. We made the box resemble the angled timbers on parts of our home.
Buying outdoor TV cabinets
For those who don’t have the skills or tools to build your own, here are a few that you can purchase.
- Weatherproof outdoor tv enclosure
- Weatherproof TV cover
- Wooden outdoor TV cabinet with lift up door
We added this exact sail shade as our patio is in direct sunlight. This sail shade provides enough shade to watch TV on a sunny day.
This is our main dining spot every dry evening. We love this patio and continue to add upgrades.
A few items on my wish list:
- Gas coffee table fire pit (our current one sits too high for the sectional sofa)
- Remote-controlled fan (mounted under the overhang)
- Waterproof wifi surround sound speakers
- New water feature
- Trash can bin (to hide the can)
Here is the before and after of our patio.
Here is a list of the projects that we have completed in our outdoor living space.
- Removed shrubs on the side of the garage. We actually transplanted them and they are doing great in other areas of our landscape.
- Extended the patio with pavers – this allowed us to use the dirt on the hill to remove the grass and add in landscaping.
- Hung these outdoor string lights
- Built an outdoor sofa
- Built an arbor over the gate
We enjoy our patio 7 months out of the year here in NE Ohio. Since we never know what type of weather to expect we take advantage of the warmer months and use the fire pits on the colder days. Yes, you will find me bundled up next to the fire pits just so I can be outside a little while longer.
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
