Mounting TV inside a cabinet

[GinSoakedBoy]

I have been asked by my old man to mount a TV on an articulating arm inside a piece of furniture (Antique style, modern joinery, well built and heavy weight construction).

The unit originally had a much smaller (15inch) TV inside it on a sliding turn table. Dad now wants a bigger TV installed inside it, and due to its position in the room wants it on an articulating arm.

I need to come up with a solution that isn't destructive (some screwing is ok), and wont tip / destabilise the whole unit over when the arm is extended.

Apologies for the crap photo - this is the unit and the space the TV needs to sit in taken face on.

The back panel is 11mm ply. It is rebated into the body of the unit.

My concern is bolting an articulating swing arm and TV to 11mm ply is probably going to end in a disaster, with the arm ripping out of the back at some point.

I have been trying to come up with a possible solution, but interested to know if anyone has an idea on how this could be done?

Here are some of the ideas I have considered but would appreciate anyone else's thoughts.

1. Cut and attach 18mm ply to the backside of the 11mm ply, then bolt the tv mount through both bits of ply. Hopefully the near 30mm thickness of ply will support a TV with the arm at full extension.

1. Make a L shaped stand with triangular bracing out of 18mm ply that sits in the available space, and is screwed to the 11mm ply, and also screwed into the bottom shelf. Then bolt the tv mount through both bits of ply. Hopefully this way the weight of the TV on the articulating arm is being shared by the back and the lower shelf.

1. Mount a 4x2 to the wall behind the unit, mount the tv bracket to the 4x2 through the 11mm ply. (Issues is that this will probably be visible viewing the unit side on (not what they want).

Really interested to hear peoples thoughts on the best solution?

Thanks

James

 

[johnny2007]

The 18mm ply is a good idea, but you need to fix the whole unit to the wall otherwise it might become unstable.

 

[big-all]

into the wall behind with say 20/30mm spacers unconnected to the cabinet just through holes at the back

 

[foxhole]

Just a 4x2 across the rear will easily hold the weight. You idea way OTT .

 

[johnny2007]

Just a 4x2 across the rear will easily hold the weight. You idea way OTT .

Yes, this will work too, but I would also secure the unit to the wall by something more substantial than the 11mm backing.

 

[foxhole]

Yes, this will work too, but I would also secure the unit to the wall by something more substantial than the 11mm backing.

You can’t get anything heavy enough inside a small cabinet like that for it to need securing into the wall.
My entire workshop walls are 11mm osb and easily support all my shelving and tools and fittings and worktops.
A tiny tv on a bracket is an easy fix.

 

[big-all]

general comments
if you secure the back firmly to the wall along a large area you are opening a can off worms
the floor and wall will never be exactly in line square and level so you will distort the cabinet often lifting the base off the floor in a corner or two
this will both put strain on all the joints when loaded it can also cause misaligning off doors and possible jamming
hence my suggestion to space off the wall through holes in the cabinet back as this wont move the cabinet out off line

 

[FrodoOne]

I have been asked by my old man to mount a TV on an articulating arm inside a piece of furniture (Antique style, modern joinery, well built and heavy weight construction).View attachment 389502

The unit originally had a much smaller (15inch) TV inside it on a sliding turn table. Dad now wants a bigger TV installed inside it, and due to its position in the room wants it on an articulating arm.

I need to come up with a solution that isn't destructive (some screwing is ok), and wont tip / destabilise the whole unit over when the arm is extended.

Apologies for the crap photo - this is the unit and the space the TV needs to sit in taken face on.

The back panel is 11mm ply. It is rebated into the body of the unit.

My concern is bolting an articulating swing arm and TV to 11mm ply is probably going to end in a disaster, with the arm ripping out of the back at some point.

I have been trying to come up with a possible solution, but interested to know if anyone has an idea on how this could be done?

Here are some of the ideas I have considered but would appreciate anyone else's thoughts.

1. Cut and attach 18mm ply to the backside of the 11mm ply, then bolt the tv mount through both bits of ply. Hopefully the near 30mm thickness of ply will support a TV with the arm at full extension.

View attachment 389500

1. Make a L shaped stand with triangular bracing out of 18mm ply that sits in the available space, and is screwed to the 11mm ply, and also screwed into the bottom shelf. Then bolt the tv mount through both bits of ply. Hopefully this way the weight of the TV on the articulating arm is being shared by the back and the lower shelf.

View attachment 389501

1. Mount a 4x2 to the wall behind the unit, mount the tv bracket to the 4x2 through the 11mm ply. (Issues is that this will probably be visible viewing the unit side on (not what they want).

Really interested to hear peoples thoughts on the best solution?

Thanks

James

I am always surprised when persons post such questions without giving any (and all) Significant Dimensions.

A "15 Inch" TV may have been a heavy CRT device or a more recent (lightweight) digital device.
Who knows?

One wonders concerning the use of an "articulating arm"

Is the TV supposed to hang on an "arm" which can be pulled out and swiveled?
(The mind boggles
and
the questions are many.)

Then there are the "mixed-up" dimensions.
A 15 Inch (Diagonal) TV may be of the Ratio of 4/3 or 16/9.
In the first case, the screen will be 12" * 9 "
or
in the second case, the screen will be 13" *7.4".

Actually, these dimensions will be in MILLIMETRES of
300 * 230
or
330 * 190
each of which has a diagonal of 380 mm.

Mixing up dimensions more,
4 x 2 (4" x 2") has been suggested, which is 90 * 42 (mm) - in modern day "Dressed Timber" terms

Such a size of timber seems to be inordinately "heavy", for a modern lightweight Digital TV of such a size,
which is miniscule - in modern day terms !

 

[johnny2007]

You can’t get anything heavy enough inside a small cabinet like that for it to need securing into the wall.
My entire workshop walls are 11mm osb and easily support all my shelving and tools and fittings and worktops.
A tiny tv on a bracket is an easy fix.

Your 11mm walls are attached to something else (masonry I suppose) not floating.
A 5 kg weight levering on a 500mm arm outwards can easily tilt that cabinet.
I would fix the top of the cabinet to the wall with brackets: 2 minutes job for a lifetime of peace of mind.

 

[foxhole]

Your 11mm walls are attached to something else (masonry I suppose) not floating.
A 5 kg weight levering on a 500mm arm outwards can easily tilt that cabinet.
I would fix the top of the cabinet to the wall with brackets: 2 minutes job for a lifetime of peace of mind.

Not going to get much bigger tv inside that ,even at 24” it weight is around 3kg. Those tv cabinets are very heavy and easily hold the weight .
As for my OSB walls , they are fixed top and bottom only with a baton to rear to join .

 

[johnny2007]

Not going to get much bigger tv inside that ,even at 24” it weight is around 3kg. Those tv cabinets are very heavy and easily hold the weight .
As for my OSB walls , they are fixed top and bottom only with a baton to rear to join .

In that case I wish the op good luck.
Those cabinets tilt and fall, don't ask me how I know.

 

[GinSoakedBoy]

Just want to thank everyone that has contributed their suggestions.

Just to update -

TV that is going inside the cabinet is a 32 inch, its not spectacularly heavy (4.5 to 7kgs depending on tv) but it weighs enough to cause concern, especially if the display arm is extended out.

Screwing a 4x2 or similar to the wall and then screwing through the backboard into that is a solid suggestion and would have been my preference, but the old man appears unhappy with the suggestion as he is concerned about the 4x2 being visible when the unit is viewed side on.

I didn't mention it in the original post but the unit is in two separate sections. If you look to the bottom of the first image would can see where the two halves come together. So tipping is a concern.

Having read the replies and mulled over some options. I think a discreet option would be to apply some flat brackets to bottom of the back panel, anchoring the top half to the bottom half, then adding some discreet metal L brackets to the top of the unit which I can fix into the wall. This will hopefully prevent any possibility of the unit tipping - by anchoring the top of the unit to the wall and the bottom to the substantial base unit

I know it also seems overkill but I think I will make the internal L shaped stand. I think it will help spread the load within the unit across the back panel and the shelf below. I also have the materials to hand and its no great undertaking to produce. It also means that everything is contained inside the unit itself.

Will update with the final result!

 

[FrodoOne]

Having read the replies and mulled over some options. I think a discreet option would be to apply some flat brackets to bottom of the back panel, anchoring the top half to the bottom half, then adding some discreet metal L brackets to the top of the unit which I can fix into the wall. This will hopefully prevent any possibility of the unit tipping - by anchoring the top of the unit to the wall and the bottom to the substantial base unit

For the "discreet metal L brackets",
if you mount them so that the vertical "side" to be anchored to the wall is pointing downwards, they are unlikely to be visible from floor level.

You would need to mark the "level" for the brackets on the wall - with the cabinet in position -
remove the cabinet,
screw the brackets to the wall
then
reposition the cabinet - under the brackets -
and
screw the horizontal sides of the brackets into the cabinet top.


Depending on the swivel bracket which you choose,
don't forget to provide an access hole
in an appropriate position
for the "signal" cables
and
large enough for the "Power Plug" on the power cord.

Unless the Power Cord also "plugs into" the back of the TV,
you will need a hole large enough to accommodate a BS 1363 plug.


Of course, you could remove (most of) the back panel
and mount the Swivel/Extendable Arm directly on the wall !