Repourpose Old Tv Cabinet

I needed a tv stand that could hold my 55 in flat screen but couldn't find a tv stand cheap enough that was wide enough. I noticed though there were a lot of tv cabinets for free though so I decided to figure out a way to reuse one for my needs. From here spawned the idea for this instructable. I didn't think about taking pictures until after I cut the sides off so no pictures of me sawing. Sorry.

Materials Needed:
Tv cabinet
Drill
Screws
Power Saw
4 L Brackets
Ingenuity

Step 1: Find an Old Tv Cabinet

There are several of these out there in various condition. I got mine for free on craigslist. I used one similar to this except it had a sliding dvd storage the height of where the tv goes. That's the reason for two middle braces in mine.

Step 2: Figure Out What Design You Need

I decided I wanted a space for my DVD player and cable box so I cut the sides to 4 inches above the first shelf for I total of 28in. I then cut the pieces around the dvd shelf to 4 in for a middle support. I secured these 4 in pieces from the bottom with wood screws.

Step 3: Figure Up How to Attach Top

So looking at the top I wanted to keep a solid surface and not drill down through it. To do this I used 4 L brackets in the corners so that I didn't have to worry about it going anywhere. I found it easiest to mock the top on then mark the places for the brackets. Then pre drill the holes for securing the L brackets by removing the top again. Screw the brackets onto the top then onto the sides. Makes things a lot easier.

Step 4: Enjoy Your New Flat Screen Tv Stand!

By this point everything should be set to test it out and see if it'll hold the weight of a tv. As long as everything looks good enjoy!