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.
(THERE ARE MORE DETAILS ABOUT MEASUREMENTS ON MY BLOG IN THE WHAT YOU'LL NEED SECTION)
Step 2: Gather all the materials you see above, according to your own personal measurements.
Have a question about this project?
That is great. I have been wanting to do something to hide the tv when it wasn't being used. I was actually wanting to just build a wooden picture frame for the tv and then let my tv display slowly rotating photos from my personal collection. I really do like your idea. Any concern about air flow and heat for the tv?
Our tv is on a pull out arm. When it is on it is pulled out and into the open air, so we do not have concerns about that. My best advice is to check your tv manual, but i would guess most modern OLED and energy star TVs do not produce a significant amount of heat. If you plan to have your tv on constantly and enclosed in a frame, you’ll need to do some research on the heat output of your specific tv.
Doesn't this interfere with the sound/volume as the speakers are in the rear. Causing you to have volume turned louder and being loud in next room?
We don’t even use the tv volume. Instead we have a speaker bar-way better sound and easy to blend as it’s so slim
Where do you hide the wires?
Ours are inside the wall as described above!