Asked on Feb 01, 2015

I have an old console TV that doesn't work. I would like to reuse it.

Brenda
by Brenda
Maybe turn the cabinet into a fake fireplace!!
This is the TV. I have a bookcase I put on each side and a mantle across the top.
  30 answers
  • Helen Cardwell Helen Cardwell on Feb 01, 2015
    Take all the inner workings out and waterproof it and make it into a fishtank.
  • Faye Faye on Feb 01, 2015
    Take the old picture tube out and put in a new flat screen TV
  • 512181 512181 on Feb 01, 2015
    Although I do not recommend this, one of the funniest images I have in my head is from an article where an older couple in NYC got a new flat screen tv and just used the old TV console they had as the "stand" for the new tv. It was practical, and it worked for them! The article was about how this couple had lived in the apartment for 60 years or so and had not redecorated in all that time. Trends did not tempt them to buy and redo!
  • Katphish Katphish on Feb 01, 2015
    Take the old TV out and turn it into a pet bed!
  • Susan Lightcap Susan Lightcap on Feb 01, 2015
    Once the TV was hauled out, I'd removed the side doors, the hardware on the bottom drawer(s), sand with liquid sander, then add shelves in the middle and on the sides, paint and distress, and have a fine low bookshelf or display shelves.
  • Sandra Perry Sandra Perry on Feb 01, 2015
    I have a beautiful piece of furniture in my dining room that use to be a console TV. My father took the workings out and put a shelf in, so I have two shelves on in the middle and one that was the bottom. He put velvet material on them so the dishes wouldn't scratch. He put sliding plexi glass doors that are opaque. The bottom where there looked like there was a door he put a piano hinge and now I have storage for very large platters. The wood is beautiful and it blends in with the dining room and offers me a server top with ultimate storage inside. Good luck.
  • Ann Edmondson Ann Edmondson on Feb 01, 2015
    In my opinion, take out the old TV workings, add a shelf (or two if space enough) in the center. Put DVD player, cable box and/or gaming console on these. Set the flat screen on top and you have a great stand. You could sand and pain or re-stain the wood.
  • Anna Le Blanc Anna Le Blanc on Feb 01, 2015
    I found an old Asian style stereo console in the trash and we revived the wood - sanded and painted it and our flat screen sits on top. You can remove the tv and anything on the inside and hinges on the bottom. Sand and paint it. I also made a shelf insert to store our dvds. Or books - and use it as a tv stand.
  • Mowlyn Mowlyn on Feb 01, 2015
    We had an old console,hubby cut out the old tv and removed all the wires and tubes.It made a great desk for children and grandchildren. It looked a lot like the photo.Good luck.
  • Kathy Sorrentino Kathy Sorrentino on Feb 01, 2015
    you could use electric log set, it you want to make it a fake fireplace, of course remove the works of the tv, have to build a box for that area, make sure it is safe, and put the log set in.
  • Debra Thommen Reynolds Debra Thommen Reynolds on Feb 01, 2015
    Do you have a dog..you could make that into a pet bed/kennel...
  • Terry Terry on Feb 01, 2015
    Take out the T.V. workings and maybe put in some glass shelves for your knick-knacks. Maybe even add a light above them to show them off.
  • Cynthia Jensen Cynthia Jensen on Feb 01, 2015
    Finished product
  • Bobbi Perreault Bobbi Perreault on Feb 01, 2015
    A fireplace would be pretty! We made our old console TV into a closed cat box house. Now we don't have to look at the cat box. Their food and water is on top of the old TV so that saves floor space too. The big opening is covered with a hinged door for cleaning it out. Hubs even put a night light inside so they're not doing their duty in the dark. He extended the back out about 8 inches and that is where they go in and out from.
  • Buldoger Buldoger on Feb 01, 2015
    take all the guts out and tfr old TV into a dog's bed. I've seen them from plain to bling.....I've seen then converted as a pet's bed and used as an end table etc.
  • Kimberly Van Dyke Kimberly Van Dyke on Feb 01, 2015
    Gut it. Ditch the hardware, Paint it off white or expresso and stick an electric firebox in it. They have fireboxes different sizes. Put a framed in flat sceen on the wall above it. Sounds cozy to me!
  • Susan Susan on Feb 01, 2015
    Fish tank !
  • Linda Linda on Feb 02, 2015
    My sister had a TV console like this one and when the TV went and died, she removed it and put a new TV inside the same opening.
  • Tracy Tracy on Feb 02, 2015
    I would take out the tv, paint it a color of choice, put industrial wheels on it and use it as my sewing/craft center. I have put big wheels (lots of choices out there) on a few old pieces and it makes them so versatile. I did this to an old tv/stereo counsel. It sits against the wall in our family room but then I pull it out and I can work all around it. the total height with wheels is 35". Good luck!
  • Cindy Nelson Cindy Nelson on Feb 02, 2015
    Put some round or donut shaped legs on it (to give it some height), take out the TV and add a shelf. Then get some glass doors and mount in opening. Use for an addition in your dining room as a buffet and somewhere to store/showcase your fine dinnerware or glasses. I'm thinking about doing this to an old, long 1960's record player/stereo cabinet for my home.
  • JoAnn JoAnn on Feb 03, 2015
    I have one right now. I plan on taking out the tv, removing the speaker covers and placing hinges on them so they open. Mine has a record player and a radio. Pretty much gutting everything to make it easier. It will end up being a pet station. Behind one hinged door I will keep the food items, one will have clothes, the record player side will have poop bags, leaches, etc. The other will have toys...
  • Judy Schmitter Judy Schmitter on Feb 03, 2015
    I like your idea of making it a faux fireplace. Turn it upside down and insert an electric fire with the faux logs. If you need some more heighth, build a simple hearth for it to sit on with 2X4's and tile on the top. This could be really cute, especially if you add a mantle on the wall to add more reality to it.
  • a fake fireplace could be really cute! If you're a pet owner, there's some really neat dog bed upcycles from old tv's on this site as well :)
  • MacGIRLver MacGIRLver on Feb 08, 2015
    Be careful removing the electronics, some of these will blow up, it happened to my husband.
  • Fig2 Fig2 on Feb 19, 2015
    You can buy fireplace inserts that you could put in depending if you were able to get one the right size??? My mom has a large wall unit that used to hold one of those old style thick TV's... we bought her a new large flat screen TV and stand for her 90th birthday.We then bought a 26" fireplace insert and put it in the wall unit ...it has 2 heat control levels or you can also have just the flame ... it also came with a remote.It looks beautiful and she absolutely loves it! :)
  • J J on Jul 30, 2018

    How to Convert a consol to a flat screen...

    -unplug and carefully remove backing and the inner guts and unscrew old glass tube. Leave dials.

    -position a 32 inch flat screen pushing it as far in as possible.

    -Come up with a shelf and just make sure u can still use your remote. Brace with a metal strap. See picture

    -fill in any space with something. We used some black foam sticker cushioning we had in our shed.

    Reattach backing

    -took less than an hour. voila!

  • Donna Brunow Donna Brunow on Jul 30, 2018

    I saw on TV The show Tanked took an old TV console and made an aquarium out of it, it was so beautiful and it was able to blend with the rest of the room. Perhaps you could go to their site. Show is on the Animal Planet/Tanked. Let me know what you decided.

  • Merle Merle on Sep 11, 2022

    Paint it grey or black and put a old pillow case with a old towel or some matieral over the pillow for a pet bed