Has a home theater been your dream for long but you believe you do not have enough space for it? Forget about such excuses! Now, you can either buy a TV lift and install your home theater in a place you want, or you can make your own lift system. The first option might cost pretty much. But if you have the needed money and you have found a system that you like, why not use it?
If you want to save some funds or you prefer something customized, making a DIY TV lift for your interior is the best option. You will need to buy a lift system here, and all the other elements you can make on your own.
Where Can You Install the New Home Theater?
We believe that you know already where you want to have your new home theater. If you are in doubt, we can suggest some ideas.
If you are planning to get a fireplace, it is a good idea to check one with a slot for TV. Modern options even have a power outlet for such purposes. Check if the slot size is big enough for your home theater, and the issue is solved. It looks modern and stylish. Though if you have a fireplace and are planning to install the screen in it or behind it, this idea is not the best one. If the fireplace is not made to be used with a TV set, the influence on your TV might be devastating. Drastic changes in temperature and humidity will decrease the item service life and deteriorate the experience in general.
Do you have an old dresser that has to be thrown away but is kept for some reason? You can use it to install your home theater there!
Make a Proper Cabinet
While the idea with a fireplace is clear: everything is already installed there, you might opt for a dresser.
- To build a nice TV cabinet, remove all the drawers if any. Done? Now, remove the backing. If you want to use it later, try not to damage it.
- With a pencil, mark the TV length and width on the cabinet deck. You will need to make an opening there to let the screen popup and hide. Cut out the slot. The piece that you got shall be now attached with hinges to the deck. In a closed position, it shall close the slot when the screen hides. You might consider cushioning the piece. If you do so, it will close softly instead of dropping on the TV when the screen is lowered.
- Make a wooden box for the screen. Fix it under the slot. Your TV screen will live there. Don’t forget about an opening for the TV lift mechanism.
- Remove the face side of the drawers and attach it to the cabinet with double-sided tape.
Now, the cabinet for your new home theater is ready. You can move on to the TV lift part.
Choose a TV Lift System Correctly
First, you need to choose a TV lift. You can make it, too, but you need good skills, special tools, and solid knowledge of the technology. If you do not have experience with such things, your TV lift might end up collapsing and destroying your TV screen and all the equipment.
- Thus, the first crucial feature is the TV lift power. It must handle the weight of your TV screen and the equipment if any. Consider that it shall be supported in movement, not just when the installation is static. Thus, just weighing the installation is not enough. There is a special formula to calculate the weight that a TV lift shall be able to handle. It considers, the actual weight of the equipment, the location where the actuator is installed, and all other crucial factors.
- The stroke length will determine at which distance your theater screen will be moved. Measure it properly if you do not want the screen to popup partially or to float over the desk instead of resting on it.
- If the TV lift is for indoors, it shall operate silently. Choose the one that does not generate noise. This small detail might spoil the entire experience if you must listen to unpleasant sounds every time you want to watch a movie.
If the TV lift is hidden in the dresser, its design might be not crucial. Though if you want you can choose the nicest one.
Now, It Is Time to Install the Theatre!
Once you are ready with all the preparations, you can fix the items. Attach the TV lift to the back wall of the dresser. If you believe that it is not sturdy enough (in most cases it cannot support the weight of a big screen and the weight of the lift system), consider reinforcing it. You can mount a metal or wooden bar on the back side and fix the application on the bar.
The TV lift comes with special supports for the screen. Mount the screen on the supports and fix it. do it properly otherwise, it might fall and get damaged.
Cabling is one more issue. In your case, you can just leave it hidden in the dresser. Fix them with special cable clips to avoid tangling. If you want, you might hire an electrician to hide them completely, but we believe that indeed, this is not the case when you need it. The main thing is to avoid interfering with the moving screen and tangling.
You can install the cable box anywhere in the dresser. Just make sure it does not interfere with anything.
Test the Installation and Enjoy It!
Finally, you can test the installation. Check whether the screen popups properly and hides smoothly. Once more verify that everything is installed firmly enough. Make the last adjustments if needed. After that, your home theater is ready to be used. Invite your close people and enjoy it! It may also be a good idea to invest in a hifi audio system like the ones you see in Hifi Shark.
