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Can’t find the right cabinet for your audio/video gear? Consider having one custom-made.
A custom cabinetmaker can build a piece of furniture to your exact specifications, providing you something totally unique. Include more than your preference for maple, though.
As cabinetmaker Mike Schieber of La Crosse, Wis.-based Real Wood Products explains, there are a number of other details to share and decisions to make before construction of your cabinet can begin:
Where do you want it? The current size, shape and layout of the room will often determine the best spot for an entertainment cabinet. Your cabinetmaker needs to know where that spot is so he can design a piece with the proper dimensions (width, height, and depth). Your new cabinet will look as if it has always been a part of the space.
Want match something? Would you describe your living room as traditional, contemporary or another style? Is there a coffee table, a fireplace hearth or crown molding you want the cabinet to complement? Be sure to tell your cabinetmaker so he can pick the perfect wood, stain and hardware.
What will you put in it? There’s more to home entertainment than a big TV. You’ll need components like DVD players, media servers, surround-sound receivers, as well as speakers and amplifiers. You’ll need to decide whether you want your cabinet to hold everything, or just a few components. Your decision will determine the amount of shelving the cabinetmaker puts in, as well as the overall size and shape of the cabinet.
Think about the future. Chances are, the TV you select today will not be the same TV you’ll want five years from now. Upgrades are a fact of home electronics life, and your cabinet should be designed to adapt to those changes. This might include putting removable trim around the TV cavity. The trim will hide the space around the TV you own today. When you upgrade to a larger set, the trim can be removed. Having extra shelves and storage compartments is helpful as well.
A big necessary addition would be to know how to calculate heat removal from the cabinet. This is one of the biggest issues today. Too many people want to wait and see if it will be an issue. Trust me, IT WILL be an issue. It isnt rocket science to figure out how to keep your equipment running at the optimal temperature but it does require more than “drilling a couple of holes”. My advice: talk to your integrator, he/she can guide the cabinet maker through the process. Keep your equipment at the proper temperature and you will have years of enjoyment. If you don’t you will have needless service calls!
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Excellent point Mark. Don’t forget to account for power requirements as well, as once you have the wall unit in place, it’s a lot more difficult to address any additional power requirements, or future needs.
My wife and I had a beautiful custom wall unit built 2 years ago. While it was adequate for the system I had then, we have added a Russound system, and switched from a single receiver to a pre-pro with multiple amplifiers. Add in 2 rack mount amps for in wall subs, the 15 amp breaker powering the stack was nowhere near adequate.
we had to carefully remove the whole unit, so an electrician could run a new 30 amp rated line.