One of the key parts of your home theatre setup is also one that is surprisingly often overlooked, or picked solely on the basis of cost – your TV stand. There are plenty of good models around, that will cater to any system, but one of the more satisfying options for a home handyperson is to make your own stand!

If you do want to try making your own TV stand, there are a few basic tools you will need. A cordless drill with a screwdriver bit will be indispensable, as will a jigsaw if you have one. If you have access to a table saw you will have no problems cutting wood to size, but if not your hardware store may be able to cut most of your wood to size to save some time.

Before you start planning, consider the style of your theater seating and other furniture. If you have fairly traditional or rustic styled seats, a stained wood TV cabinet with beveled edges and ornate trim might fit the bill; for contemporary furniture you may be better off either constructing your TV stand out of laminated particle board, which comes in a range of colors, or using wood and painting with a gloss enamel afterwards. If you are really creative, and handy with your tools, there are even options to use alternative materials like Perspex, or checker plate steel. If you are taking this route, try auto supply stores – many sell a plastic based version of checker plate, used for decoration.

For a simple wooden TV stand, you will need:

• Plywood or particle board for the sides
• Sturdy pine for the legs and rails
• Sturdier wood for the top and shelves (using interlocking floorboards is cheaper than buying one larger board)
• Dowels for joining

The basic design is simple – start by cutting four posts to the height you want your stand to be. Then, cut four rails to fit between these, top and bottom for each. Lay out these pieces on your work surface to make 2 rectangular shapes. Now, start joining these frames together by drilling matching holes for the dowel joints, and fitting the dowels in these holes with some wood glue to secure them. Clamp or put pressure on the joints while they dry. You should end up with two frames, which can now be joined together by the addition of two more rails for the left and right sides to make a cube. Now, it is just a matter of using wood screws to attach the sides and top of the TV stand. For a professional finish, countersink these screws and use some wood putty to fill in the holes afterward. Voila! A professional quality, homemade TV stand is yours – with only a half day work and well under $100 in costs. All that remains is stain and varnish, and enjoy your new stand.