I just purchased a t.v. that will barely fit my entertainment center if I take the doors off of it.?

Question

Is there a way I can easily put the doors back on when guests come over? Both doors are 1 piece doors that close in the middle. When opened all the way they can slide back into the unit, on both sides of the t.v. I don't care if I lose this functionality, but I would like to temporarily be able to put the doors back on in the easiest way when people come over. Please let me know any solutions. Thank you.

Answer 1

Since the TV won't fit with the doors open and slid inside the center, you'll have to use a different type of hinge altogether - and maybe even new doors.

You'll need a hinge that will allow the door to open and swing 180 degrees, like the shutters on a house.  Otherwise, the doors will be sticking straight out, like a kitchen cabinet door,  which will block your view of the TV unless you are sitting right in front of it.

If you only want the doors on when guests are over, one thing you might try is install a curtain rod at the top of the opening.  Take the doors, and attach them together (use some thin pieces of ply wood on the back of the doors, and hold them in place with some small nails and glue.)  Attach some hooks on the top of the now single "door".  When guests arrive, simply hang the door on the curtain rod (be sure the hooks and rod are strong enough to support the weight of the doors!)   When they leave, simply remove the "door" and set aside.

Another idea is just get rid of the doors altogether.  Now go to the store and look for a roman shade that will fit over the opening.  A roman shade is essentially a piece of cloth that's weighted on the bottom, and has a pull string.  When you pull the string, the cloth rises up, like a normal blind.  When you let go of the string, the blind goes back down.  They're inexpensive and easy to install.  Best of all, with a bit of creativity, you can cover the blind with something interesting for your guests to look at instead of the TV screen.  

In fact, you can make your own roman shade with a piece of cloth, a wooden or metal rod (to weigh down the bottom) some string and pulleys.  Plans can be found on the web.  For the shade itself, take your measurements to a fabric store.  Most places also have sewing machines for customers to borrow for simple jobs like this.