Ever wondered how a custom entertainment center comes together? At Raleigh Woodworks, we design and build custom media centers for our clients quite frequently, and no two are ever quite the same. Each build is its own unique creation—that’s what makes it custom! We craft the piece to fit the room, and the space, we’re working with. Does this complicate the process a bit? Well sure, but the result is more than worth the extra work! Take a look.
How We Craft a Custom Entertainment Center
Ready to see how the magic happens? Here are four steps we take to go from empty space to beautiful media center.
We make a plan
The first step to any successful building project is, of course, making a plan. We take measurements of the area to see what we’ve got to work with and note existing electrical and HVAC components. We try to avoid HVAC vents when possible, or reroute them if it’s not, but we’ll never cover them.
Next in our planning process, we’ll consider what kind of storage will be included (drawers, open shelves, doors, and so on) and how they’ll be placed.
We start the build
Up next on the agenda… jumping right in! Using our dimensions and drawings, we create “cut sheets” to determine the wood sizes of each component. Generally, we’ll start with base cabinets, then build upper units. Once the base frame is done, we add in trim and doors, drawers, shelving, and more.
We paint and prep for install
Once we have the majority of the components built and assembled, we’ll send them to our paint booth for a smooth application of paint using our Graco sprayers. After they’re painted, we wrap them up so we can safely store and move them until they’re ready to be installed.
We install the components and finish up
On installation day, we typically transport the components of the cabinets in pieces (depending on where our clients live, it can be pretty tricky trying to carry a half-ton cabinet up several flights of stairs or across a busy street!). Once we’ve got all our pieces together, we assemble the larger pieces on site and fix them securely to the wall, then each other.
Finally, we install doors and hardware and add any trim, such as baseboards, shoemold, or crown molding, to finish it off. If necessary, we’ll caulk or apply touch-up paint. And voila! It’s done!
Eager for a Custom Entertainment Center of Your Own?
Ready to flaunt a flawless entertainment center in your living room, den, or family room? We’d love to lend a hand! Contact Raleigh Woodworks today, and let’s chat about your project… and how we can help you bring it to life!
