How to Build Your Own Speaker Cabinets

Lead Image for How to Build Your Own Speaker Cabinets
What You'll Need
Circular saw
Keyhole saw
Sandpaper
Paint
Wood glue
Drill
1-1/2 inch wood screws
1/2 inch fiberboard
Pencil
What You'll Need
Circular saw
Keyhole saw
Sandpaper
Paint
Wood glue
Drill
1-1/2 inch wood screws
1/2 inch fiberboard
Pencil

A speaker cabinet is a beautiful home accessory. Depending on how many speakers you have in your house, you may have a mess of wires hanging behind tables, desks and jammed in corners. A speaker cabinet will not only keep your wires untangled and out of sight, but it will also add a beautiful aesthetic to your home. With a few power tools and some materials from your local home improvement store, you can build your own custom speaker cabinet for the fraction of the cost of a retail cabinet.

Layout the Speakers

Lay a piece of fiberboard on the floor. Sit the speakers on top of the fiberboard, face-up, and mark a rectangle around each speaker. It is best to leave a predetermined space between the speakers. Play around with their placement and see what you like best. Also, draw a hole for where you will run the wires out of the back of the cabinet. Be sure to consider the depth of the speakers. Mark the measurements of the speakers and add a few inches for air space. The depth of the deepest speaker, plus air space, is going to be the width of the side panels.

Cut the Fiberboard Panels

Cut the first fiberboard panel to size. Use the keyhole saw to cut the holes for the wires. Use a steady hand so that the cabinet looks neat and professional. Using the first panel as a guide, cut two more panels of the same size. You now have three panels. These three panels will be the top, bottom, and rear of the cabinet. Next, you need to draw two identical panels on the fiberboard for the sides of the cabinet. Use your measurements for the length and width to determine the accurate size of the side panels.

Prepare the Panels

Sand the panels to make sure that there are no rough edges. Paint the cabinet with paint of your choice. If you are working in a well-ventilated area, spray paint will make for an easy and speedy job. Allow the panels to dry completely before moving on to the next step. If you prefer to stain your cabinet, you can do so as well. Choose the finishing touch that will complement your home's decor.

Assemble the Cabinet

As you assemble the cabinets, work deliberately. Fit all of the pieces together with the wood glue. Make sure that you use enough glue to get a firm fit but be careful because you don’t want to have glue oozing from the seams of the cabinet. Once the glue is completely dry, use your drill to drive the wood nails into the cabinet to secure it. Give your cabinets at least a day to dry.

Your speakers can now sit beautifully in your new cabinet and your wires don’t have to clutter your home.