# Forum Home Renovation Home Theatres  Shelving unit in fireplace.

## jmn

I am not sure this is the right section for this topic.  Has anyone ever had any experience in building a shelf in a disused fireplace.   
We were either thinking of using it for a book shelf or place a DVD player inside it with the tv mounted on the wall.

----------


## Moondog55

Big subwoofer ?

----------


## jmn

> Big subwoofer ?

  I reckon if I used a big subwoofer the brick fireplace would fall down. Ha ha ha

----------


## seriph1

Hobart? 
How about using it as a fireplace?   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:  
You could use it as a shelving unit but personally I think it'd look a bit off being so close to the floor and relatively small   -   that said, there's nothing stopping you from cutting away the bricks above it and making a killer AV centre, including TV at the 'top' 
.... just don't fall into the trap (let the flames begin - pun intended on both fronts) of placing the TV too high   -   lots of folks do it and it is extremely bad for one's neck, not to mention viewing comfort. Believe it or not, 17 degrees BELOW horizontal is the ideal viewing position.

----------


## seriph1

BTW - is that a repair in the wall above the opening? If so, why was it necessary?

----------


## Black Cat

I think it's just a colour variation in the brickwork ... 
Problems - the chimney, no matter how thoroughly you clean it, will shed soot for years after the last fire (of course you could get in there and scrub it if you could fit, but that seems a bit of overkill. It's also open to the elements, so you will need to block off the top of the chimney before you do anything below. 
I would construct a slide-in cupboard for storage of things that are less vulnerable to damp and temperature variations (oddly fireplaces seem to attract this sort of thing. Solid timber carcass on a recessed
plinth and doors on the front to make it into a nice furniture item. 
And I agree with Seriph - why not put a woodheater in there if you don't like open fires? You're gonna need it this winter ...

----------


## jmn

Yes we pull out the crappy wood heater which was well past it's used by date.  
The repairs above the fireplace was where 3 very ugly sandstone shelves were.

----------


## Cecile

> Big subwoofer ?

  I actually agree with you on this one!

----------


## SilentButDeadly

> Big subwoofer ?

  Infinitely baffled!   "Cult of the Infinitely Baffled"Hear The Bass, Not The Box The definitive online resource for Infinite Baffle subwoofer designEstablished 1999 - Home

----------


## Cecile

> Infinitely baffled!   "Cult of the Infinitely Baffled"Hear The Bass, Not The Box The definitive online resource for Infinite Baffle subwoofer designEstablished 1999 - Home

  Oh dear SBD...Moondog does not need any more encouragement.  According to him, you can never have too many subwoofers.   :No:

----------


## seriph1

> Infinitely baffled!

  Yup .... that's me to a tee

----------


## SilentButDeadly

> Oh dear SBD...Moondog does not need any more encouragement.  According to him, you can never have too many subwoofers.

  Or kitchen sinks!!  :Biggrin:

----------


## bcp

> I am not sure this is the right section for this topic.  Has anyone ever had any experience in building a shelf in a disused fireplace.   
> We were either thinking of using it for a book shelf or place a DVD player inside it with the tv mounted on the wall.

   Yes, exactly what I did.  
1. I created a channel behind the wall with flexible plastic hose to run all the wiring out of the back of the TV, down into the fireplace. 
2. I built shelving for the units. It slid in, as someone else suggested.  The chimney was already blocked above. 
3. Ran power to inside the fireplace
4. Wife changes her mind and so now it's all behind the plaster.  
I was going to simply have glass doors over it.

----------


## tricky4000

I agree with Seriph1 with flat screen placements.  Why do people find it necessary to put their plasmas so high up (above fireplaces).  Its practicle but that's about it!  Best is at eye level while you're sitting on the couch or even a tad lower.  The 17 degree angle sounds ideal.  
Block off that fireplace and hang a flat screen at a height of around 500mm from the ground...a nice low lying cabinet below and you have yourself a theatre room straight out of Vogue Living Magazine.  Your wife will love you for it.

----------

