How to fix bowed TV unit?

Hi there,

After some advice on how to repair (if possible) our bowed tv unit. The unit is meant to support twice the weight of the tv, however, the stand of the tv is narrow, putting it’s full weight into the middle of the unit. The top and bottom are now bowed as a result. We’ve put in a couple of makeshift timber supports in the middle shelf you can see in the photo but it hasn’t made much of a difference.

Would rather try adding support to the unit over replacing entirely if possible.

Thank you!

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @rebecca94. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about a bowed TV unit.

It looks like the current makeshift supports are only helping at the rear of the unit, which is why the front is still sagging under the TV’s weight. To really stop the bowing, you need to add support toward the front edge as well. The same principle applies to the bottom if it’s dipping in the middle a central support there will help prevent it from sagging further.

One practical solution is to use a solid panel, such as a multi-use timber panel, cut to the same size as the top of the entertainment unit. Placing this panel directly on top will bridge the distance across to the legs, effectively distributing the weight more evenly and adding roughly 18 mm of structural support. This alone may be enough to hold the TV safely, but if you want to correct the existing bow, you can combine it with additional central supports underneath.

If you can access the underside of the top, you could even drill up through the existing top and into the new panel using screws that are short enough not to penetrate through the visible surface. This technique can help draw the bowed top back into alignment and compress it against the new panel for added rigidity.

Overall, bridging the top across the legs with a well-fitted panel while reinforcing key points underneath is likely the most straightforward way to prevent further bowing and maintain the unit without replacing it entirely.

Let me tag @Dave-1 and @AlanM52 for their thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

AlanM52

Hi @rebecca94,

I have been involved with these situations before and have learnt the hard way (only joking) to only engage (if there is one) with 'The Lady of the House' 🙂.

I propose distributing the load down into the cupboard side panels.

Using a panel that @MitchellMc suggested.

If you are OK with that and need more info come back to further discuss...

Cheers

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @rebecca94

I am thinking of a mixture of what the other Bunnings members have suggested 🙂

- Long pink bar, is actually a piece of solid timber as @MitchellMc suggested or a benchtop type deal cut down. Its to distribute the weight more evenly. @AlanM52 also has this in his suggestion.

- The green foot, its actuall an added foot in the middle or even two in the middle.

- The blue solid, is a single support at the rear, or two close to the center hole.

- The dotted green. Support inside the bottm section of the cupboard.
02 30-12-2025.JPG

My thinking is to distribute the weight overall, so its not just the pink bar but all three of the colours being used.

A - to fix the bowing

B - to carry the load.

The cabinet can carry twice the weight as you say, but thats if the "body" was lying horizontal across the whole top. If I stood in the middle... well I think it would bow even more so 🙂 They calculate the weight it can carry through the feet. Also the interior makeup of the top and bottom of the cabinet may be a honeycomb type deal (depending on how much the unit weighs will tell you that easily) so screwing things in may be a little problematic. Thats what I like the supports cut to fit the height (when the weight has been removed) and then glued in.

Dave

rebecca94

Thank you @MitchellMc @Dave-1 @AlanM52, all great ideas. Will start with the top panel as you all suggested and go from there.
Thanks again, appreciate it.

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