# Hidden Door



## woodbutchr (Jul 31, 2007)

I have to build a hidden door to an upstairs attic/bedroom in a very old house. When you open the door you are immediately going to land on the first step so I gotta make the door around 87" tall to get as much headroom from that first step as I can. 

The kicker is I gotta use 6" beadboard on the horizontal as the facing. The wall is 7' long & I have a 32" door in the middle of it so there's gonna have to be a couple butt joints in the BB. I need some baseboard also which will interfere with the opening clearance unless I use a pipe hinge as it was done here http://www.woodworkingcorner.com/hiddendoor.php

I'm thinking about a 3/4" piece of ply with the BB nailed to the face? How am I gonna hide the butt joints?


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## reveivl (May 29, 2005)

Panel the entire wall and make one of the panels hinged.


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## genecarp (Mar 16, 2008)

The applicatio you describe will not let you hide the baseboard butt joint, can you build a narrow bookshelf on the wall that opens? Even an 8'' deep shelf unit will let you completely conceal. GMOD


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## woodbutchr (Jul 31, 2007)

The area is in the kitchen so do ya think a bookshelf will look outta place? If I put any kinda shelf on the door, that will move the pipe hinge further toward the center of the door to accommodate the swing, right? With a 32" door, I don't have much room.
Thinking more about it now, if I don't have room between the door and 1st step for a pipe hinge to swing I may have to raise the door up to the top of the step & that'd let me run the base full length with having to incorporate it into the door itself. 
Just gotta hide the joints! I'm waiting on her to get back with me on running the BB vertically. That would make it all elementary.


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## Cjeff (Dec 14, 2009)

Some sort of shelving unit, or even a decorative panel/artwork. Any chance of pictures?

A booksehlf/display shelf can look good in a kitchen. Can you recess it into the wall?


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## gregj (Jul 31, 2006)

Go with a "built in" bookshelf recessed into the wall. It will look like it belongs in the kitchen. The face frame hides everything. Make it around 6-8" deep with the bottom just high enough that it passes right above the first step when closed. Hopefully that is high enough to be above the baseboard. Extend the first step all the way to the face so there's no gap between the step and the wall. (this might make the first step out of code because it's a different depth but otherwise you'll have a joint in the baseboard that will scream "Door here!". 

BTW that door in the link is not what I'd call hidden. One glance and it's obvious that it's a door.


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## woodbutchr (Jul 31, 2007)

gregj said:


> Go with a "built in" bookshelf recessed into the wall. It will look like it belongs in the kitchen. The face frame hides everything. Make it around 6-8" deep with the bottom just high enough that it passes right above the first step when closed. Hopefully that is high enough to be above the baseboard. Extend the first step all the way to the face so there's no gap between the step and the wall. (this might make the first step out of code because it's a different depth but otherwise you'll have a joint in the baseboard that will scream "Door here!".
> 
> BTW that door in the link is not what I'd call hidden. One glance and it's obvious that it's a door.


Thanks Greg, that's *exactly* what I'm trying to talk her into at this time.


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## Anderson (Sep 7, 2009)

make sure and post some b4 and after pics


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## bdoles (Sep 11, 2007)

Here's a few photos from a house I recently worked in. I didn't build/install the bookcases, so no details from my end.


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## BillD (Jun 9, 2008)

I agree with gregj. 

Trying to put a "hidden door" in a wall that has horizontal finishes does not work. I've been asked to hide doors when doing home theaters and the term "hidden door" is subjective. Some people are happy to make it less noticeable than a regular door and others want it to disappear.

Good luck, and I'd like to see the finished product as well.

Bill


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## woodbutchr (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks y'all for your input. She has had some unexpected college expenses to come up so this little project is on hold for awhile.
This economy sucks!


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