If you’re looking at ways to upgrade your home, you may have landed on a secret door and secret room. Congrats! Your house is about to become the envy of all your neighbors – or at least the ones who know about your hidden passageway.
If you know exactly where you want your secret door to seamlessly blend into an existing bookcase or wall, your next step is going to be installing that door and bringing your dream to a reality. Below is a step-by-step guide to installing your secret door and truly transforming your house into something unique.
Step 1: Measure Your Doorway
Before you begin buying materials, you’re going to want to know exactly how big your door is going to be. This includes measuring the doorframe’s height, width, and depth. The old adage of measure twice and cut once has never been truer when installing a secret door, so be sure you have exact measurements before proceeding to step two.
Step 2: Cut Out Your Secret Door
Now that you’ve located where your door is going to go and you have your exact measurements, your next step is going to be to cut the wood needed for your door’s frame or to cut out where the doorframe is going to go. This will depend on whether you’re adding a secret door into an existing wall – in which case you’ll need to measure the door frame, buy the material, and cut the wood to match your door’s frame – or whether you’re adding a secret door into an existing piece inside your home like a bookshelf – in which case you’ll need to cut out space within the bookshelf that’s an exact match to your doorframe.
Step 3: Installing the Latches
You’ve measured twice and cut once, and your doorframe is taking shape. Next, you’ll want to begin installing the doorframe and the hardware that’ll allow the door to open and close. This is a critical moment in your secret door’s installation. With the right hinge, you can be completely sure that your door will remain a secret to those not looking for it. Your secret door can’t use a regular hinge as that’ll be a dead giveaway that there’s a door lurking inside your bookshelf. Instead, opt for a discrete hinge like the SOSS 518 Wrap Around Invisible Hinge.
The SOSS Invisible Hinge connects the door to its frame and allows for the two to remain flush, without the hinge being visible. This will allow for easy moveability of your door without any protruding hinges.
Step 4: Mount Your Secret Door
Once your frame is assembled and the latches have been installed on the frame, you’re going to want to mount your door to the hinge. This part can require another person’s help as you’ll need to lift the door up and securely fasten the hinge to the door. It’s important to remember that if your door is built into something heavy like a large bookshelf, you may need to add rolling wheels to the bottom to help the door move back and forth. Otherwise, ensure your door is securely fastened to the hinge before moving to step five.
Step 5: Hide and Enjoy Your New Secret Door
Now that the door is securely in place, you’ll want to make sure it’s as hidden as possible. This could include adding books back onto the shelf, ensuring the wallpapering matches between the door and the wall, or making sure all the edges line up perfectly. Once complete, you’re ready to enjoy your secret door. Next up: decorating that secret room.