Playback starts YouTube’s embedded player (privacy-enhanced mode).
How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf | Ask This Old House
ChannelThis Old HouseIn brief
Transform a standard doorway into a space-saving hidden door disguised as a bookshelf. Tom Silva demonstrates how to remove an old door and jamb, create a custom filler piece, install a new jamb plumb, and mount a bookshelf that pivots open as a door. Perfect for homeowners looking to maximize small spaces without sacrificing style.
Key steps
- Remove the old door by popping hinge pins with a hammer and nailset.
- Pry out the existing jamb and casing using a pry bar.
- Level a scrap 1x4 poplar board, scribe its width onto it, then cut along the line with a circular saw.
- Glue the cut poplar filler piece to the underside of the doorjamb to fill gaps.
- Repeat gluing the filler piece on the back side of the jamb.
- Position the new jamb, shim as needed, and secure it plumb with screws.
- Trim excess shims with a utility knife and hammer.
- Lift the bookshelf into place, aligning it with pivot-point holes in the jamb.
Questions & answers
What tools are needed for this project?
A hammer, nailset, pry bar, levels (1- or 2-foot and 6-foot), scribes, circular saw, wood glue, drill/driver, and utility knife.
Description from the creator
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva is in Salem, MA, to help install a bookshelf that doubles as a door. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse
Shopping List for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
- Scrap piece of 1x4 poplar wood [amzn.to/2Fpkded]
- Murphy door [amzn.to/2Xs1B7s] from kit
- Shims [amzn.to/2J3KIqD]
- Finishing nails [amzn.to/2IWY8EK]
Tools for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
- Hammer [amzn.to/2Fp3xU6]
- Nailset [amzn.to/2Fp0NWX]
- Pry bar [amzn.to/2WZul84]
- Levels: 1or 2-foot and 6-foot [amzn.to/2Rv9Zhd]
- Scribes [amzn.to/2Rtv63g]
- Circular saw [amzn.to/2WRVh4Y]
- Wood glue [amzn.to/2Y4uR1g]
- Drill/driver [amzn.to/2JcVevV]
- Utility knife [amzn.to/2XpBMVx]
Steps for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
1. Remove current door from its hinges by popping up the pins with a hammer and nailset.
2. Remove the old jamb and casing with a pry bar.
3. To level the jamb, place a piece of poplar on the floor and make it level. Set your scribes the overall width of the filler and drag the scribes along the piece of poplar.
4. After marking the poplar, cut it with the circular saw, following the scribe line you traced.
5. Using wood glue, glue the poplar filler piece to the underside of the doorjamb to fill the gap.
6. Repeat the same steps to fill the back side of the jamb.
7. Move the jamb from the door kit into place. Using a 6-foot level, check that it’s plumb; if it needs adjusting, place shims between the jamb and the wall studs until the jamb is plumb. Drill through the jamb and shims, and secure with screws.
8. Using a utility knife and a hammer, remove the excess shims on either side.
9. Lift up the bookshelf and place in the pre-fashioned pivot-point pinholes on the top and bottom of the jamb.
10. Glue trim to the jamb and secure with finishing nails.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter
bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest
Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG
bit.ly/AskTOHIG
Tumblr: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr
For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite
How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf | Ask This Old House
youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse
Shopping List for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
- Scrap piece of 1x4 poplar wood [amzn.to/2Fpkded]
- Murphy door [amzn.to/2Xs1B7s] from kit
- Shims [amzn.to/2J3KIqD]
- Finishing nails [amzn.to/2IWY8EK]
Tools for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
- Hammer [amzn.to/2Fp3xU6]
- Nailset [amzn.to/2Fp0NWX]
- Pry bar [amzn.to/2WZul84]
- Levels: 1or 2-foot and 6-foot [amzn.to/2Rv9Zhd]
- Scribes [amzn.to/2Rtv63g]
- Circular saw [amzn.to/2WRVh4Y]
- Wood glue [amzn.to/2Y4uR1g]
- Drill/driver [amzn.to/2JcVevV]
- Utility knife [amzn.to/2XpBMVx]
Steps for How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf:
1. Remove current door from its hinges by popping up the pins with a hammer and nailset.
2. Remove the old jamb and casing with a pry bar.
3. To level the jamb, place a piece of poplar on the floor and make it level. Set your scribes the overall width of the filler and drag the scribes along the piece of poplar.
4. After marking the poplar, cut it with the circular saw, following the scribe line you traced.
5. Using wood glue, glue the poplar filler piece to the underside of the doorjamb to fill the gap.
6. Repeat the same steps to fill the back side of the jamb.
7. Move the jamb from the door kit into place. Using a 6-foot level, check that it’s plumb; if it needs adjusting, place shims between the jamb and the wall studs until the jamb is plumb. Drill through the jamb and shims, and secure with screws.
8. Using a utility knife and a hammer, remove the excess shims on either side.
9. Lift up the bookshelf and place in the pre-fashioned pivot-point pinholes on the top and bottom of the jamb.
10. Glue trim to the jamb and secure with finishing nails.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter
bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest
Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG
bit.ly/AskTOHIG
Tumblr: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr
For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsite
How to Install a Hidden Door/Bookshelf | Ask This Old House
youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/
About this tutorial
This Old House published this 5:52 video tutorial on November 2, 2016. It has been watched 2,841,611 times on YouTube.
- Channel
- This Old House
- Category
- Howto & Style
- Duration
- 5:52
- Published
- November 2, 2016
- Views
- 2,841,611
- Likes
- 25,202
Tags
Share
This tutorial in other languages
- FRComment faire une porte secrète / bibliothèque | J'aime créer des choses
- ESCómo hacer una puerta / estantería secreta | Me gusta hacer cosas
- PTComo fazer um segredo porta / estante | Eu gosto de fazer coisas
- ITCome fare un segreto porta / libreria | Mi piace fare Stuff
- DEWie man eine geheime Tür / Bücherregal machen | I Like To Make Stuff
- NLHoe maak je een geheime deur / boekenkast maken | I Like To Make Stuff
- RUКак сделать секретную дверь / книжный шкаф | Я люблю сделать материал
- PLJak zrobić tajne drzwi / regał | Chciałbym, aby Stuff
- JA秘密の扉/本棚を作る方法|スタッフを作るために、私のように
- ARكيفية جعل الباب سرية / خزانة الكتب | أحب عمل الشيئ
- HIएक गुप्त दरवाजा / किताबों की अलमारी बनाने के लिए | मैं जैसा करने के लिए सामग्री बनाने
- IDCara Menginstal Tersembunyi Pintu / Bookshelf | Tanyakan This Old House