Smart Do It Yourself Hidden Door Bookcase Ideas

A hidden door bookcase is a smart way to protect your valuables. Or you can use it to keep your kids from accessing stuff that can be dangerous for them. You can also build a hidden door bookcase to give your kids a secret place to play at home. So, if you’re looking to build a hidden door bookcase, keep reading the article as we’ll be sharing some amazing do it yourself hidden door bookcase ideas with you.

Do It Yourself Hidden Door Bookcase

This one is among the most popular do it yourself hidden door bookcase ideas.

What you’ll need:

Pieces of pinewood
Table saw
Drill
Wood glue
MDF frame
Brad nails
Screws
Square
Pencil
8’’ plywood
Clamps
Hidden hinges
Force drill bit
Hardcover book
Breakaway knife
Double-sided tape

Step 1

Start with making the front face. Take four pieces of pinewood and, using a table saw, cut them according to the opening of the room where you want to create the hidden door. Then using a drill, create pocket holes in the pieces that you’ll be using on the sides. Next, attach the pieces of the frame using wood glue and then secure them through pocket holes.

Step 2

Next, cut two pieces for the front of the shelf. Attach them to the frame using glue and pocket holes.

Step 3

Now build the structure of the cabinet/box with MDF that will go behind the frame. MDF is a great choice for this structure as it’s cheap and easy to work with.

Step 4

Take four pieces of MDF and cut them according to the dimensions of the front face frame. Then attach the pieces using glue and secure them with brad nails. Next, drill holes in the box and screw them. You need to ensure that the diagonal measurement of the cabinet is smaller than the opening so that it can swing out.

Step 5

Next, create pocket holes all the way around the box to securely attach the box to the frame. Now, put glue along the edges of the box and put the frame in place. Then secure the frame using brad nails. Finally, connect the frame and the box permanently through pocket screws.

If you don’t know how to create pocket holes, this video will be helpful

Step 6

Now it’s time to create shelves from MDF. First, draw reference lines using a square to line the shelves up easily when you put them in place. Then cut the MDF with a table saw and create pocket holes on the back using a drill.

Step 7

Put some glue on the smaller sides of the shelves and attach it to the frame. Then secure it through pocket holes.

Step 8

Next, use the wood filler to fill holes on the frame and then sand it to make the surface smooth.

Step 9

At this step, you need to build the backs of the cabinets. Cut down pieces of 8-inch plywood according to the dimensions of the cabinets/shelves. Then secure them to the back of the shelves using bard nails.

Step 10

Next, reinforce the side of the frame for attaching the hidden hinges. To do so, cut a strip of wood, put lots of glue on it and attach it to the side of the flame using clamps. Let it dry overnight.

Step 11

Drill holes for the hidden hinges using a force drill bit but don’t make the holes too deep. Then clean up the holes with a knife and a chisel. Finally, put the hinges in place and secure them in place using screws.

Step 12

Next, make two 8-inch inserts of plywood for wheels to account for variation in the floor. Attach the inserts to the bottom of the cabinet using glue and secure them with screws.

At this point, you’re halfway through your do it yourself hidden door bookcase.

Step 13

Now it’s time to paint the cabinet. First, prime the cabinet, then paint it with your desired color.

Step 14

Next, take a hardcover book to create the secret latch. Measure the dimensions of the book (height and width) and cut the pages using a breakaway knife. Now cut 3-4 pieces of pine to the size of the book, glue them all together to make a fake interior of the book.

Step 15

Clamp the pieces of the pine and let the glue dry. Then spray paint (gold) the top to make it look like real pages. Finally, attach the interior to the book using glue, clamp the book and let the glue dry.

Step 16

Set the bookcase in place and make where the center of the hinges fell against the wall. Then take out the bookcase and make the holes in the door frame for hinges.

Step 17

Now mount the bookcase by lining the hinges and pushing them in place. Then secure it in place with screws. It will be easier to mount the bookcase if you have someone to hold it.

Step 18

Fill the gaps inside the bookcase by attaching pieces of plywood with nails.

Step 19

Now you need to build an offset/bracket to hold the latching mechanism. It’s because the cabinet is deeper than the doorframe it is attached to. To build the bracket, take a piece of wood, place it horizontally and attach two vertical pieces of MDF on each side.

Step 20

Next, screw the bracket to the door frame. Then attach the pin of the latch to the bracket using screws. Make sure that the pin is sturdy so that the door can latch on it every time it is closed.

Step 21

Attach a piece of wood vertically to the back of the cabinet. This is where you’ll be attaching the latch. Next, attach the latch to the piece using screws.

Step 22

Now attach a simple handle to the back of the cabinet with screws. You can use this handle when you want to close the door from inside.

Step 23

Next, cut out a slot slightly above the latch to allow the wire to pass through. Next, screw in an eyelet to the backside of the book and wrap a gate latch wire around it.

Step 24

Put a double side felt tape on the bookcase to allow the book to move smoothly against the wall. Now attach a hinge to the bottom of the book using screws. Then attach the other part of the hinge to the shelf.

Step 25

Now feed the wire through the slot you made in the step and attach it to the latch. Your do it yourself hidden door bookcase is now ready.