I love building hidden doors! I also enjoy showing them off because apparently everyone on YouTube is searching for a way to hide a room. My first hidden door video from 2010 has 426,000 views!
There are really three elements to a hidden door.
#1 Design. I've built several houses with Architect Nick Deaver, and he always does beautiful things with the windows and doors in a house. The cedar kitchen ceiling gave him a perfect opportunity to design this hidden pantry. The clients plan to keep the doors open while cooking and shut them after cleaning up.
#2 Hardware. The hardware is key to pulling off a hidden door. Standard hinges won't work. You need a hidden hinge. Sugatsune's HES-3D 190 is perfect for this application. It has three-way adjustment, and that's critical to ensuring you've got a very fine line between the door and jamb.
#3 Craftspeople. This isn't a rookie finish carpenter job. You need an experienced carpenter who is used to doing precision work. Hidden doors take planning and a lot of hours to pull off and you need a carpenter who's got the patience and precision to get those 1/8-inch reveals around the door that conceal its opening.
I wish you the best on your hidden door project! If you'd like to see my previous posts about hidden doors, click here.
Risinger Homes is a custom builder and whole house remodeling contractor that specializes in Architect driven and fine craftsmanship work. We utilize an in-house carpentry staff and the latest building science research to build dramatically more efficient, healthy and durable homes.
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