Step-by-Step Build a Secret Room Door with a Kit

I have loved the idea of a hidden door to a secret room since I read Betsy Byers and Nancy Drew. How many gothic mysteries have a hidden room behind a wall that is revealed when you press the right place in the wall? That’s where the clue or the treasure is hidden!

How do you get to the underground tunnels under Château Picard?

The secret passage is behind the bookcase. And you can build a bookcase secret door for yourself with these kits.

Murphy Door makes a kit with all the pieces you need to build your own book shelf secret door. The kit makes a set of shelves that are sized to replace a standard door in your home. The shelves can be installed to swing in or out, to the left or to the right. And they can hold up to 300 pounds.

The most important parts are the hinges. Strong hinges at the top and bottom of the door allow the door/shelf to swing open and closed. The kit includes a special tool to lock in the hinge pin and remove it if needed.

The kit comes with complete step-by-step instructions. There are quite a few steps, but they are all relatively straightforward. They do call for tools you may not have.

The most important step is: Make sure all of the dowel holes are facing the same side. If you have ever assembled anything at all, this is the mistake you have probably made.

Basically, you put together the pre-cut wood pieces to make the face frame. Then you assemble the bookcase sides and the one fixed shelf and put the back on. Fasten the face frame to the front of the bookcase.

If your kit is made with paint grade materials, it comes with the holes for the hinges already pre-drilled. You will have to drill holes for the shelves made with hardwoods using the included hinge templates.  The hinges fasten to the upper jamb and the lower jamb, the threshold.

Once you have the holes for the hinges, put the top, bottom and sides together to make the door jamb or frame. The door comes with casing trim to cover the gap between the door and the jamb.

Separate the hinges and screw the door parts to the top and bottom of the door and the other parts to the floor and ceiling of the door frame. Then put the door onto the hinges using the Ball Lock Hinge Pin Tool.

Step-by-Step Secret Door Instructions

The steps are not complicated and all of the parts come in the kit.

Assemble Face Frame

The first step is putting the frame together.

Put together the pre-cut wood pieces to make the face frame. Make sure all of the dowel holes are facing the same side.

Use wood glue and dowels to put the pieces of the frame together. This will be the front of the bookcase when you are finished. Make sure that all of the holes are on top as you work. They need to all be on the same side to attach to the shelves. They will not be visible when you are finished.

Use woodworking clamps to hold the frame together as the glue dries. Screw in the pocket screws.

Assemble Bookcase

Attach the sides, top, bottom and the fixed shelf using wood dowels and wood glue. Make sure all of the dowel holes are facing the same side. You will use these to attach the frame you just built.

The hole you can see at the top corner is one of the hinge pass-through holes. They are the only holes that go all the way through.

Lay the bookcase front down on the floor. The front has the holes that will attach the frame.

Use a small piece of wood to protect the bookcase as you tap with a rubber mallet to make sure that everything is tight and flush.

Slide the back piece into the grooves until the holes line up. The instructions recommend two people so the back doesn’t get “wedged from sliding in crooked.”

Once the holes line up, screw the back on beginning with the ones holding to the center fixed shelf.

Attach the Face Frame

Flip the bookcase over. If you have done everything right, all of the dowel holes are facing the same side. Use wood glue and wood dowels to attach the book case.

You might want to add a few nails. You don’t have to. But, as this is not just a shelf, it is also a door, people are quite likely to pull the frame to move the door. You don’t want the frame pulled loose.

Build the Door Jamb

There are two kits. One is hardwood that you can stain. The other is paint grade. The paint grade kit comes with the holes already drilled.

The hardwood door kit includes a template.

Place the template for your desired swing configuration onto the upper jamb. Drill the spots where the screws for the hinges will be located. For an out-swing configuration you will also need to drill through the entire upper jamb for the hinge pin to be able to pass through.

The paint-grade kit already has holes drilled. Push a nail or small screwdriver through the holes to make sure they are clean.

Attach one side of the hinge to the top and threshold. It is a lot easier to do this before it is over your head.

Trim the Door

Trim the door. The door trim or casing will overhang the door by 1/2”. Adjust it so that it covers the gap between the door and jamb.

Hinges

The kit comes with clear photos on attaching the hinges for each door configuration. It is slightly different depending on whether the door swings in or out.

Follow the instructions to attach the hinges.

This is how they will look assembled.

On the other side of the threshold is the delrin catch. It makes the door stop when it is closed so that it doesn’t put stress on the shelf frame or the hinges.

Paint-Ready Kits

Stain Quality Kits