Secret door - where to begin?

[WabbitPoo]

I have been tasked with cutting a door into an stud wall in a bedroom. The tricky bit is that the bedroom has (faux) oak panelleing and they want the door to be part of the "panelling pattern"

That is, for the door to be as near seamless and secret as possible.

The panelling is just large sheets of some sort of ply with some moulding glued onto it, and it is already detached from the wall in some places, so taking that off wont be a problem.

Not really sure how to start this - any ideas? I havent yet measured up but I bet a standard door wont fit nicely between those upright mouldings....

 

[footprints]

Watch it mate you know what they did afterwards with the guys that built the secret rooms in the pyramids

 

[Deleted member 174758]

A standard door certainly won't work. A true secret door is the "gib door" and requires special hinges (really just pivot pins in the floor and top of the opening with drilled plates in the door) - these are inset form the edge of the door - and the door edges and it's opening will need to be cut at an angle rather than square. The angles for each side of the door are different. I'll post a diagram later if that helps

 

[WabbitPoo]

Watch it mate you know what they did afterwards with the guys that built the secret rooms in the pyramids

LOL thanks

 

[WabbitPoo]

Sorry - I guess its not really a truly secret door - one that just doesnt interrupt the panel pattern is what I am after.....

I thought:

acquire the door and its frame;
mark on the panelling where the frame will go;
mark thru to the stud wall behind;
remove panelling sheets;
cut out and line doorway as per;
hang door;
cut panelling down by the same width as the door frame thickness on both sides and at the top so the pattern is uninterrupted;
stick panelling back onto wall and onto door.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Sorry - I guess its not really a truly secret door - one that just doesnt interrupt the panel pattern is what I am after.....

Then you will need to repanel the wall with panels the same width as the door, and adjust the verticals to fit.

 

[big-all]

the only way it can be hidden is to v groove every panel on every bit off timber
and the door to be fronted with a full panel section
and as said a hinge that throws the door forward with linkage that moves the pivot point mid door rather than on the face

 

[Deleted member 174758]

With a square edgd door opening outwards you'll have one edge (the hinge edge) where you cannot hide the gap between the door and the casing - if you cover the gap the door just won't open. YYou can cover the gaps on the lock edge, top and even the bottom (with skirting), but not that last gap

 

[WabbitPoo]

Thanks to all.

Does my approach list sound right?

 

[RogerBoyle]

are you restricted to reusing the existing design or can you modify it

 

[JohnD]

I have seen doors which opened away from the wall all round.

The hinge was not on the edge of the door, there was a pivot a few inches inside and away from the edge, with a spacer plate to the inner face of the door. This was all steel. I don't know a name for it. The weight of the door presumably puts quite a load on the plate between the pivot and the door face.

 

[WabbitPoo]

Thanks for all the input.

She wants the same panelling so I cant modify the design.

It wont be totally seamless as I fear the old lady who will use this guest room won't be able to find the door in the night if it is!

 

[ladylola]

Can you not cut the panelling on it's natural joint between surfaces I.e where panel meets mouldings to form a door ? Even easier if it opens inwards . That way the paneling will retain it's appearance with only the smallest of interruptions .

 

[WabbitPoo]

yep thats pretty much what I went for. Pics when complete.