Critiquing (and fixing) the Hidden Door Bookcase 

Thank-you for this video. These "what I'd do different next time" videos are as valuable as the original how-to for us DIYers. Much appreciated.

Your books are going to be heavy on that door. Consider adding a caster to the non-hinged side to remedy that weight. Or maybe a diagonal 1x3 from the bottom hinge part to the top unhinged area of the back of the door would help.

Great job with the build and great job with the trouble shooting the issues that came up! one of the hardest things about doing something for the first time is you wont know all the issues and its really great that you've shared the extra knowledge so others can learn from it.

I love a man who can recognize his short comings. Great build.......

Great job! The power of baldness is awesome too! ;)

I think you did great and appreciate this video , it just shows the reality of a project like this!

Thanks for the follow up. I think we all do the rethink after we do the project. Yours was insightful. I did one like this to a secret above the garage room. The first one sucked bad. I switched to making it all out of solid Oak, rather than the plywood. And I switched to using a Piano hinge down the entire side of the door. Giving the entire side support.

Thanks for this follow-up. I just found your initial video the other day. Your finished product LOOKS convincingly like a nice built-in bookcase, and I'm inspired to try something like this for a hall closet. Knowing what to watch out for is a bonus!

I like it when the imperfections are shown. Thank you for the video! It is still a really cool project!

Really appreciate both videos. Well done. Not many people will expose their imperfections. Learned a lot. Will build one similar with a hidden wheel on bottom of unhinged side for accessing furnace

I am almost ready to tackle this myself. You did a great job and I like how you had some trials and error's but ingenuity fixed them up. And of course I love the power of baldness helping out.

Thanks for this. It’s a really important part 2 and a really imaginative project.

You have allot of patience! Amazing work thanks for posting

Your honesty and calm delivery is refreshing! Bravo on the door too!

My god, you have the patience of a saint! great job!

The troubleshooting followup is very helpful. Thanks!

Love your deadpan humour..have just watched both secret door vid's, well done matie👍

Love this video- and love your bookshelf! You are very funny and it helps to see your perseverance! I'm not the only one that has to tear out and rebuild. Thank you very much!

I am impressed! I like both your ideas and your work. Treating the bookcase like a gate would probably help with any sagging. By that I mean building a frame with proper supports then building the bookcase off of that. There are many good RU-vid vids on how to build a non-sagging gate that will do better than I in explaining the construction process.

Devil's in the details. I really enjoyed you're troubleshooting thoughts and discoveries. Thank you

Thanks for the update! Most of the time you don't see what the long term outcome is on videos like these. Maybe try framing the back side with steel angle iron to see if that will stiffen it up and fix the warp.

Thank you for your honesty.

Cool project and great lessons. Thanks!

Thank you for the update. I’m about to build one for a secret room for the kids.

I like this video. I always lay on the floor a piece of thin card board or something thin. That way when I attach my hinges I'm pretty sure my door will not drag the floor....

Thanks, great follow-up.

Great job. I’m hoping my next house has some potential to do this

Had a similar problem. Realized that during the clamping/ gluing/screwing process it was not square. I pretty much tried every method you did. Ended up getting a very small swivel caster and put it under the left front side. Worked like a charm!

Thank you very much for your "fixed it video"!!! I already knew your first video, because I was searching for an DIY-outswing-bookshelf-soss-video a couple of months ago - and ended up, that yours was the best, wich I have in mind since back then... so I am really thankful, that you even made this update-video!!! :) Well done!!! Maybe a wheel on the ground under the door would help you... than it would also be possible to add more bocks (because of the weight based on the wheel of on the other side of the hinges),

Great video. Clever idea.

The trick to the hinge side is to make sure that both the sides, where the hinges are to be absolutely straight. We use 6' and 8' straight edges. The hinge side of the bookcase as well are to be straight. When dealing with an existing doorway, you will almost always have the problem of when closing, the top and bottom don't meet perfectly. Hidden Safes, Inc. since 1978.

Easy to setup. A little difficult to get used to using.

Thanks you just sold me on pivot hinges

I can say it rubbing because the left side is not being supported a wheel would work. You also can put a wheel but it might damage your floors and you can put a bean from top coner to bottom left coner so it stays 90 . Great video I learned not to go all the way down leave a 3 to 2 inch gap in the bottom and cover it with the base board molding. Put one more hinge

I loved your video

There's too much unsupported weight on the closing side of the door. When I make a bookcase door I had the closing side locate onto a small block of low friction plastic. This also helps overcome the tendency for the whole door to twist, because the hinges are not on the centre of gravity of the door (ie, are off the midline).

Nice job dude. great stuff. This tutorial of yours is definately going with me till the day I build/modify my own House in the future. Cheers, and have fun. Also, subbed :)

Great job I’m gonna copy this project for the man cave😎

Man that's Awesome! I"m too lazy or don't have that kind of skills to make one like that. I"m just going to remove the door and just place a Mirror which opens out !!

My first project didn't look like this...you rock! Say, what size is your door opening? Thanks and you should be so proud!

Liked "The Power Of Baldness" Great Project! Thanks for sharing.

What about bringing the bottom of the bookshelf up some and adding wheels to the bottom to help both support the sagging and stop it from rubbing on the floor?

Been looking at doing this for a bit. My plan is to have the bookshelf mounted on a half width flap using two full height piano hinges. The bookshelf would have both side and top architraves mounted and would first pull almost straight out, before swinging. The kickboard would be on hinges, with springs pulling it back clear of the floor, and small low friction pads either end to push it straight on the jambs when the door is closed. I really want to make the bookcase carcass ( back and sides) from 12mm (1/2inch) AR500 steel - absolutely no flexibility in addition to the security benefits.

Bottom bearing pivot as opposed to hinges. All joints dados, glued and screwed with a heavy back. A bit of a pain but the only things that lasted for me.

Next time you come to MI, can you give me some tips? I want to build some things too with my new power tools!

I am not sure this is possible because on the non hinge side of the door I recall it is only 3/4" thick. Try taking that wielding metal and installing it on the side not the back. It would require you to route a groove in the wood (which is the dangerous part) but would give you the strength needed to hold the door straight. Better yet would be getting an angle iron and install it on the back corner.

Just wondering how heavy the door feels when it is opened and closed? I'm considering it for an office addition.

Is that the "Left Behind" series on the bottom shelf?

Whats the use of edge banding if you paint it anyway?

To be honest, the original door was fine. But I understand doing cool things to your house. I'm in the same boat. I used 360 degree shaft stainless steel pivot hinges. They're stronger and cheaper.

Think a cable (Gate turnbuckle) for garden gates would work to flex the door?

Use a throttle cable or bicycle break line instead of the wire. Will work a lot easier and will be stronger.

Suggestion: Add link to fist video and show us how we can hide the gap at the top of the door.

My bookshelf was also warped when I made it and i’m having trouble with fixing it also. Im not sure what to do.

Hello, I read another comment about the caster wheels you placed on this, do you have a footage of that? Thanks John, great job. I'd def be proud if I made that!

Hi! Good video. One question: when the bookcase is full of books, is it heavy to open? Or is it easy to open?😅

I'm looking to build one in the similar fashion can you give your door opening size, your bookshelf size in depth and width, please and thank you.

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I am still wondering what is in the basement you are trying to hide! Great project! Bald power!

I love "the power of baldness"...

Prototypes. Always rebuilding. I had a car like that.

Did you consider using wheels for added support of the weight ?

so I in the process of making a hidden bookcase and I used SOSS invisible hinges that swing out. I am having a tough time trying to add trim on the outside on the hinged side. How do you do this without restricting the door from opening? ;-( If I leave a gap, then you can tell it is a door (and is not hidden)

Maybe add wheels under the case besides helping against dragging across the floor ( you'd have to test to be sure) It would be really cool!

Got a link for the miter saw folding frame? I need one.

Maybe needed angle iron on top rather than straight iron?

shims and castors

How long did this project take?

the problem is really just your hinges are carrying too much weight for their size, and you need to prop up the end in the closed position.

Always stager screws and holes when fastening wood like 1/4 increments never in straight line Wa Yea. Lol

You need a silent helper. My schedule is wide open!

Like the baldness brother

Kinda creapy to have a secret door to your basement, bet you have trouble getting a second date.

LOL @ The Power of Baldness!

I would love to have a secret door like that. You did an amazing job.