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Secret passages, hidden rooms, moving bookcases — it sounds like something out of a Sherlock Holmes novel or an Agatha Christie mystery.
But it’s also an IKEA hack that, I have to admit, makes me a little green with envy. I mean, who wouldn’t want a secret door in their house?
I’ve often dreamed about making the entrance to our laundry room a Murphy door. The door is next to the TV in our den, and a stylish set of bookshelves would look a lot better.
Plus, the idea of a hidden room just adds major cool points to your house.
Robin Pakvis @homeofrobin and her partner created a secret door hack in their home using IKEA’s very hackable BILLY bookcase.
It’s definitely a jaw-dropper and sure to start many conversations and impress your friends. You don’t need an extensive amount of materials, but you will need some time, patience, and a little DIY know-how.
What You’ll Need
- 1 IKEA BILLY bookcase
- Pivot hinge
- Wheel
- Filler (or hole caps)
- Putty knife
- Paint and primer
- Magnets
- Timber for framing
- Wooden slats for trim
- Miter saw
- Basics — screw gun, drill, screws, tape measure
Turning a BILLY Into a Hidden Bookcase Door
1. Assemble the BILLY and Prep the Doorway
Put together the BILLY bookcase according to IKEA instructions. Robin mentions that they only have thin plaster walls, so they needed to build up a frame in the doorway to support the weight of the bookcase.
However, she suggests, “If your space just has straight walls, you can possibly reinforce the frame a bit, but it’s probably already sturdy enough for the weight of the door/closet.”
2. Install the Hinge
Robin chose a pivot hinge, designed for hidden doors, that installs into the beam they added at the top and directly into the floor at the bottom.
The load capacity varies for different hinges, so make sure to get one that handles the weight of the shelf plus whatever you plan to put on it.
3. Add a Wheel to the Bottom
A wheel on the bottom of the bookcase makes it easier to open and close the Murphy door. The wheel stays hidden behind the bottom trim of the shelves.
4. Install Trim and Finishing Touches
Use a miter saw to cut the slats for the trim around the door. Install the molding to create a nice, finished look.
Robin also mentions using magnets on the back of the shelf, although she doesn’t outline this in her how-to. I’m thinking it’s possibly heavy-duty magnets to keep the shelf shut when it’s in the closed position.
5. Fill Holes, Prime, and Paint
After you install the shelves and everything works smoothly, it’s time to pull everything together and give it that amazing built-in look.
Fill the holes with putty, let dry, and sand the entire shelf to prep it for painting. Alternatively, you can use the hole plugs.
Prime and paint the shelves using a primer designed for smooth surfaces, like Zinsser Bulls Eye.
(Even though these products claim to work without sanding, I typically do a light sanding anyway to improve adhesion.)
Robin primed the shelves and trim once, then added two coats of paint, opting to match the walls.
DIY a Secret Bookcase Door Without Breaking the Bank
The finished hack looks stunning, and the fact that it’s also a door is a lot of fun, adding to the wow-factor.
You’d expect something like this to be super expensive, and it probably would be if you were hiring professionals to create a custom secret door in your home.
However, the DIY version only costs about $150 to $175 tops. The BILLY is $69, a pivot hinge is about $22, then you have the timber and slats, supplies, and paint.
So, if you’re looking for a way to enhance your space without breaking the bank, this is definitely a cool way to do it.
What do you think? Itching to add a secret door in your house, now? Even if you never thought about it before, you have to admit, this hack has you wondering where you could add a trick bookcase, right?
Here’s another Murphy door option if you need a little more inspiration, or check out these BILLY hacks to find even more great ways to repurpose this IKEA classic.
Follow Robin Pakvis @homeofrobin for exciting design ideas and clever projects! If you have a recent creation you’re proud of, share your hack! We’d love to hear about it.
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