How to Install a Concealed Door Hinge

Just painting the hinge does not hide it enough.

Secret doors and hidden rooms need the hinges on the doors to be invisible to maintain the idea that the door is simply a part of the wall. The key to making a secret door is the concealed hinges holding the door closed. A concealed door hinge can have a spring for automatic closing or simply just fold as a normal hinge does. The difference between a normal hinge and the concealed doorway hinge is the hardware is recessed into the door jamb and frame.

Things You'll Need

• Invisible hinge
• Phillips-head drill bit
• Cordless drill
• Door vise
• Pencil
• Chisel
• Mallet

Instructions

1. Remove the existing door hinges from the door jamb and the door frame by unscrewing the screws with a Phillips-head bit and cordless drill.

2. Set the door in a door vise with the jamb facing up.

3. Set the invisible hinges on the jamb and frame in the areas where the original hinges had been. Use a pencil to mark the areas around the new hinge.

4. Cut the areas on the door jamb and frame with a chisel and a mallet cutting to a depth equal to the depth of the new hinge. An invisible hinge needs the hinge mechanism placed inside the jamb, which means the center of the chiseled area will be deeper than the edges.

5. Screw the invisible hinges into the door jamb using the Phillips-head bit and cordless drill.

6. Stand the door in the open position and attach the hinges to the door frame using the Phillips-head bit and cordless drill. Close the door to review your work.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a magnetic door catch instead of a knob for a secret door.

• Have a person assist you by holding the door as you remove the old hinges and attach the new hinges.

References

• Ace: Installing Hinges
• Soss: The Soss Invisible Hinge