How to Build a Secret Cabinet Door
Your best defense against thieves is camouflage that blends in seamlessly with the surroundings. Secret cabinet doors can protect your belongings, provided. of course, they remain secret. But, even if word gets out about your secret cabinet door, the cabinet is still good for impressing guests. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Extension cord
- Work light
- Medicine cabinet
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Level
- Hammer
- Saber saw (reciprocating saw)
- One 2-by-4 board
- One box nails (3-inch)
- Drill (with bits)
- Phillips head drill bit
- One box of number eight 2-inch wood screws
- Construction glue
- Family picture (large enough to cover the cabinet door)
Instructions
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1
Find a non-load bearing wall (consult a residential structural engineer). Notice where the electrical outlets and other fixtures are before drilling. Turn off the electricity to that room as a precaution. Run an extension cord from a neighboring room to your work light.
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2
Select a spot on the wall to embed your cabinet. Lay the level on top of the cabinet and tilt the cabinet clockwise or counterclockwise to get the bubble in the level between the two lines. When the cabinet is level, use your pencil to trace the outline of the cabinet. Remove the cabinet and set it aside.
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3
Use a hammer to break a hole in the center of the cabinet outline. Make the hole large enough to look around inside. Check for wires, pipes, and vents that may need to be considered in the construction process for rerouting and can add expense to the project. If these items are found, contact a professional if you still intend to do this project; otherwise, patch the hole. You will have to knock other holes if the 2-by-4 studs in the wall obscure your view.
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4
With the wires, pipes, and vents out of the way, set the depth of the saber saw to cut the lines you traced around the cabinet. You will have to cut through studs. Do not cut into a load-bearing wall or you risk weakening your house. Use your hammer to carefully knock out the cut sections of studs. Check the fit of the hole around the cabinet and use the level to see if any adjustments need to be made.
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5
Learn how to "toenail" boards. This means one board is butted up against another, and a nail is driven into the first board at such an angle that it penetrates the second board. The angle of the nail and the degree of penetration determine the strength of the joint. Generally, two nails are used with 2-by-4 boards. Toenail about two inches from the end of the board to prevent splitting the wood.
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6
Measure the height and width of the hole. Cut your 2-by-4 boards to these lengths so that you fill the gap between the studs. Toenail the horizontal boards in place. Slip the two vertical boards on either end of the hole between the horizontal boards and toenail these into place as well.
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Use nails at a 45 degree angle to fix the new boards in place so that they are connected to the old studs in a frame around the hole (make sure that the cabinet still fits into the hole). Use at least two nails at each location.
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Place the cabinet inside the cavity and use the level to position the cabinet properly. Try to get the cabinet as flush to the wall as possible. Pre-drill holes to the boards that you just attached in the wall and any studs that present themselves. The holes should go through the thicker panels of the wood. Add the screws to the holes that you drilled and screw them into the wood.
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9
Use the construction glue on the mirror and then place the back of the picture on the mirror. Use masking tape to hold the picture in place. If the picture is too heavy, use duct tape as well.
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10
After the construction glue has set for the amount of time that is listed on the instructions, carefully remove the tape. Touch up the wall if the tape has damaged the paint. Remove any sticky residue or signs that the picture is anything but a picture on the wall.
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Tips & Warnings
You may have to remove trim from your medicine cabinet to make sure it fits better behind the picture. Hang other pictures near the one that you just put up so that it does not look out of place. Ideally, the picture should be flush against the wall at the end of the project to better conceal the cabinet door.
Wear safety goggles at all times during this project and cleaning up afterward. Read and follow all operation and safety instructions that come with the tools that you have before using them. Follow the building code and other legal requirements in your area since they are constantly changing. This project may need to be modified accordingly. If you have questions about permits or any other aspect of construction, see a professional familiar with the requirements in your area.
