The DIY Secret Library Door That Every Whimsical Person Wants

If you never outgrew a childhood passion for secret passages and hidden doorways, it's time to let the dream come alive. A DIY secret library door is a fun addition to a living room. It could also hide the entrance to a study, entertainment room, or a cozy reading nook in your home. By using faux shelves and trimmed book spines, you'll create a believable bookshelf door that disguises the entrance to a hidden room.

To create the library look, you'll need shelf edge trim, such as MingQiEven 3D Decorative Wood Trim Molding, that mimics the look of shelves. Buy one with a flat, not T-shaped, back, as you'll be gluing it to the door. If the doorway is flanked by bookshelves, aim for a trim that matches the look of those shelves to make the illusion more believable. You'll also need to source enough trimmed book spines to cover the surface of the door from online suppliers such as Etsy. You can also make your own flat spines from old hardcover books. Cut them to size with a circular saw and glue them to wooden blocks for easy mounting. Grabbing a box or two of dusty hardcovers from thrift stores should give you enough to work with.

If you've invested in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves (and want to match them), the height of those shelves will determine that of your faux shelves. Otherwise, play with layout according to the height of the book spines you've purchased or made before gluing the trim to the door. If you're working with an existing door, you can take the door off its hinges and work flat to allow the glue time to dry. To work on the door while it's in its frame, apply wood glue and hot glue in unison. This will keep the shelves in place while the wood glue dries.

Once your shelf trim is glued on, fill the spaces between with the book spines. Make sure you cover the entire surface of the door with the spines, or the lack of depth will be a dead giveaway that it's not real. Once the glue is dry and the shelves and books are secure, you can rehang the door if necessary.

Consider the mechanics of opening and closing your hidden door. A handle and latch can be adapted to secrecy by removing the latch mechanism and replacing it with a Tonitrui Silent Door Ball Catch. It uses a strong magnet for quiet closing; you simply have to push on the bookshelf to get in. You'll still need to install a knob or pull handle on the other side of the door. Then, take a page from other DIY bookshelf ideas that will inspire any reader and adapt the design of your secret library door to suit the textures, style, and colors of the room. You will make it even more believable.