Turning your Wall Into A Secret Passage with a Panel Secret Door

Producing a panel secret door used to be expensive because it required a custom design to make it look natural. However, The Hidden Door Store has a brand new product that makes panel secret doors more accessible by using door slabs with prefitted hinges to enable you to put on your own paneling. You can customize prefabricated panel doors to fit nearly anywhere in your house, letting you design each room as you please. 

Converting your wall into a secret passageway can be a complex decision, as you must map out the logical aspects before starting the project. Here’s what you need to know about converting a wall into a secret passageway. 

Factors to Consider When Turning Your Wall Into a Secret Passageway

What should you consider before installing a panel secret door in your home? Here are four factors to keep in mind. 

How flexible are you with the opening location? 

For panel secret doors to look their best you’ll want all the panels to be uniformly spaced. The original opening may not have been located in the perfect location, so for the optimal result you may need to consider moving that opening slightly. In order to take advantage of the lower prices available at the Hidden Door Store you should sketch out each panel, including the secret door panel, to make sure they’re all the same. If the math gets too complicated you can always reach out to our custom division (called Creative Home Engineering) to have them do all the detailed design for you.

What style of panel will look most natural with your architectural style?

Panel secret doors can come in many styles. Homes with a more classic look can use traditional wainscotting or board-and-batten panel styles. There are loads of modern and clean contemporary panel types available for purchase from many different providers. Vertical and horizontal lines that will assist with the camouflage of the secret door. The panel thickness should not exceed one inch and we recommend that you study the table on the “Panel Secret Door Specifications and Sizing” document at hiddendoorstore.com.

What level of concealment do you need?

Another consideration for your panel door is concealment. Panel doors with the very best camouflage usually have a threshold that you have to step over to access the secret room. In contrast, the most ergonomic secret doors will not have a threshold, but because of that they might let in light through the gap under the door.   

What type of wall do you have?

Your wall itself will determine how easy a panel secret door job will be. For instance, working on a load-bearing wall might not be a good idea if it compromises the surrounding sections of your home. Contractors must ensure the walls can continue to support the roof during installation. Your walls may be more susceptible to load bearing in older homes, so due diligence is necessary. 

Benefits of Prehung Semi-Customizable Products

Prehung and semi-customizable products from HDS are convenient, high-quality items. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from these additions. 

• Saving money: Predesigned doors are a significant cost-saver compared to custom doors. Customers can save around $10,000 minimum when selecting a predesigned option. 

• Local options: The Hidden Door Store will send the prehung products to you and give you more control over the installation process, you can DIY or contact a local carpenter. 

• Security: The door slabs always come with a lock and access device, which customers can customize. You’ll get the locks, hinges and access device included to guarantee superior quality each time. The anti-burglary guarantee ensures your secret panel door will be undetectable to intruders. The FBI said nearly 850,000 burglaries occurred in 2022, so hidden doors are essential for protecting your family.

Customizing Your Panels

Customization is critical for giving you what your security door needs, so The Hidden Door Store provides flexible product customizations. Here’s how to get the customized door you need for your home.

• Wood species: Our panel secret door comes with domestic American hard maple or clear alder for painted and stained finishes, as these woods are notable for their popularity and for being easy to work with. However, homeowners can match the door to whatever material they want to clad it over with. You could use wood, stone, brick or any other suitable option.

• Finish: The panels come sanded and ready for a finish, but you can customize them if you’d like. Some of The Hidden Door Store’s finishes include white, gray and paint or a light, medium or dark stain.  

• Swing: The location of your customized door will determine which way it needs to swing. Fortunately, you can choose in-swing or out-swing to tailor this preference. Out-swings are best for compact secret rooms, whereas in-swings are better if the room you enter from is small.
   
• Hinge side: Another decision you get is the hinge side, letting you pick which side you want to open the door from. The Hidden Door Store sets up the hinges so you can remove the guesswork and produce a safer product.

• Wireless switch: Adding wireless functionality lets you leverage technology in your security door. This switch only requires your door to plug into an outlet, meaning no setup or installation is necessary in your home.

• Automatic opening: If opening doors is a struggle, you can select an automatic opening to increase accessibility. This device opens the door automatically once you unlock it, making it more accessible for children, older adults and anyone needing assistance. 

Customize Your Secret Passage With The Hidden Door Store

A secret door can be a daunting project, but The Hidden Door Store makes it easy with guidance from our experts before, during and after your installation. We’ll ensure you have everything necessary to create a safe and secure passageway. 
Our products are high quality and easy to install in your home. Homeowners don’t need special tools to install our slabs, and you get a two-year warranty on parts and materials — the longest in the industry. Learn more about our panel secret doors by contacting our team today.