Article Summary
- Preparing your space and following the installation instructions to the letter is key to ensuring your secret door appears and works as it should.
- Hidden Door Store makes every effort to simplify the process, but it’s your job to plan the project thoroughly and execute it properly.
- You can do the job correctly and safely with two or three people, but consider hiring a third-party installer if none of you have previous experience to avoid costly errors.
What to Do After Ordering a Hidden Door: Preparation and Installation Tips
The people who buy standard hidden panel, mirror, and bookcase doors and DIY kits from Hidden Door Store know that making one from scratch would be a recipe for disaster. These customers appreciate the value of CAD software and the level of expertise needed to design and build a low-maintenance concealed door.
However, no hidden door operates in a vacuum. You must ensure that the floor, doorway, walls and adjacent architectural elements have no issues. Otherwise, your secret door would attract unwanted attention from the wrong people, regardless of how convincing its disguise may be. Here’s what you need to know when preparing your space and installing the preassembled or DIY hidden door you chose.
Review Your Order Details
When your order arrives, confirm the door style, finish and swing direction. Verify the measurements and rough opening requirements. Be careful not to confuse the rough opening measurement, which is the space between the wall studs, with the size of the old door slab you might be replacing.
Hidden Door Store will undersize your door and ensure its width and height are slightly less than the rough opening. As long as you specify the measurements without deviation in the form at the time of ordering, the unit should fit like a glove. Oversizing results in too much shim space, creating unnecessary challenges when installing hidden panel, mirror, shoe rack, wine rack, linen closet, hutch or bookshelf doors.
The package includes an instructional manual you should consult for the steps to installing a hidden door. Find and review this document before anything else.
Prepare the Opening
Confirm your wall opening matches the required dimensions. Ensure the wall framing is square and level. Check that the surrounding trim or drywall doesn’t interfere with the door. Make sure the wall can support the door’s weight.
Proper preparation helps ensure a smooth installation and seamless appearance. The floor must be flat and level, and hidden doors in walls must be plumb and flush to ensure they operate smoothly and remain properly concealed.
Walls are rarely perfectly flat, and if you try to install the door frame on a bowed wall, you will be forced to twist the frame to make it fit. This will prevent the door from closing and latching correctly. If your space needs work, you have time to repair uneven floors and wall cracks caused by foundation damage since the company will only build the product after you place your order.
The lead time for standard doors is about four weeks, but it can range from two to six weeks due to seasonal demand. Keep in mind that specialty doors, such as high-security vault doors, can have a longer lead time, sometimes three to four months.
Hidden Door Store aims to keep DIY hidden bookcase doors, as well as mirror and secure panel doors, in stock to fulfill orders and ship them more quickly. The company’s site should say the current lead time to set your expectations.
Plan the Surrounding Design
Decide how you want the door to disappear visually. Consider built-ins, shelving or trim that will surround the door. Think about furniture placement and room flow. Plan lighting or decor around the space.
Everything must come together to reinforce your secret door’s concealment. The goal is to make it unnoticeable and impossible to find, even when a person is intentionally looking for it.
Gather Installation Tools
Use proper gear to ensure precise measurements and finish the job safely. For instance, a laser level is more reliable than a bubble level, which can give inaccurate readings over a tall opening. Gather the following when installing your hidden door:
- Drill and screws
- Laser level
- Measuring tape
- Shims
- Stud finder
Hidden Door Store preinstalls preassembled units before shipping. The company can back its products with a 10-year no-nonsense warranty thanks to its rigorous quality control.
Each undergoes several tests to verify its alignment, fit, balance and weight. This process verifies that your order swings properly, is unlikely to sag or bind over time, and has no cosmetic defects. It leaves the factory only when its locks and latches function as intended, and its package stays intact throughout its journey.
Follow Installation Instructions Carefully
Before you begin, take full advantage of the resources provided by the Hidden Door Store, especially the tutorial videos. Planning the project thoroughly and working with one or two helpers is key to completing the job correctly and safely.
Ensure the door frame is level before securing. Test the door swing and clearance. If you follow the team’s instructions on how to install a hidden door that already has a frame, your project should be successful. DIY kits can take three hours to set up and 30 minutes to one hour to install.
Experience helps, especially with getting wall and floor systems properly prepped. If you don’t think you’re ready for the task, strongly consider hiring a contractor to assist you and avoid damaging your hidden door or any part of your house.
When hiring a contractor, ask for a fixed price only after they have seen the physical product. An installer unfamiliar with secret doors may quote a high price to cover unknown risks. For a fairer price, either have them quote the job after the door arrives or pay them by the hour, since the installation is often much simpler than they expect.
If you’re local to Arizona, Hidden Door Store can handle the installation for you at a reasonable cost. If you live farther away, travel charges can make that option expensive. Alternatively, you can speak with the team throughout your project to get technical support.
Take Time for Final Adjustments
Check door alignment and verify that there are no visible gaps. Hidden Door Store ensures the maximum gap is ⅛ inch or less, or the size of two pennies stacked, before shipping the product to you.
Adjust hinges if the door rubs or sticks. Install trim or finishing materials. Confirm the door opens and closes smoothly. The hardware may need occasional adjustment, so read the manual to know how often you should inspect it for issues.
Enjoy Your Hidden Space
The camouflage of a secret door doesn’t only come from its disguise. How it fits into your space structurally and aesthetically likewise plays a role. Complement it with just the right amount of decor and furniture to help it blend in. To avoid common preparation and hidden door installation errors, contact the team today to discuss your project.