![]() I put in a simple "placeholder" baseboard that would be covered later. Each outlet or switch needed to have an extender box put on it to bring it out flush with the new wall. This way it was easier to modify the placement of the pattern to fit the electrical outlets. I was lucky in that the way the room was laid out with doors, built-in furniture, and a fireplace, that the wainscoting was naturally broken into 4 sections. The 1 x 2's are hidden, covered by 1 x 4's painted white.įirst, I figured out the spacing of the boards so that electrical outlets and switches would be in the spaces with the green boards. I thought this 16" pattern would be important, to match the usual spacing of the wall studs, but since I was gluing the boards up, it was immaterial. This combination made a pattern of 16" wide panels due to the true dimensions of the nominal lumber. I put in 1 x 8 tongue and groove boards in pairs, followed by a plain 1 x 2. To make a door that blends in with the surroundings, sizing things is crucial. Besides that, you'll need to open up a wall that could have any number of things inside of it electrical lines, plumbing, gas lines, creepy crawly things, hidden treasure, who knows? Whatever you can do to determine in advance what may or may not be in that wall will help you choose the best spot to undertake such a project, how to do it, or maybe even make you realize your home isn't suitable for this. Likely I could have done this with a sharp spade bit, and a handheld drill, but it likely would also have looked crappy.ĬAUTIONS: This work involves power tools and other exciting things, so be smart and pay attention. ![]() I used this for drilling out the rosettes, using a friend's drill press. It should be just wide enough to let the small end of the Tot Lok key to fit in. This is a drill bit that creates flat bottom holes. Chances are the adhesive holds the boards more firmly, but the nailing holds the boards in place while the stick 'em dries. I used this a lot, right after applying the adhesive. I used construction adhesive to hold the boards to the wall, and also lots of white caulk to fill in various gaps. There are a lot of boards to cut, and likely you'll have some tough angles. The three components above are the main items involved in making the hidden compartment.Īside from the common woodworking tools, the following were quite helpful. You may opt to make your wainscoting of different dimensions, or in a different pattern. Just imagine if your entire room was lined with 8" boards and you had this one 10" board "hiding" your stash. For this to remain a hidden door it is crucial that this be of the same dimensions as your main boards. I only needed one of these boards in a 12' length, which I cut to make the two 5' pieces. But this single projection matches up nicely with the tongue and groove boards that I used throughout the rest of the wainscoting. Commonly these might be used for siding where - placed horizontally - they can help water drain away. Unlike the common tongue and groove boards which have a U shaped groove on one edge, these have a single tongue that is offset from the center. The ship lap boards were a lucky find at the store. From the exterior there is nothing visible, and they swing open nice and wide. The cabinet hinges that I used were 175 degree fully concealed hinges. I picked up these at Home Depot, one for each top corner of the door. The 3 1/2" square one that I found matched the size of the Tot Lok key and will be drilled out to be the stash spot for the key. The rosette is a square decorative piece that is often used for the top corners of doors and windows. You only need one locking mechanism, but following this plan you will want two keys. ![]() The magnet key sold with this device looks like a drawer knob. The Tot Lok is a child safety latch that can be installed on the inside of a cabinet and opened with a strong magnet. Nails, construction adhesive, caulk, paint, other wood needed for baseboards and for plate rail at the top of the wainscoting, etc. Should have half as many of these as 1 x 8's
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