How to Make a Secret Door Bookcase! 2026

How to Make a Secret Door Bookcase, We have a space in our living room that I have been planning to hide with a door like this for 10 years, but I have kept putting off because doing something like this has to be done right.

I wanted the joinery to be high quality and the mechanism to be rock solid, and I finally had the time, resources and equipment to meet the standard I wanted.

This is a long article, as it covers not only the construction of the bookcase but also some other features: it has a unique sliding book-based locking mechanism, multiple secret compartments inside the bookcase (in addition to the large one behind it!), and it is equipped with electronics that generate fun sound and light effects.

Step 1: Find a space

You will now know if there is a suitable place in your house for a shelf to hide a door. To us, it was a strange little space with an angled ceiling and a window.

It used to have a balustrade and it was completely useless, but one of the first things we did was cover it up and create an open study corner.

That left it open to the living room, which was nice but not ideal, since you need to keep that space tidy.

What makes it suitable for a secret room is that it is cantilevered over the front door, so unless you are really paying attention when you enter the house, you won't know it's there. They are already surprised visitors, which is ridiculously satisfying.

Step 2: Design

For maximum stealth, I was willing to have the bookcase blend in with the rest of our furniture.

The plan was simple: I would mimic the design and finish of our existing solid wood shelving as best I could, while adopting the hardware kit sold by the Murphy Door company, which is designed to support a door weighing up to 300 pounds.

The plans that come with the kit call for edge plywood, but instead I made my own with glued panels of solid wood - this shelving material is inexpensive, dimensionally stable and has the necessary thickness.

The most difficult part of the new design was creating the illusion of depth on the sides that our existing furniture has, since the equipment must be mounted right against the outer edges of the boxes that make up the folding door.

Fortunately, there was an elegant solution to this, which somehow makes the bookcase stronger (the load-bearing side is now directly over the pivot hardware).

Download the Sketchup file I used to design the bookcase.

Step 3: Materials and tools

You need 2 sheets of 1/4″ sanded plywood and 6 panels of 3/4×15 1/4×96 laminated pine project board and a few lengths of 2×4 (or similar) lumber.

You need the Murphy Door kit, which contains a carefully curated collection of rugged construction equipment.

I was very impressed, everything feels really solid and well thought out. You'll also need parts for any assembly method you use.

I built this with pocket screws and cotter pins; I like both of these building techniques because they allow you to build things with wood glue (which is incredibly strong) but without a lot of specialized tools and clamps (which I don't have).

Step 4: Get the cut

Here is the cutting plan for my shelves.

Everything is in mm because my head is in feet and inches, but I will try to do the conversions. Please note that the 3/4″ pine panel is 19mm thick.

The Ikea shelves that I was trying to imitate have some caRouted features: chamfered edges stop on the front side edge and a curvilinear front edge on the shelves.

I added this last before cutting the shelves to size, although I didn't have the correct router bit and therefore improvised.

The chamfer I added with a chamfer bit, stopped 50mm (2″) or so before the end of each trim piece.

These little features seem so subtle that they are almost meaningless, but their very subtlety is the reason they work, they add to the appearance of quality by adding any ostentation.

3/4″ Pine Shelving:

• #1 and #2: Remove a 7 1/2″ (191 mm) wide board from each shelving piece. Trim to 2120 mm (83 7/16″) long.
• Cut a grid to accommodate the 1/4″ plywood for the back (~6mm, but measure it) – make it about 10mm (3/8″) wide so it's easy to fix to the back.
• Mark these two pieces “inside left” and “inside right.”
• Remove a 185 mm (7 1/4″) wide board from each left piece.
• Trim to 2120 mm (83 7/16″) long, and mark “off right” and “off left.”
• #3, 4 and 5: Cut all of these into 185mm (7 1/4″) wide boards.
• From these 6 long boards, cut 18 pieces 718 mm (28 1/4″) long. 12 of these are adjustable shelves, and will probably need to be shortened slightly to fit easily (just a mm or more).
• I also did some subtle decorative routing on the edges of these 12 boards, and it's easier to do this before cutting them to size.
• #6: Cut a strip 200 mm (7 7/8″) wide and cut to 1511 mm (59 1/2″) long. "Canopy" brand. I cut another strip 90mm (3 9/16″) wide and cut it to 1511mm (59 1/2″) long.
• Mark "rear valance". I cut another strip 70mm (2 3/4″) wide and cut to 1549mm (61″) long, and mark “front of valance.”
• From the 70 mm (2 3/4″) offcuts, cut two more pieces 219 mm (8 5/8″) long, and mark “canopy on the left” and “canopy on the right.”

Fir lumber 2×4:

2×4 and a lot of cutting and a little cleaning with an electric hand plane.

This part would have been easier with a jointer and thickness planer, but it wasn't a big deal. Here are the parts you need:

• Two 718×38×19 mm (28 1/4″×1 1/2″ × 3/4″). Mark one “center right” and the other “middle left”
• Four 718×60×19 mm (28 1/4″× 2 3/8″ × 3/4″). Check “top right,” “top left,” “bottom right,” and “bottom left.”
• Two 2120×30×19 mm (83 7/16" × 1 3/16" × 3/4"). Check “back left” and “back right”
• Four 150×60×19 mm (83 7/16" × 5 15/16" × 3/4"). Check “top right side” “top left side” “bottom right side” and “bottom left side”
• Two 2120×30×38 mm (83 7/16″×1 3/16″×1 1/2″). Cut a 11x19 mm (7/16x3/4″) hoop so that the two arms are 19 mm (3/4″) thick. Check “front left” and “front right”.

1/4″ plywood: 

Cut two 2120 × 746 mm (83 7/16″×29 3/8″) pieces. A LOT of waste here, because you need a full sheet for each shelf.

However, the 1/4″ layer is useful for a multitude of other projects, so just put it aside in your scrap pile and use it for something else.

Note that if you make the shelving out of plywood, you will need two sheets of 3/4″ anyway.

Step 5: Make the sides

The exterior of each bookcase is made of five pieces of wood, which are assembled before the rest of the box. I used Miller pins to attach the long cut strips.

Miller pins should be cut with a flush saw after the glue has dried, then sanded flat.

This sounds like more of a chore than it really is: it's very fast and I'd be sanding anyway.

If you are an expert at using dice, tacos or crackers, by all means, use them instead; or if you are going to paint it, just use old screws and fill the holes.

Before you attach the short pieces, you need to cut the pieces to accommodate the accessories (which are designed to be attached right to the side of the box, so if you want a sleek exterior finish, you need to do a trick like this).

I glued and screwed these little pieces together, since the screw heads are not going to show.

One of the interior pieces has a long piece of decoration, the other does not.

Choose the side you will see the most for the crop. I attached this using the Miller pins again, including the dummy pins on the other side to make it look like both sides were fixed.

Step 6: Add Holes for Adjustable Shelving

Only one of the shelves in this design is fixed; the rest are adjustable.

This is a good thing, since you may love a particular space right now, but in the future you want to set up a picture or speakers or something, and you'll appreciate the flexibility.

Likewise, create more shelves than you think you might need. I used a small Kreg jig to drill the holes;

You could easily use your own template.

The adjustable shelves also make the bookcase easier to finish as you can stain/polyurethane them separately and they are out of the way when making the case.

Step 7: Build horizontal members

There are three fixed L-shaped shelves for each half of the door.

I attached them using pocket screws, which require the use of a jig and a specially shaped drill bit.

The pocket screws hold the two pieces of wood together very tightly, and you can do the joinery without the need for clamps.

The roughness of the hole you see is because my drill bit is getting old and dull.

You should end up with six L-shaped shelves, two with 1 1/2″ (38 mm) deep face pieces and four with 2 3/8″ (60 mm) deep pieces.

The first go in the middle, the second at each end.

Step 8: Assemble the frames

I tried to document the construction using photos to give you the idea of how to put it together, but there are no real hard and fast rules.

I used pocket screws and wood glue to attach the sides and 3 horizontal members. Just make sure the case stays square.

You'll notice that I use a plywood square to measure 90 degree angles and diagonal braces to keep the shelves aligned while the glue dries.

Step 9: Attach the plywood backings

This is a quick and easy step: cut the 1/4″ plywood sheets to 2120×746 mm (83 7/16″×29 3/8″), and glue them to the back of the shelving.

I used a nail gun. Fill the gaps and sand the entire assembly smooth.

Step 10: Build Canopy

This is quick to build and can be done entirely with pocket screws.

Note that the final shelf has crown molding added to the valance, but I did not add it until I finished installing the shelf (see below).

Photos 3 and 4 show the equipment being added to the canopy: 5 reinforcing brackets on top and the guide below.

Please note that the top of the canopy is hollow.

You can take advantage of that later to make a secret compartment at the top of your secret door. How cool would that be?

Step 11: Finish

Fill any holes or imperfections with wood filler, sand the entire shelf with fine-grit sandpaper, blow/vacuum free of dust, then finish with your choice of paint/stain/polyurethane.

Step 12: Install the bottom track

You need a piece of hardwood to support the bottom track. I used a piece of oak 1550mm (61″) long and nominally 1×4 (but actually only 3/4″ × 3 1/2″).

I made a 5mm (3/16″) deep socket using the vi board, drilled a hole with a Forstner bit to accommodate the pivot hinge, and formed the edges with a bit on my router, to avoid toeing.

I also hung the bottom edge of the wood to give a space for the rug to sit neatly.

Because this piece of wood supports the entire weight of the shelving unit, it must be attached directly to the floor.

For me, that meant cutting the carpet and adding grip strips to each side.

When I did this, the oak piece was buried too deep in the carpet, so I added a 1/4″ strip of plywood underneath to lift it up a bit.

I'm glad I did it: it would have crawled on the carpet otherwise.

I discovered the exact location of the strip by hanging a plumb line from the canopy, which I just temporarily screwed into place.

Step 13: Install

First, get help. These bookcase doors are difficult to operate. For complete instructions, see the manual.

Basically, you attach the pivot hardware, join the two sides of the door together with a piano hinge, lift the door, place the valance on top with 1/4″ spacers, mark the hole locations for the lag bolts, remove the valance, drill the holes, then replace the valance and secure it in place.

Your bookcase should now function as expected!

Step 14: Secret Compartment in the Canopy

I added some crown molding to the top of the valance to make it look more like the rest of our furniture, and I finished off the valance with a sheet of 1/4″ plywood.

I edged the plywood with thin strips of wood, so it was brought flush with the top of the molding.

The canopy is there to prevent the shelf from falling, and is not designed to support objectss heavy, so you should only put light things there, it's not really an extra shelf.

Note that you have now created a large empty space that is perfect for hiding things... Sneaky!

Who would think to look for a secret compartment at the TOP of a secret door? Okay, aside from anyone who read this article...

There are two other secret compartments that can accommodate heavy items: the top of each door.

Again, easy enough to make plywood tops for these. I didn't bother, partly because I wanted to use one of these spaces for sound effects.

Step 15: Make a block

All decent secret door bookcases need an equally secret lock, so I built one from a hardcover book, a bolt, and a round steel plate from an old junction box.

The bolt was mounted in a hole in the side of one of the frames.

Another hole, this one large enough to accommodate the head of the bolt, was drilled through the other box.

The steel plate was cut and glued to the inside of the book in such a way that it captures the bolt, preventing the boxes from opening.

Pushing the book.

The hole in the book that exposes the mechanism is lined with a thin piece of steel from a can of spaghetti, so there is a pleasant "click" when you press the book.

I made a small hole in the back of the box behind the book, so I could tie a nylon cord to the steel plate to allow the occupants to unlock the door from the inside.

This rope also allows the room's occupants to close the door completely from the inside.

As for the book, I opted for the least sought after option to browse.

Step 16: Light

It would be very easy to accidentally leave the light on inside the studio, so I wanted a light with a motion sensor.

I bought a sensor switch, but I had to make a box out of the wood cutouts since I didn't have a suitable place to mount it on the wall.

I used a surplus power cord from a broken scanner to make placement more flexible.

It turns on when the door is opened and turns off again after a few minutes (unless it detects motion, of course).

Step 17: Sound Effects

For a little more fun, I added some electronic gadgets.

First of all, when you press the lock book, it plays the "secret discovered" sound from the Legend of Zelda (the chimes that play every time Link solves a puzzle).

So how does it work?

The first sound is activated by pushing the book and the second by opening the door.

Both use a sound recording module with microphone and speaker, and are powered by 3 AA batteries mounted on a stand.

The sound module was mounted on a plate and a large wooden lever trips the switch on the shelf.

I used the top of a pop bottle to amplify the sound (makes a big difference, believe it or not).

The second module activator I designed in SketchUp and 3D printed using a Makerbot Replicator (which I have access to through work).

It is basically a small house with a flexible roof and walls that encloses the sound module. When the door opens, press the ceiling towards the switch through an inverted "chimney."

The holes are to allow the sound module to be screwed into place, and the zig-zag sides are to allow compression and elasticity.

Of course, it could also be used for book locking, but I like my bulky interruwooden ptor (and it works perfectly), so I left it in place.

You can set the switch in such a way that the sound triggers only when it is opened to a certain point.

The creative process of designing something with a 3D printer feels very unusual for someone used to traditional manufacturing methods, because they can (almost) completely ignore the "how am I going to make this?"

Ask questions, and just design whatever kind of weird structure you like that will solve the problem at hand. I'm not going to pretend for a second that the casita is the most elegant solution.

Step 18: Carry your books

We were pretty short on shelf space, and this project added about 8m.

I mostly loaded it with paperback books (>200) plus a few hardcover books and various objects.

The door opens very smoothly (although it has a lot of inertia, as you would expect), and based on the inherent strength of the hinges and the fact that we don't have to worry about any falls, I think it will last a while.

The video shows the library in operation. Thanks for reading!

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