Another good choice is to swing the bookcase door above the baseboard and hang it on a center hung pivot hinge also especially designed for hidden bookcase doors.
How to build hidden bookcase door.
Either way around if you want to have a truly invisible bookcase door the opening mechanism will cost you something.
The secret to making a bookcase door function is in the hinges.
First measure how wide the bookshelf will need to be to cover the door.
How to make a secret door bookcase this tutorial contains a ton of pictures that shows exactly how to build a small bookcase door including details on building a pivoting secret book that opens a gate latch on the inside.
Step 1 calculate the dimension.
While calculating the dimensions of the bookcase keep in mind various things such as the pivot point clearing the walls and keeping some gaps with the neighboring shelves.
Calculate the dimensions of your space.
Note if a different size opening or bookcase in in the plans proceed the same way but ensuring that the plywood is large enough to accommodate.
Sub step 4 sketch the jambs.
It is now time to sketch out the door jambs on each side of the opening.
Fo r an in swing door you can use regular door hinges placed on the back of the case but i don t recommend it.
Even though the tendency to sag can be mitigated some with a caster on the strike side eventually those hinges will become loose and falter.
Then determine whether or not you can put the bookcase far enough away from the soon to be hidden door that it.
Measure the length breadth and height of the hidden door bookcase you want to build.
Hidden hinges are used to make the bookcase butt up directly against the wall.
Bookcases covertly blend in to many surroundings providing a natural fit.
The opened bookcase will take up to 13 1 2 or more inches of the door opening.