A bookcase door is what it says on the tin: a bookcase, hinged and mounted, that serves as a door. Bookcase doors can be obvious partitions, where you can clearly see by looking at the bookcase that it opens as a door, or they can camouflage the fact that they also serve as a door.

Dark Wood Bookshelf

Bookcase doors are not all that suitable as doors to the outside, but can serve well as doors to basements, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms, closets and other maintenance areas.

Dark Wood Bookshelf

The classic secret passages used in so many spy and adventure movies are invariably camouflaged bookcase doors. While you most likely are not in fact James Bond, or one of his many nemeses, the James-Bond-style of bookcase door can serve many purposes.

For example, you may want to cover up an unattractive closet while maximizing your space, or conceal your wine cellar. All in all, bookcase doors are a great way to add extra storage to your room, yet still highly decorative.

A standalone bookcase door is suitable if you don't have a lot of books or other knickknacks to populate the shelves. It is also suitable for smaller rooms that don't have a lot of space for built-in bookcases. Such standalone doors might look at home in the kitchen or bedroom, or other rooms where a whole row of bookcases might seem odd.

However, if you really want to conceal your door, making your door one of a series of bookcases is an ideal approach. This will require precision woodworking, but can flawlessly conceal the fact that one of the bookcases is a door, just like in the movies.

Bookcase doors can be made from a variety of materials, but the most common-and perhaps the most suitable-is wood. There are so many varieties of wood that just about any look can be achieved, and wood has a naturally warm, hospitable appearance.

Choose the type and grade of wood carefully, as not only does your bookcase have to look good, is has to retain its shape. It is, after all, a moving part. If it warps or distorts this may impair its ability to move. This becomes more important the more you want your bookcase to conceal its functionality as a door.

Also consider color. If you prefer dark wood, choose a dark wood, don't choose a light colored wood like maple and then stain it dark. Emphasize the natural beauty of the wood rather than trying to impose your will on it. If you opt to paint the wood, then perhaps plywood might work.

Plywood rarely warps because the layers (plies, thus the name) are arranged so that the grain goes in opposite directions.

Hardware is also crucial in a bookcase door. In addition to being concealable, it has to be strong. Bookcases are immensely heavy compared to normal doors. Generally, your choice will be limited to heavy-duty hardware specifically designed for bookcase doors.

A bookcase door can be a beautiful and practical addition to your home. It must be planned carefully and built well, as it involves both greater weight and narrower construction tolerances than a normal door.

Book Case Doors - Functional and Practical Home Decorating

Dark Wood Bookshelf