| A bookcase door is what it says on the tin: a | | | | movies. |
| bookcase, hinged and mounted, that serves as a | | | | Bookcase doors can be made from a variety of |
| door. Bookcase doors can be obvious partitions, | | | | materials, but the most common-and perhaps the |
| where you can clearly see by looking at the | | | | most suitable-is wood. There are so many varieties |
| bookcase that it opens as a door, or they can | | | | of wood that just about any look can be achieved, |
| camouflage the fact that they also serve as a door. | | | | and wood has a naturally warm, hospitable |
| Bookcase doors are not all that suitable as doors to | | | | appearance. |
| the outside, but can serve well as doors to | | | | Choose the type and grade of wood carefully, as not |
| basements, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms, | | | | only does your bookcase have to look good, is has |
| closets and other maintenance areas. | | | | to retain its shape. It is, after all, a moving part. If it |
| The classic secret passages used in so many spy and | | | | warps or distorts this may impair its ability to move. |
| adventure movies are invariably camouflaged | | | | This becomes more important the more you want |
| bookcase doors. While you most likely are not in fact | | | | your bookcase to conceal its functionality as a door. |
| James Bond, or one of his many nemeses, the | | | | Also consider color. If you prefer dark wood, choose |
| James-Bond-style of bookcase door can serve many | | | | a dark wood, don't choose a light colored wood like |
| purposes. | | | | maple and then stain it dark. Emphasize the natural |
| For example, you may want to cover up an | | | | beauty of the wood rather than trying to impose |
| unattractive closet while maximizing your space, or | | | | your will on it. If you opt to paint the wood, then |
| conceal your wine cellar. All in all, bookcase doors are | | | | perhaps plywood might work. |
| a great way to add extra storage to your room, yet | | | | Plywood rarely warps because the layers (plies, thus |
| still highly decorative. | | | | the name) are arranged so that the grain goes in |
| A standalone bookcase door is suitable if you don't | | | | opposite directions. |
| have a lot of books or other knickknacks to populate | | | | Hardware is also crucial in a bookcase door. In |
| the shelves. It is also suitable for smaller rooms that | | | | addition to being concealable, it has to be strong. |
| don't have a lot of space for built-in bookcases. Such | | | | Bookcases are immensely heavy compared to normal |
| standalone doors might look at home in the kitchen | | | | doors. Generally, your choice will be limited to |
| or bedroom, or other rooms where a whole row of | | | | heavy-duty hardware specifically designed for |
| bookcases might seem odd. | | | | bookcase doors. |
| However, if you really want to conceal your door, | | | | A bookcase door can be a beautiful and practical |
| making your door one of a series of bookcases is an | | | | addition to your home. It must be planned carefully |
| ideal approach. This will require precision | | | | and built well, as it involves both greater weight and |
| woodworking, but can flawlessly conceal the fact | | | | narrower construction tolerances than a normal door. |
| that one of the bookcases is a door, just like in the | | | | |