Hidden doorways are a fun and functional way to conceal an opening to a closet, bathroom, or utility room, but a full-depth, loaded bookcase represents a lot of weight to place on standard door hinges. Custom Service Hardware offers a nice pair of hinges that are designed to solve this problem.
The scissor-style hinges at the heart of this system are installed at the top and bottom of the opening and work together to support a maximum of 500 lb. of weight. Even with stocked shelves, the hinges operate with ease.
An adjustable support foot on the door engages with a tapered-plastic stop block that sits on the strike side of the threshold to keep the door closed and supported so it won’t sag in the opening.
When used as an in-swing door, the face frame of the built-in acts as a handle. When set as an out-swing door, the side casing on the strike side of the hidden door is attached to the built-in, but not the wall, so it can be used as a handle.
A pair of hinges—including fasteners, a support foot, and a stop block—sells for about $150. CSH also offers unfinished bookcase kits in a variety of wood species that are designed to fit into standard rough openings, and kits to make bifolding hidden doors.
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