Invisible Door?

**alanb** · 27th July 2006, 01:11 AM

I"m almost at lock-up stage on a new house clad with colourbond. The entrance area will be clad with 80mm horizontal shiplap hardwood. As an owner builder, I have an idea but I'd appreciate some thoughts on execution practicability etc. The idea is to have a hinged door set into the shiplap wall, but as it's just a storage area for boots, coats, brooms etc I'd like it to be seen as part of the hardwood wall, almost unseen, if you get my drift..no architrave, minimal handle; just as if a door sized part of the wall swung out.
I expect I'll have to hang a solid core door and clad it with the shiplap and make it flush with the rest of the wall, but as the timber is Q'land Spotted Gum and has some colour variation, I'd like the door timbers to be the same as the wall sections and at the same height to make the door 'disappear'. Any thoughts on how to proceed?

**Honorary Bloke** · 27th July 2006, 02:55 AM

G'day AlanB and welcome!

If it were me, I reckon I would build my own hollow core door (to keep the weight down) to fit the jamb (like a torsion box). Frame, thin ply on the back, ship lap on the front. Then I would get about three "invisible hinges" to hang it with and use some magnetic push-pull catches so I wouldn't need a handle.

To match the grain and colour, why not have the chippies (is that the right word?) lay the ship lap across the door opening just as though it were the wall, mark it and cut it at the door opening and number each piece. Then build the door using the ship lap in that order and the grain and colour should match pretty much exactly. If you get the edges to good tolerance and use concealed hinges, the door will virtually disappear.:eek:

**alanb** · 27th July 2006, 09:48 AM

Thanks for the tips, we're thinking along the same lines! I'll have to check out 'Torsion Box'. Cheers, Alan (Thanks for being my first connection.)

**Rookie** · 27th July 2006, 01:22 PM

Hi Alan

One of the tricks they use for these sorts of doors as well is to take the focus off any door edges and direct it towards the wall itself by including features that are on the wall, also on the door. This may mean hanging pictures on the door, or continuing things like picture rails and dado rails across the door as well (introdcues hinging challenges).

Good luck with it.

**alanb** · 28th July 2006, 11:02 AM

Hi Rookie,
Appreciate your thoughts. This is an external wall, but the principle still applies.
Cheers,
Alan

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