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by ahnk
8 months ago in Design Dilemma
Need help with hiding a door to the storage space created between the roof line and a wall (5 feet tall)
We are in the middle of our attic renovation. To create a maximum storage space, we built a 5 feet knee wall that is holding the roof (in both sides). We had to create a door to get into the storage space in each wall. Our dilemma is how to hide the doors. We are thinking about wainscotting panels and make the door as one of the panels. Please post your ideas!!
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TanCalGal Wainscoting seems good
8 months ago ·
Vikrant Sharma Homez Good idea by j222b.
8 months ago ·
ahnk Thank you for the picture. Our issue is how to create a door in one of those panels. What kind of hinges and framing of the panels would hide one of the panels as a door the best? Thank you for thinking about this. Is there anybody who has seen this before (turning a panel in wainscoting to a door)?
8 months ago ·
olldbobbi I think you would do best by having all hardware the same color as the door itself, which may mean painting the hinges. This is probably the only reason I can see for painting hinges!

When you purchase your door, make it an entirely flat panel door. Then add your wainscoting trim only as far up as the wainscoting on the wall it is next to. Make sure there is little in the way of a gap between the door and its' neighbor. Install a lever type door knob, it's less obvious than a regular round door knob, and try to find one in the same, or similar color, as the door.
8 months ago ·
TanCalGal Instead of a door knob perhaps a magnetic closure that you tap and the door opens?
8 months ago ·
ahnk Thank you for your suggestion, j222b. Yes, magnetic closure is what we are thinking about so that the door really hides within wainscoting. Could you recommend strong magnetic closure and hinges that would work well for the door as this door would be much heavier than cabinet doors where these magnet closures and hinges are normally used?
8 months ago ·
S. Thomas Kutch Instead of magnetic closure, I'm thinking you might be better off with a door ball latch. Baldwin makes a heavy duty ball latch that has a rubber ball for quiet operation. Mag latches work well for cabinet doors but you're talking about a heavier solid door.

Another option you might consider would be a concealed door. If you plan on building any cabinetry along the wall in your renovation, it would be easy to make a section of the built in shelving an actual door unit that conceals the egress to the storage space behind it. Check out concealed spaces and I think you'll find some surprising solutions.
8 months ago ·
TanCalGal Sorry, no. We had a similar attic arrangement, but the "door" to storage was very light weight. I'm sure the Baldwin product S. T. Kutch mentions is the appropriate choice.
8 months ago ·
ahnk Mr. Kutch and j222b,
Thank you for your suggestions!
8 months ago · ·
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