Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO PEOPLE USE YOUR HIDDEN DOORS?
Hidden doors are usually installed in place of interior doors or built into a wall where there is something to conceal. They often conceal an entry to a furnace or mechanical room, storage room, laundry room, office, secret room, children’s play area, closet, under stair storage, crawl space, attic storage, safe or gun storage, or water shut off valves.

Just like a piece of fine furniture, our beautifully crafted hidden door units add a designer’s touch to any room. They will also provide you with additional storage. And then there’s the “wow” factor of showing your “secret door” to your family and friends!

CAN I INSTALL YOUR HIDDEN DOOR IN MY EXISTING HOME?
Yes. Our hidden doors are designed to replace an existing door. They are also perfect for new construction or remodeling projects.

WHY IS YOUR QUALITY BETTER THAN THE COMPETITORS’?
Our hidden doors are designed and built by master craftsmen. Each door is meticulously designed to be virtually concealed when installed. Only hand selected, premium quality wood veneers are used. NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) products are standard, subject to their availability.

For our full-size products, our research and development team has designed a ball bearing hinge and concealed internal support system which provides maximum strength and smooth, easy operation with the touch of a finger. Our technology allows us to build deeper units. Why settle for an 8” deep bookcase door when you can have 10”?

DO YOU BUILD IN-SWING AND OUT-SWING HIDDEN DOORS?
We can build either style for you. Your hidden door can be hinged on the left or right

WILL I BE ABLE TO DESIGN MY OWN HIDDEN DOOR?
Yes. Our interactive Design Center allows you to customize your bookcase or cabinet with your choice of style, wood and optional trim selections including face frame styles, shelf edge details, drawer fronts, door panels, casing, crown molding and rosettes. As you design your hidden door, you will see the architectural drawing and the price change to reflect each selection you make.

MAY I USE MY OWN CASING, DRAWER FRONTS AND DOOR PANELS?
Yes. If you prefer to use your own casing, crown molding, drawer fronts or door panels that match the cabinetry in your home, you may order any of our hidden door units without these optional trims.

WILL MY HIDDEN DOOR BLEND WITH MY CABINETRY?
Yes. Our goal is to have your Hidden Door by Design bookcase or cabinet blend with your existing cabinetry and woodwork so that it truly is a “hidden door.” Your custom hidden door will arrive unfinished, sanded and ready for painting or staining so that it can be finished on-site to match your woodwork and cabinetry.

CAN I ORDER MATCHING FIXED BOOKCASES AND CABINETS?
Yes. We can make custom fixed bookcases and cabinets to match the custom hidden door you design. These are used primarily in a library or office where you have a series of matching bookcase units and only one is a hidden door. If we build all the units, you can be assured that all the pieces will match perfectly so that your hidden door remains “hidden.” Once you have designed your custom unit on the Design Center, you will be able to get a price for matching fixed units.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST POPULAR HIDDEN DOOR DESIGN?
The most popular hidden door is a bookcase door with adjustable shelves. Bookcases with drawers or cabinet doors are popular variations. A full-size bookcase gives you an interior, useable depth of approximately 10”. Drawers will have approximately 8” in interior depth to provide a perfect place for CDs or DVDs. Cabinets have up to 8” of interior depth to provide you with extra storage.

WHAT WOOD SELECTIONS DO YOU OFFER?
We offer cherry, alder, maple, red oak, hickory, walnut, African mahogany, birch and knotty pine in solid wood core veneers. A combination of poplar and birch is used for for our paint grade units. Other wood selections may be available upon request.

DO YOU USE NAUF WOOD PRODUCTS?
Yes. NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) solid core wood veneer products are standard subject to their availability.

DO THE SIDES AND BACK MATCH THE FRONT?
Yes. The fronts, sides, backs and shelves of our stain grade products are constructed of the same solid core wood veneers so that they will have a consistent appearance. Our paint grade products are constructed of poplar and birch. All our shelves are adjustable.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT WILL A HIDDEN BOOKCASE DOOR HOLD?
Our full-size hidden door units have our ball bearing hinge and concealed reinforcement system that allow you to have a larger unit with an interior useable depth of approximately 10”. Our reinforcement system is designed to reduce the possibility of twisting or sagging even when a bookcase is filled with 500 pounds of books — the maximum recommended weight. Our ball bearing hinges allow even a large unit to open and close smoothly with just the touch of a finger.

For smaller or shallower hidden door units, including short bookcases, cabinets, framed mirrors, billiard cue storage units and other products with a maximum exterior depth of 8”, we use either our ball bearing and concealed reinforcement system, Rixson hinges or a piano hinge. The type of product and the weight it’s designed to hold determine the type of hinge and support system we use.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET MY HIDDEN DOOR?
We begin designing your bookcase door as soon as we receive your signed order and deposit.
Please plan on six weeks for delivery.

IS A HIDDEN DOOR EASY TO INSTALL?
All our hidden door products are designed for easy installation by finish carpenters. The hidden door bookcase or cabinet box is shipped assembled. The door jamb and casing, if ordered, are shipped ready to assemble so that they can be cut to fit on-site. Complete installation directions and diagrams are included. If requested, for an additional fee we can provide professional installation in the Denver, Colorado area.

WHAT ARE YOUR PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS?
At the time of contract signing, we require a down payment of 50% of the total price. The balance is due when your door is ready to be shipped.

DO YOU HAVE A WARRANTY?
Yes. We warranty our workmanship and materials for ninety (90) days from the date of delivery. Hinges and other working parts are covered for one year after delivery. Our company does not warrant installation by others. We cannot warrant our products if they have been altered after delivery.

HOW WILL MY DOOR BE SHIPPED?
Your hidden door will be carefully packed in a wooden crate and delivered by a common carrier. If you’re in the Denver, Colorado area, you may pick it up at our shop.

Shipping costs are not included in our prices. Please call us at 1 866 530-0003 for prices.

WHAT IF MY DOOR ARRIVES DAMAGED?
Each door will be insured against damage during shipping. In the unlikely event that your door is damaged during shipping, please notify us immediately. We will have your hidden door repaired or replaced, at our sole discretion and at our expense. We want you to be delighted with your Hidden Door by Design.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRICES FOR HIDDEN DOOR BOOKCASES?
Because each hidden door we build is a custom unit, the size, style, type of wood and trim selections determine the price. For a free quote on a hidden door designed especially for you, please visit our interactive Design Center to design your own hidden door bookcase or cabinet. As you design your custom hidden door, you will see the architectural drawing and the price reflect each selection you make.

CAN YOU BUILD A HIDDEN DOOR STYLE THAT IS NOT PICTURED IN THE DESIGN CENTER?
Please call us. What do you have in mind?

AFTER I’VE DESIGNED MY CUSTOM HIDDEN DOOR, WILL I BE ABLE TO SHARE MY DESIGN WITH MY FRIENDS?
Yes. Just click on the Twitter or Facebook button at the end of the Design Center section. You’ll be able to share the design with your friends, but the price remains your secret.

HOW DO I CONTACT YOUR COMPANY?
Our friendly customer service representatives will be happy to assist you Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MST. Our reputation is built on giving you exceptional customer service, so please let us know how we can be of assistance. We’re looking forward to talking with you!