Secret Door?
- Thread starter foamer01
- Start date
2chipped
Well-known member
Search "the bunker is finished".
K4luf
Well-known member
I just did. It brought me right back here...lol
Yes... and no. I've not done so in a garage, but several in my houses. It was pretty disheartening to see a TV show where people who thought they were savvy allowed their house to be broken into by pros. The burglars found their "secret panel" inside their closet in about 5 minutes.
It's a good idea, but to have any chance of success, it has to be at least as strong as the surrounding areas, whatever they are. In the case I cite, the theives dashed into several closets, saying "People try to hide things in here" and just beat on the walls with their fists. Hidden panels popped right open.
The other problem is unless you live in a castle, the extra space must be small or it will be noticeable. A closet that is shallower than it should be will be suspicious.
And finally, remember that unlike you, a thief isn't concerned with being neat. He'll just rip down an entire suspended ceiling to see if you've hidden anything above it.
Good luck!
(and if you don't need it very often, put it in a safe deposit box at your bank)
It's a good idea, but to have any chance of success, it has to be at least as strong as the surrounding areas, whatever they are. In the case I cite, the theives dashed into several closets, saying "People try to hide things in here" and just beat on the walls with their fists. Hidden panels popped right open.
The other problem is unless you live in a castle, the extra space must be small or it will be noticeable. A closet that is shallower than it should be will be suspicious.
And finally, remember that unlike you, a thief isn't concerned with being neat. He'll just rip down an entire suspended ceiling to see if you've hidden anything above it.
Good luck!
(and if you don't need it very often, put it in a safe deposit box at your bank)
Super Sport
Well-known member
If somebody did install a secret door, why would they put it on the internet for everyone to see? 
2chipped
Well-known member
Was it "deja vu"?
In the garage gallery ....the" bunker" is almost completed...around page three.
rsanter
Well-known member
I always thought getting an old safe or vault door and incorperating it into being the door to a room would be cool/
it would look cool and be secure too
I guess you could always make one that looked like a vault door but had some secret elercto-mechanical release to it
bob
it would look cool and be secure too
I guess you could always make one that looked like a vault door but had some secret elercto-mechanical release to it
bob
Dahammer72
Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Messages
- 18
I've seen them built into custom cabinets. I saw one a while back that was an entertainment center. Behind one of the drawers was a knob used to slide a panel enough to give you room to get your hands behind it, then you could slide it the rest of the way. Behind the panel was a hidden gun cabinet.
Dale Rogers
Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2011
- Messages
- 17
I had one in my house. Burglars broke into my house, busted open my cheap safe and made of with a Nikon FM-2 while my firearms remainded safe behind a "secret" door. LOL! It was a film camera!
As a contractor, I've built a few secret compartments & 1 secret wall panel.
The compartments I don't believe would be found by an intruder... the wall panel hides a safe lag bolted into structural members, so even if found it'd have to be broken open rather than just picking up loose items.
The compartments I don't believe would be found by an intruder... the wall panel hides a safe lag bolted into structural members, so even if found it'd have to be broken open rather than just picking up loose items.
djjsr
Well-known member
I built a secret compartment in my workshop. Bad idea if you're getting old. I have no idea where it is.
Al Bundy
Well-known member
If I ever build another house I plan to incorporate a hidden room. It would be below grade and outside the perimeter of the main structure so nothing would look out of place. I don't really have anything to hide, it just seems like a cool idea.
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
I just cast a spell on my office and nobody can see it. I thought about a spell for the whole house but I have a few muggle friends.
RVDan
Well-known member
There are few secret storage places at my house, I've found six so far. I suspect there are more, I have to buy a longer tape measure because I suspect the interior dimensions of the house do not correspond to the exterior dimensions
That room would come in very handy as a tornado shelter.
NitroPress
Well-known member
I've built many a hidey-hole. It has to be a combination of building skill and very subtle misdirection. A big smooth back on a closet, with visible gaps around the edges, ain't gonna do it.
You have to have things like false shelf studs and sealed floor molding, so that even a careful look shows the "wall" to be sealed and inaccessible.
ludakris04
Well-known member
"Classic"... I laughed.
6768rogues
Banned
My wife has a secret room and she won't tell me where it is.
bigred292
Well-known member
I'm thinking of doing something like this in my project- anybody have any ideas as to what hardware is needed or a source for it?
pcgold
Well-known member
I'm thinking of building a secret compartment in my basement. Right now we have a bare wall, below grade with about a 3x4 space designed for a fireplace (which isn't there right now). In this picture (which was the way house looked when we bought it) you can see the big old console TV and the space I am talking about.
The plan is to make the whole wall flush, put brick on it and mount the big screen tv on it.
The stereo cabinet will be custom built and below the TV. So, there will be a big space behind the TV, certainly large enough to stand up in.
I plan on putting the access hole behind the entertainment unit, but no more than about 18 inches high. Inside I plan to bolt a safe to the studs, high enough that even if someone looks behind the entertainment unit they won't see the safe, just a bunch of speaker, electrical and stereo etc wires.
The plan is to make the whole wall flush, put brick on it and mount the big screen tv on it.
The stereo cabinet will be custom built and below the TV. So, there will be a big space behind the TV, certainly large enough to stand up in.
I plan on putting the access hole behind the entertainment unit, but no more than about 18 inches high. Inside I plan to bolt a safe to the studs, high enough that even if someone looks behind the entertainment unit they won't see the safe, just a bunch of speaker, electrical and stereo etc wires.
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Steevo
Well-known member
I'm with djjsr.
Hiding stuff is dangerous for me these days.
I can't even remember where I put stuff that isn't hidden.
Hiding stuff is dangerous for me these days.
I can't even remember where I put stuff that isn't hidden.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
there is a company on the web that sells stuff for secret doors just google it...
GarageEnvy
Well-known member
I'm just north of you in Fresno and noticed this on our CL yesterday. If I could afford it, I'd be all over a vault door.
http://fresno.craigslist.org/spo/2815648628.html
Ric in Richmond
Well-known member
The reporter that outed the Greenbriers congressional hideaway actually found it by way of orders for blast doors that were built for the purpose that were delivered there and then never seen again.
Much of the secret was in public use but could be sealed off and repurposed.
http://www.kilroywashere.org/006-Pages/Bunker.html
It is a cool tour.
Much of the secret was in public use but could be sealed off and repurposed.
http://www.kilroywashere.org/006-Pages/Bunker.html
It is a cool tour.
Al Bundy
Well-known member
Very true, but in my 48 years we've had exactly one tornado in my area and that was 35 miles away.
AnotherCARNUT
Active member
I just keep adding stuff , valuable or not to my pile in the garage and so far the wife hasn't seen the 2 new bullet presses stashed in it.
cderalow
Well-known member
i've got a couple built into furniture (one in each night stand, hers for adult protective coatings, one in mine for a handgun safe)
TAMPAGT07
Well-known member
Yupp, me too...I swear, I will have a tool in my hand one minute, and it will take me twenty minutes to find it....
rsa
Well-known member
onewaydave
Well-known member
Miss-direction is much cheaper and probably more efficient. Several of us use it every day without intending to.
Dave, eyes and finger pointing up.
Dave, eyes and finger pointing up.
ZRX61
Well-known member
"I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.."
"ok, just tell my wife..."
"ok, just tell my wife..."
HOTFR8
Banned
I am working on an idea if I get council aproval to extend.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
You actually expect people to tell you their hiding spots online!
Chris
Chris
cactiki
Well-known member
I really hate to be a party pooper, buuuuuut........
I had planned to do this myself one day. Then one day I was reading a website called vententersearch.com It is a website for firefighters.(I am not one, just a guy who will read anything!) Very interesting site, it is also the reason I will be drywalling my garage, even though it's not attached to my house. Anyway, people send in pictures of situations to watch out for...different ways to bust in doors, things like that. There are often pictures of secret rooms, and a lot of them seem to be kids playrooms. There were comments about " imagine searching this house when it is full of smoke....we might not even find this room." it made me think twice about creating a secret room. At least, he big enough for a person. And especially a kids playroom,I have heard kids tend to hide when there is a fire. Just something to think about......
I had planned to do this myself one day. Then one day I was reading a website called vententersearch.com It is a website for firefighters.(I am not one, just a guy who will read anything!) Very interesting site, it is also the reason I will be drywalling my garage, even though it's not attached to my house. Anyway, people send in pictures of situations to watch out for...different ways to bust in doors, things like that. There are often pictures of secret rooms, and a lot of them seem to be kids playrooms. There were comments about " imagine searching this house when it is full of smoke....we might not even find this room." it made me think twice about creating a secret room. At least, he big enough for a person. And especially a kids playroom,I have heard kids tend to hide when there is a fire. Just something to think about......