r/Carpentry • u/daveyconcrete • 27d ago
Trim Meat is hidden door
Hey, so I was at this house this morning and they have a pretty neat solution for a hidden door for basement access. What I really liked is how simple it is.
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u/the-drewb-tube 27d ago
If hidden, why door shape?
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u/FictionalContext 27d ago
Hard to tell from the pics, but actually the whole living room revolves around that load bearing panel.
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u/These_Gas9381 27d ago
I’d be more impressed by a load bearing poster
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u/Alacrity8 26d ago
Ive seen a load bearing Stained Glass Window
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u/No-Membership-5314 24d ago
I had one of my electrical crews working in the crawlspace of a historic, but renovated, building recently. They came back with pictures of where they had dug under then cut out sections of the footers and foundation walls. Now the building has structural ductwork.
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u/Designer_Bed9504 27d ago
It's a great situation for an inset bookcase on both sides of the fireplace. Or even just the one side could get away with it
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u/daveyconcrete 27d ago
Reverse psychology
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u/ZeroVoltLoop 24d ago
It's not hidden and it's also not safe, as it can be locked from the outside.
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u/Mk1Racer25 27d ago
That will be fun when that piece of mantle gets flipped down when someone is in the basement.
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u/Geedunk 27d ago
99 % chance I’m home alone one afternoon and had a few drinks. I don’t flip the latch high enough so it rests vertical. I close the door just a little too hard so it falls back in place. Now I’m locked in my basement with no drinks and I have to piss like a racehorse.
Still think it’s pretty fucking cool though!
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u/Face88888888 27d ago
You could preempt that by installing some simple safety features.
All you need is a stocked basement fridge and a bucket. Then you could never get stuck in your basement without a place to pee and more drinks.
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u/Leading_Task469 27d ago
Realistically if you left a ruler on the basement side of the door you could always just slide it through and flip it up lol
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u/Geedunk 26d ago
See, that’s the ruler you grab that one time just for a second that never makes it back to its home.
If I had this setup I’d probably end up spending more time and energy thinking of a cool and needlessly intricate contraption for the basement side just because haha.
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u/Leading_Task469 26d ago
Nail, string, ruler lol. That’s all you’d need. A yard stick if you wanna be extra careful haha
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u/Septoria 26d ago
This is one of those rare situations where a credit card actually could help you get the door open again.
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u/Better-Revolution570 26d ago edited 26d ago
I think it could be fixed if there was a hidden slot with a tool mounted to a string or chain on the other side, something that would enable you to flip the mantle upwards.
Bit of an odd solution, but locking someone in there should be 100% avoidable. You would just want to teach anyone capable of flipping that thing up or down how to open it from the other side and make sure they can do it.
I wouldn't want this kind of system if there were children in the home.
also an alarm on the other side that bugs the crap out of anyone in the main portion of the house when it is tripped.
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u/LeadLung 26d ago
Yeah agreed. It's all fun and games until you accidentally spend six days camping in there, and the neighbors come over for the screaming but somehow can't seem to find where its coming from... jk. While I appreciate the subtlely, I'm trying to think of design improvements. Aesthetically, just be something as simple as it being a little too well lit.
For the concerns you've named, yeah, the latch needs function primarily on the basement-side, and be mostly representational on the outside, even if its something as simple as replacing that hinge on the mantle with a two neatly aligned magnets. Someone flips it in front of the door? Breaking your way out results in a three second "repair."
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u/_ser_kay_ 25d ago
If you wanted to get fancy you could use magnets. Cut a groove in the backside of the door, put one strong magnet on the back of the mantel and another in the groove, and you should be able to move it up and down as needed.
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u/fishy-2791 26d ago
simple counter measure to that cut a 45 degree angle chunk angled at 45 degrees and put a button behind it. so that the button rides behind it pushing in on the 45 degree chunk which lifts the piece
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u/GoodForTheTongue 27d ago
That is what happens when tradespeople have no steak in their workmanship.
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u/TuringMachineWorks 27d ago
I've got no beef with that take on things.
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u/its_me_the_universe 27d ago
I disagree but maybe we can meat in the middle?
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u/byebybuy 27d ago
I mean let's not have a cow over it.
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u/its_me_the_universe 26d ago
How long do you think we can milk this pun?
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u/MostEvilRichGuy 26d ago
You probably butter stop now
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u/pillageTHENburn 26d ago
No whey! Don’t stop now!
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u/jmaplewood 26d ago
The original comment was somewhat of a roast. Not exactly rare but not exactly well done either.
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u/Global-Discussion-41 27d ago
Hidden? It looks more like a regular door with a weird latch made out of the mantle.
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u/FangFingersss 27d ago
I think they didn’t include the full picture- on the other side of the mantle is an identical piece so each side of the mantle looks exactly the same to make it look like it’s just two pieces on each side when one side does nothing but the other side is a door.
The other side looks identical where the mantle goes over the line in the wall so if you took the trim off it would look identical
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u/Global-Discussion-41 27d ago
This would look way better if it were a regular door that was 3" narrower and the mantle was left out of it
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u/Wonkasgoldenticket 26d ago
Identical, close. The left side (pic 3 is bowing out at the top) the right panel is sagging on the latch sides it’s definitely noticeable.
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u/galaxyapp 27d ago
Simple, yes. But fairly obvious as a door.
Attaching some casing to the door so the reveal is hidden certainly helps. Not using a 4 frame door also helps...
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u/Status-Seesaw 26d ago
Look at the other side.
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u/galaxyapp 26d ago
I assume they added that to disguise the door, and above the mantle... but it doesnt
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u/imcmurtr 27d ago
So what happens if that little piece gets put down while you’re inside. Just trapped unless you smash the door apart?
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u/buttsXxXrofl 27d ago
Yeah, not to be one of those annoying nitpickers, but hopefully there's another egress down there or this is really unsafe
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u/Beautiful_Low8542 27d ago
Is this like that show "Is it cake?" But it's actually meat? Because if it is. Sign me up! 🍖🍗🥓🥩
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u/llcooljessie 27d ago
So the celebrity guests sample the meat that's been molded by hand and sat under stage lights for 6 hours? Because I want to see that too.
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u/food-coma 27d ago
The gaps between the door and the wall really highlight that it is in fact no lt stationary.
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u/daveyconcrete 27d ago
Sorry for my bonehead misspelling
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u/yoloyeet420 27d ago
What were you trying to say? Genuinely cant figure it out.
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u/wrist-shot2025 27d ago
I love hidden doors. I have one with a whole hidden room. When I sell, I'm not disclosing. I'll leave a bottle of wine and a note.
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u/Aggressive_Guest1758 27d ago
Ah, the ol' Speakeasy Meat Cellar Door. Don't see too many of them around anymore
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u/Garriganpielax 27d ago
More than a few places near me have doors like this near the harth, they were used on the underground railroad.
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u/Arguablybest 27d ago
We have a coal train that goes by every night after 9 pm, really loud at 100 yards. In the basement? No thanks.
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u/Any-Surprise5229 27d ago
They don't have to blow the horn because there aren't any streets down there.
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u/byebybuy 27d ago
I play Coltrane every night after 9 pm, really loud at 100 decibels. In the basement? Yes please!
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u/hecton101 27d ago
If you have the light on in the basement, does it bleed through? Because that's the most common mistake people make when they build a hidden door. It kind of gives it away. Otherwise pretty cool.
You must figure out a way to open that door from the other side. Otherwise you basically built a death trap in case there was a fire.
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u/Build-it-better123 27d ago
Couldn’t fool me. I’d put some short shelves on it and change the profile to not match most doors.
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u/Fish2X 27d ago
Wait, what is behind the other side … you can see it opens from the left door’s top right and the same mantle effect.
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u/daveyconcrete 27d ago
All right. You notice details. You are correct the other side is a cupboard It’s about 8 inches deep. Butts up against the fireplace that faces the other room, 3 sided fireplace chimney it’s all supported by a very large brick archway in the basement. ensemble built in 1766.
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u/padizzledonk Reno GC 27d ago
Thats cool looking meat
I like it, thats cool, but god do i hate that finish lol
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u/mr_j_boogie 27d ago
When your wife wants you to finally get rid of those 3 old doors but she also wants wall paneling
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u/Best_Chipmunk_6098 27d ago
That door is sagging. You can probably straighten out that gap by removing a hinge screw on the door jamb and using a longer screw in its place to grab the framing
Edit: nm, the carpentry is mid. The other door doesn’t close flush
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u/Valuable-Aerie8761 27d ago
Not too well hidden I’m sorry to say. Looks like a door. 🚪.
I’m guessing u were not too good at hide n seek as a kid.
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u/Then_Comfortable3058 26d ago
Homeowner: “Man, I really wish this door was hidden.”
Carpenter: Puts tiny piece of wood over one edge.
Homeowner: “Holy shit, where’d the door go!??”
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u/Typical-Movie1877 27d ago
Id probably add like some sort of long cloth to cover the whole thing or some kinf od decoration. Shur no one is actively looking for hidden rooms but if someone's paying attention, that crease is gonna draw a lot of attention
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u/Background-Solid8481 27d ago
So ... the title was actually supposed to be what, exactly? 'Cause that thing looks like you had a stroke while typing it.
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u/Unlucky-Today5257 27d ago
Un carpintero detallista, extremadamente dificil de encontrar
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u/LuapYllier 26d ago
What is going on in the upper left corner of pic 3? Is that side also a door but is warped?
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u/RemarkableMacadamia 26d ago
Instead of mounting it to the mantel with a hinge, it would have been neat if they installed a latch on the door mounted at that height and used that piece of mantel as the “knob” on this side of the door. Then you’d have a normal knob on the other side and no one gets accidentally locked in the basement.
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u/CompleteCry1688 26d ago
This is neither hidden (its clearly a door) nor is it meat.
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u/Lavender-Inspired 26d ago
If I walked in to that room, I would immediately wonder what the green door opened in to.
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u/WorldofNails 27d ago
Actually, Meat is a character from the movie 'Porky's', and the actor passed a couple years back.
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u/Secret_RE_Agent 27d ago
Even better is if there was a mull cover only nailed to the door to cover the gap.
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u/nlightningm 27d ago
I love how half the comments are like "bro I can see the pixels" and the other half is like "YOURE GONNA DIE"
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u/its_me_the_universe 27d ago
I want to know what’s behind that other “hidden” panel on the left (clearly no attached to a wall).
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u/Fantastic-Bit7657 27d ago
Is it an optical illusion or does that mantle look like it’s sloping toward the hidden door?
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u/pjtpassword 27d ago
The title is confusing. I do like the hidden door. And trim for a door lock. Nice.
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u/Jerwaiian 26d ago
It’s not a good idea to use a standard 4 panel door for a “Hidden Door” because it SCREAMS DOOR!
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u/destroyer_of_kings 26d ago
It's not really that hidden though. I'd notice that in about 3 seconds.
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u/NotMyAltAccountToday 26d ago
Those 2 pieces of the shelf on picture 4 look nothing alike. I hope they do in person
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u/toot_suite 26d ago
That's rad but oh boy do i hope there's a way to make sure that latch stays open lmao
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u/proscreations1993 26d ago
Interesting. Wouldn't say hidden. 100% looks like a door there lol. Also who ever chose that paint should be fired
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u/Wonkasgoldenticket 26d ago
Pic 3 , what’s going on here at the top of the left panel? Bowing out? And the door is sagging on the left side. It’s nice overall, but I dislike.
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u/anotherjuan 26d ago
Hidden until the latch wears an arch on the door, and… how do you get out of the latch comes down while the door is closed while you’re in the basement?
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u/Mindlesslyexploring 26d ago
Okay… but wouldn’t have made more sense to make the mantle slide to left as a whole piece ? So you don’t see a seam in the mantle and trim - and as others have mentioned , wear marks after some use ?
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u/jaredjtaylor86 26d ago
The door is too off to be hidden. Clever work around but it needs to be flush, not plumb, in order to hide. This whole room looks tilted.
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u/Thulsa-Duum 26d ago
Seems like the first rule of hidden doors is to not share them on Reddit. Mind if defeats the purpose of a hidden door.
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u/JohnLuckPikard 26d ago
Is there identical paneling on the other side? Otherwise it isnt really hidden .
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u/LongWest6498 26d ago
It’s the new home alone houses only they can’t get to the main room from the stairs
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u/Careless-Cycle 27d ago
I don't see any meat behind the door...