How to make a hidden door in Chimney breast?

[MonkeyHunter]

Hi,

Hopefully this is the right section for this...

I have just finished opening up my fireplace. The plan is to put a plain white box in the bottom section, with a down lighter so that my girlfriend can put a vase containing some dead sticks in it.

In the top section however I am planning to store all my AV kit. Sky, Xbox, surround sound, dvd player etc etc. I would like this to all be hidden behind a door which will also have a low profile tilt and swivel TV bracket & LCD TV mounted on it. So to gain access you will be swinging the door, TV and bracket out all together.

Im looking at suggestions on how best to achieve this, I want the opening to be as hidden as possible, But Im not sure what the best hinges etc are, or how to stop the edges binding. The opening is not quite deep enough at the moment, so im going to be battening the breast out by about another 3 inches, Im hoping this will make everything easier, as it will take the wall out of the equation.

Any input gratefully received, Pic so far below:-

View media item 4337

 

[r896neo]

It will definately be easier to do on new stud work!

It is complicated and may involve creating you own hinge mechanism. Check this out for one idea, i have yet to find good concealed hinges that would work. Also maybe move this to the woodwork section.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Hidden-Door-Bookshelf/

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Thanks for the link r896neo,

I could make a metal frame if needed, I will have to work out the weight, i think i might try and mock something up using CLS & MDF to see how everything works.

I could of course just make the opening smaller and behind the Tv and then you wouldn't see it. Though it would make access a bit harder.

How do i move the post to the woodwork forum? I cant seem to find a way.

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Thanks!

 

[awbcm]

The main consideration is the total weight of the TV and the wall mounting bracket. Once you have ascertained this you need to find a concealed hinge that allows you to mount the door inset in the frame not overlay type.

Have a look at this guide I produced earlier in the year for a guy who want to construct a concealed cabinet. The hinges shown are push to open but in your case you will need pull to open type.

The door will need to be the same size as the TV if you think about it; it can’t be smaller. And it would ill-advised to open the door with the TV mounting bracket extended.

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Thanks awbcm,

Thanks for that, I will examine it closely.

The TV Weighs 20KG,

I was thinking of using a bracket like one of these:

http://www.bracketsuk.com/24-to-32-TV-Wall-Mounts/Tiltable-Wall-Mount-TV-Wall-Bracket-24-to-32-.html

http://www.tv-wall-brackets.co.uk/page-35.html

I cant see why the door has to be the same size as the TV? Surely it only needs to be the same size as the base of the bracket supporting the TV?

Off to have a proper look at those plans, thanks again!

 

[Symptoms]

Monkey - you say "im going to be battening the breast out by about another 3 inches". If this is an old semi-detached or terraced house you need to be aware that often they were built with only one brick thickness at the back of fireplaces, so check before the "battering" begins that you won't be breaking into the back of the neighbours fireplace

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Monkey - you say "im going to be battening the breast out by about another 3 inches". If this is an old semi-detached or terraced house you need to be aware that often they were built with only one brick thickness at the back of fireplaces, so check before the "battering" begins that you won't be breaking into the back of the neighbours fireplace

Hi, Im going to be battening the front of the chimney breast out by a few inches to give me a greater cupboard depth for the AV kit. It's currently about 300mm deep, and im thinking 400mm would be about right. Thsi would leave me with a stud framework to build the door into.

 

[awbcm]

Look at any door in your house and imagine a panel which is larger fixed to it. Now imagine opening it, you can’t

The drawing may help to explain. Lets presume your TV is a Samsung 32” LCD LE32A656. This as dimensions of 810 x 528 x 90mm so this means the door must be 810mm wide if you want it to open fully. Plus it needs to be as big as bracket and one of them you are considering using is 510mm long.

Another alternative may this that I designed and made, 2nd entertainment dresser down the page.

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Look at any door in your house and imagine a panel which is larger fixed to it. Now imagine opening it, you can’t

It would if you mounted the panel on the other side of the door...

In my case you have a door that closes flush with the wall of the chimney breast and opens out in to the room, on that is mounted the TV bracket, and on that is mounted the TV. The TV does not need to pass through the opening so can be larger then the door.

However I would rather have the door the size of the enclosure as that will make access much better.

Those brackets are just a couple of the styles I am looking at.

Someone suggested SOSS hinges, do you think these would do the job?

 

[JohnD]

the hinge side pivots towards the wall if the panel extends beyond the hinge, so it will soon hit the wall.

I have seen an arrangement on Safe doors where the pivot is some way inside the door, with a plate fixing door to it, and the whole door moves outwards when you open it, amd when shut, it presses into the fire seal all round.

 

[MonkeyHunter]

the hinge side pivots towards the wall if the panel extends beyond the hinge, so it will soon hit the wall.

I have seen an arrangement on Safe doors where the pivot is some way inside the door, with a plate fixing door to it, and the whole door moves outwards when you open it, amd when shut, it presses into the fire seal all round.

Ill have a look at some safes, that sounds like the sort of thing i may be after.

Alternatively I have thought of fixing a metal frame around the opening, fixed to the studwork, with a metal frame fixed to the back of the door, connected together with short arms that pivot at both ends. This would enable the door to move directly out and away from the wall before pivoting to the side, and should be rock solid.

 

[awbcm]

Look at any door in your house and imagine a panel which is larger fixed to it. Now imagine opening it, you can’t

It would if you mounted the panel on the other side of the door...

In my case you have a door that closes flush with the wall of the chimney breast and opens out in to the room, on that is mounted the TV bracket, and on that is mounted the TV. The TV does not need to pass through the opening so can be larger then the door.

However I would rather have the door the size of the enclosure as that will make access much better.

Those brackets are just a couple of the styles I am looking at.

Someone suggested SOSS hinges, do you think these would do the job?

I thought I had drawn the door flush with frame and the mounting bracket fixed to the door and the TV mounted on the bracket. And the storage area being the inside of the chimney breast where you entertainment equipment will be housed.


The first diagram showing the door closed and the 2nd diagram showing the partly open as the door is not the same size of the TV.

I have now added a 3rd diagram showing the door fully open when the door is the same size as the TV. I only hope this makes it a lot clearer.


The panel mentioned represents the TV (which I should have made clearer)

Your door needs to be the same size if not larger than the TV

 

[MonkeyHunter]

Sorry awbcm,

I see what you mean now, I was busy at work earlier, and was obviously having a blonde moment!

Regarding hinges for this sort of thing, and assuming a weight of 50KG to allow for the TV, door, bracket, and possible future TV upgrade. What sort of thing would be suitable?

I was thinking field gate hinges would take the weight, but not sure how they would work in this situation.

Failing that, the double pivot idea seems like it would work, and i could use brass bushes, so it would be very rigid and and it would allow the gap between door frame and door to be minimal.

 

[awbcm]

As all ready stated in my first reply you need to ascertain the total combined weight of the TV + mounting bracket + door.

I think your estimate of 50kg is way over the top, The Samsung 32” LCD LE32A656 as all ready mentioned as a weight with out it stand of 12kg while the mounting bracket may come in at around 5kg and the door say 3kg ( these are only estimated weights on my side so you will need check you self ) This brings the total weight to 20kg. Some 30kg lighter, and this make big difference to the type of hinges used.

So first things first ascertain the total weight and then start looking for suitable hinges.

To ascertain the weights you can visit the manufactures website of the TV and the same goes for the mounting bracket.