Steps
Step 1
I had to frame up the garage walls and also had the issue of existing brickwork to work around. I had calculated 4 bookcases along the wall and then I had the step in the brickwork to factor in. I thought I could frame out an offset door to do the job.
On the rear of the door opening you can see the brick retaining wall and on the right the support piller. Both things that I couldnt shift.
Framing out the door the tihckness of a bookcase to allow for that support piller.
A better indication of the jutting out.
Trying to get a straight line across the floor. The side wall wasnt straight, neither was the rear wall at right angles... It was an interesting time nutting that out.
Perfect picture showing that step in the support pillar. It was a pain but worked around it.
Butting in brick screws was an interesting exercise as I made the frame then tried drilling into the wall using the frame as a guide.. In the end I drilled the timber first, then placed it in position and then took it away to drill the hole for the brick screws to fix it to the wall.
Framed!
I doubled the header as I messed up when working t out.
All bolted in place and ready for plastering.
Step 2
Time for adding plaster to the frame around the door (And room) It was a matter of just stepping through the process and making sure things were as square as they should be otherwise they would and did come back to haunt me.
Ahhh the saw horses 🙂 Always helpful.
I had plastered small areas before (1/3rd of a wall) but never a room. and havnt done any plastering for a fair while.
The width of a bookcase 🙂 I was pretty happy with the step.
Metal edging was a must as I know it will get banged just because its a corner.
After plastering, well inbetween the final coat and smoothing.
One of the points I messed up. Yes its as close to the brickwork edge but made it hard to hang the door in the end. Lucky I know a carpenter mate who helped me out. He stirred me yes but solved it for me as well.
The top plate 😲 far out it looks clunky now but thats what I did to make it all square and line up.
Sketches I did to help me visualize it before I started the job
With steps
Final look of the proposed door.
Door trim added to the inside of the frame.
Step 3
Time to hang the door. I actually paid my carpenter mate to help me as I was extremely nervous to do the job. (I think I could do it myself now... think I could) The door frame turned out to not be perfectly square from side wall to the door but front to the rear wall it was. The steps were worked out on the fly as I didnt want to loose any of that opening I went high with the placement of the door. I could have ordered a special door through bunnings special orders but didnt have the money/time for it so this was the workaround.
Cutting the door down to size, I was freaking out if we made a mistake lol But my carpenter mate was confident he could do it with his eyes closed.
We were sorting out wether to mount the door low or high, I decide on high to maximise the height through the existing opening.
To show the type of the door so I dont forget, You can never take too many photos.
To show the location and how to mount the hinges
Sorting out the steps and heights to fit into that narrow area
I was finishing off the walls as well at this point but showing the usefulness of the horses and also the placement for cutting timber (There was a question about it somewhere in here)
Door hung, bottom panel covered. I could have gone plaster but figured shoes could kick when stepping through, so opted for oiled timber the same as the bookcase trim.
Time for the undercoat for the door.
In between all this I was dealing with stormwater issues under the house. Thats the only reason the house is tidier underneath 🙂
Door is painted! and you can see the bookcase to the left. The door will look the same after I finish it
Step 4
Now comes the part where I want thin shelves to stand books on and lean them back to display their covers. I could have purchased ready made ones but that would have added up to around $200. Instead I went down the track of thinking outside the square and using a steel studd for building walls, painting it and then facing it with the same trim as the bookshelves before screwing it to the door. Cost around $40 all up.
The steel stud being chopped up and painted. I deburred the edges with a metal file.
Placing a length of facing over the painted stud to see if the idea pans out. It did.
I had to do a few coats to make sure it was covered. I was using some of the leftover laminate paint for this.
I also made a few short lengths for the back to back bookcase I had.
It looks thin but when i tried to flex the metal it wouldnt bend. I figure the weight cant be that heavy to bend on only a 800mm strip.
Painted black to match the door.
Finally get to paint the door. I didnt want the whole height as the bookcases are only a certain height so thats the reason for the painters tape.
🙂 Feeling much happier.
Putting the faceing timber on, It was harder then expected as the angle of the holes and also drill was a pain. I didnt want the screw heads to show fromn the front.
Lovethe second and third set of hands!
The strip screwed to the face. From inside the tray so nothing shows.
Just to show the width of the facing strip.
Step 5
Last bit was the mounting all these shelves in line with the existing bookshelves. Really it wasnt too hard, just nerve wracking to get right as they would stand out if out of line.
The shortest screws I could find.
I really didnt want to strip the timber so I screwed them in by hand.
I used a washer to give some space to the tip of the screw otherwise it would actually poke through the timber "just"
Really happy with how they look
All prepped and ready to go.
Blank slate to start with... Remember that the top white part of the door is part of the door. It just fooled me into looking at it twice when I posted it!
I actually cheered when the first one looked as it did!
All in! It really brought the whole wall together and blended it into the series of bookcases so you dont see it as a door.
Just showing the few shorter leftover pieces that I used to help tie the back to back bookcases together.
Door opens nicely and swings so easily.
Door? Bookcase I say....
I made sure you could open the door as much as possible.
