Author Topic: Secret passages, hidden caches, trap doors, etc for survivalists (Read 94701 times)

RipTombstone · « **Reply #60 on:** September 23, 2010, 03:59:24 PM »

I was in a house here locally that had a whole hidden room/attic area.
They had finished the upstairs, with a big set of french doors, balcony and the like. Looked great.
There was a large mirror on the back wall, that was actually a door to the attic, which was probably twice the size of the other part of the upstairs.
They used it for storage and an exercise room, but it had a LOT of potential.
The only drawback, is that someone rummaging through a house might break the mirror for spite, and that could reveal the room behind.
I am thinking of doing the same sort of thing with my basement. My basement entrance involves a door, which you enter for about 5 foot, then the stairs go down. I thought about putting a false door at the top of the stairs, and disguising it as a closet..
RipT

excaliber · « **Reply #61 on:** February 19, 2011, 08:33:52 PM »

need more ideas, I plan on doing something like this when I manage to get my BOL, maybe an underground room that is accessed from a narrow staircase built behind a fake wall in the closet. or something like that.

MacReady · « **Reply #62 on:** February 19, 2011, 11:10:02 PM »

Saw the foundation for a house that a friend of mine was building a few years ago. The basement had a hidden room that was about seven feet wide all along the front and one side. It had one normal sized door. I could picture it being under a wrap around porch. From in the basement you would never suspect it was there w/o seeing the door.

Roswell · « **Reply #63 on:** August 08, 2011, 01:53:29 PM »

I found this cool article with videos that details making secret passages in your home.

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/03/25/a-different-way-to-build-a-house-43-adding-secret-passages-and-hidden-rooms-to-a-house/

Nicodemus · « **Reply #64 on:** August 08, 2011, 07:27:09 PM »

Great video!

LdMorgan · « **Reply #65 on:** August 09, 2011, 04:57:49 PM »

Quote from: onesureshot on January 07, 2010, 08:50:02 AM

....I have a friend that has some cool hidden drawers built into his stairs. There are about 10 step down into his basement. In the basement there is a closet just to the side of the steps that used to be open under the stairs too. The previous owner made a I thought about doing something similar, but framing in smaller drawers on the underside of each step to store various items. Make the drawer front be hidden in the riser of each step, just have the tread stick out far enough to hide the top of each drawer front. The only issue would be having something to allow you to pull the drawer out without it looking like a pull.

First put two fairly large magnets in each drawer, set to latch on to metal plates secured behind the drawers. That will keep them from wiggling if anyone does a little finger-tip investigating.

Then use a suction handle of the type used by glassworkers when they move sheets of plate glass.

One good tug, and the drawer pops right open. Voila!

Toss the handle in a nearby box of misc. tools, and yer good to go.

JerseyVince · « **Reply #66 on:** August 10, 2011, 11:31:59 AM »

I have a space about 4 x 4 x3 that is at the back of a closet upstairs that is built following the slope of the roof dormer. the closet is deep but the last couple feet would never be missed if you didnt know. I like the magnetic panel idea, maybe two magnets and the panel on a hinge. would be a good spot for a cpl weapons, ammo and other hideables without drawing attention to the closet

nkawtg · « **Reply #67 on:** August 10, 2011, 12:44:39 PM »

Just remember to use a dense flooring material at the entrance to your secret passage such as wood or tile. You'll want to keep the floor clean too, otherwise foot traffic wear or carpet wear will be a dead giveaway to the doors location.

ncjeeper · « **Reply #68 on:** August 10, 2011, 01:48:26 PM »

Quote from: Roswell on August 08, 2011, 01:53:29 PM

I found this cool article with videos that details making secret passages in your home.

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/03/25/a-different-way-to-build-a-house-43-adding-secret-passages-and-hidden-rooms-to-a-house/

Wow the company is 3 months behind in orders. Nice problem to have. What does that say about peoples concerns?

JerseyVince · « **Reply #69 on:** August 10, 2011, 03:26:33 PM »

looks like people want other places to hide their stuff besides the Cash-o-Pedic or sock drawer

I do too, as I will be taking some cash out of the Crook store (I mean Bank) Looking for ideas besides my safe.

After so many years of my town and surrounding towns being so quiet, it's like we've been overrun by the Wild Bunch. With the unbelieveable number of home invasions and Kick-in robberies. Just the next town over some bonehead threw a Molotov cocktail through a Verizon-CellPhone store Sat nite.

mxitman · « **Reply #70 on:** September 03, 2011, 10:49:44 PM »

I'll be remodeling some of our basement in the next year and I was thinking of walling off a room down there and adding a hidden door. Not exactly sure yet what it will look like, but it's the perfect area. I will definitely document it for everyone.

Another note of easy diy/ hidden spaces. if you have one of those medicine cabinets built into the wall go buy one that mounts on the outside of a wall and mount that to the old one, if you add in a hidden lock/latch you now have an easy diy hidden cache.

Another place is inside furniture, we bought 2 chairs from costco that have a hidden zippered area on the bottom where the wooden feet were stored. The zipper blends in good, and I would think would be a good place to hide something if needed.

Freshman Preppy · « **Reply #71 on:** September 22, 2011, 04:10:03 AM »

I just saw a site that is selling a cache that looks like an air conditioner intake. It mounts just like a medicine cabinet, between 2 studs, and low to the ground where an air conditioner intake would be. They also sold a 2 drawer file cabinet. The kick plate below the bottom drawer was actually the front of another hidden drawer. It was very shallow but you never would suspect it.

mobilus · « **Reply #72 on:** September 22, 2011, 08:41:38 AM »

Quote from: Freshman Preppy on September 22, 2011, 04:10:03 AM

I just saw a site that is selling a cache that looks like an air conditioner intake. It mounts just like a medicine cabinet, between 2 studs, and low to the ground where an air conditioner intake would be.

That was the hiding spot of choice in "No Country for Old Men"...except that it was a real A/C vent and duct. But really, how many people would go to the trouble of removing the vent cover? Good reminder!

endurance · « **Reply #73 on:** September 22, 2011, 11:48:11 AM »

nkawtg · « **Reply #74 on:** September 22, 2011, 12:07:13 PM »

Quote from: mxitman on September 03, 2011, 10:49:44 PM

I'll be remodeling some of our basement in the next year and I was thinking of walling off a room down there and adding a hidden door. Not exactly sure yet what it will look like, but it's the perfect area. I will definitely document it for everyone.

For your door hinge check out this place
http://www.soss.com/pdf/Soss_Catalog.pdf

ChrisFox · « **Reply #75 on:** September 22, 2011, 01:08:26 PM »

This was up on Earthbag Blog the other day

Concealed Underfloor Cool Pantry
http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/concealed-underfloor-cool-pantry/

Robinelli · « **Reply #76 on:** March 13, 2012, 01:56:03 PM »

Definitely my *favoritist* thread so far

I will say I've been in very $$$ subdivisions in my state some while under construction and have seen some of these secret passageways in houses being built. Pretty amazing. I had forgotten about it but now I think I want one in my next house!!

Cedar · « **Reply #77 on:** March 13, 2012, 02:16:38 PM »

Was looking for something else and found this guy. He is over in Enterprise, Oregon I guess http://www.moonlightchronicles.com/hobbit_hole.html

Cedar

Robinelli · « **Reply #78 on:** March 13, 2012, 05:19:59 PM »

Wow. Interesting. Reminds me of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbRvsWuWNUM

another similar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uAJjLmwFk4

Morning Sunshine · « **Reply #79 on:** March 13, 2012, 05:23:46 PM »

Quote from: Cedar on March 13, 2012, 02:16:38 PM

Was looking for something else and found this guy. He is over in Enterprise, Oregon I guess http://www.moonlightchronicles.com/hobbit_hole.html

Cedar

hubby would like that. I am claustrophobic just looking at that!

endurance · « **Reply #80 on:** March 13, 2012, 07:46:49 PM »

Wow, suddenly my 890 square foot house seems HUGE!

FreeLancer · « **Reply #81 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:00:38 PM »

I need a Tiny House....with a Hobbit Hole basement!

will3117 · « **Reply #82 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:34:33 AM »

Quote from: idelphic on December 26, 2009, 08:45:03 PM

Just watch your fingers,.. I'm trying to remember the show that had it,.. or details about the house, but a man build a 4,000 sq ft shelter under his house in the 70's, he build his own blast door, had several entrances, generator, battery shack and more under his pre-existing house... It's been on Discovery and TLC a time or two, just can't remember the show.

As someone who has been in construction all my life this is so not true, while people may know about it, most wont remember or care, inspectors don't inspect to justify the use of walls and spaces, just to make sure there up to code. My brother built his home 5 years ago and had a 10 x 10 dead space in the middle of the second floor behind a walk in closet he added a hidden pocket door and made a secret room, there are a few home inspections that occur as your home building progresses foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, final none of these inspectors ever worry or care about final use of the rooms. If your that paranoid leave it open during construction and then close it in after you've moved into the house.

will3117 · « **Reply #83 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:44:28 AM »

Quote from: survivininct on December 26, 2009, 08:51:50 PM

Totally cool! It has mad me think of some ideas for the space under the cellar stairs - a super secret hideaway - no one will ever know!! I just have to keep this a secret and not tell ANYONE!

The number one space people put hidden rooms is under stairways, its ready made and obvious

mxitman · « **Reply #84 on:** April 04, 2012, 10:28:44 AM »

Quote

The number one space people put hidden rooms is under stairways, its ready made and obvious

yea, very common along with hidden rooms/doors in closets. I don't think I have mentioned it before but I was working on a HVAC unit into a well known celebrity's house a few years back. He had built several hidden rooms but this one takes the cake as it was built into a large walk in shower, It had 6 shower heads and probably 8'x8' Can you say party

On the side wall there was built in shelves for shampoo and stuff like that, under the lip of the 2nd to bottom shelf was a hole about the size of quarter, where there was a finger print reader...Like James Bond...was really sweet. Put your finger on there and after a second or two the door popped open and swinged open. The caretaker had to get me access in there to work on the AC unit that served the room. Most of the AC equipment was in the basement but because this was an unscheduled addition that was the only place to put it.

The room was around 6' x 12' and the equipment took up one corner, there was some stuff in there but looked for the most part to be unused, I also noticed what looked like another hidden door but I didn't ask about it.

endurance · « **Reply #85 on:** October 07, 2015, 02:09:50 PM »

A few new ones that I liked:

http://www.familyhandyman.com/home-security/20-secret-hiding-places#1

This might be my favorite:

nkawtg · « **Reply #86 on:** October 07, 2015, 02:50:49 PM »

Quote from: Endurance on October 07, 2015, 02:09:50 PM

A few new ones that I liked:

http://www.familyhandyman.com/home-security/20-secret-hiding-places#1

This might be my favorite:

BRILLIANT

endurance · « **Reply #87 on:** October 07, 2015, 03:21:53 PM »

Love this one, too.

Beetle · « **Reply #88 on:** October 07, 2015, 06:18:56 PM »

beakerello · « **Reply #89 on:** October 16, 2015, 07:53:09 PM »

Lots of great ideas, and great links as well. Can't wait to build something.

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Author Topic: Secret passages, hidden caches, trap doors, etc for survivalists (Read 94701 times)

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