How to Turn a Closet Door into a Bookcase, Continued

6. Remove existing doors:

• While Phil and Arlene assembled the second display case, Ron moved upstairs to the bedroom to remove the old closet doors.

• Ron used a utility knife to cut through the paint and caulk at the edge of the door casing, which also would need to be removed.

• Ron slipped a putty knife behind the casing to protect the wallboard.

• He then used a flat bar to pry the casing off.
  

• Ron also used a pry bar to remove the old doorstop.

• They removed the casing around the door because they needed to have a flat surface. What they we're left with was an ugly joint and unfinished wallboard. They needed to decide how they would conceal it.
  

• Ron suggested that they put a flat piece of molding around the exposed joint. The Safiers agreed and Arlene attached the molding with a nail gun.

• After giving the molding a coat of paint to match the wall, they were ready to install their first display case.

7. Install display case:

• Before they began installing the new unit, Ron pointed out a few of the things he had done. First, he had extended some lines over the new trim they had just put up earlier showing the location of the old hinge mortis inside the door casing.

• Also, he placed a couple pieces of thin plywood on the door threshold to act as shims to position the cabinet up off the carpet in the proper position to attach the new hinges.

• They carried in the newly constructed unit into the room and tipped it forward into position resting on top of the shims.

• Phil held the bookcase while Ron transferred the hinge marks onto the cabinet.

• They laid the bookcase down on the floor and Phil attached the hinges.
  

• Finally they were ready to hang the new shelf/door.

• Once the new door was in place, Arlene completed the job by nailing the remaining decorative moldings, plinth blocks and rosettes to the wall.

RESULTS:
They started in the morning with plain closet doors. By late afternoon, the new shelves they had built dressed up the Safier's guest room without sacrificing space. The result was both practical and dramatic and the Safiers were very pleased with their handiwork.