How to Build a Hidden Door in a Wine Rack

Set up the router table for a 1/4-inch-deep cove by turning and locking the depth adjustment in place. Adjust the fence on the router table for a 1/4-inch-wide cove by moving it 1/4-inch away from the center of the router bit and locking it in place.

Lay a 12-by-36 inch, 1/2-inch-thick hardwood board flat on the router table. Cut a 1/4-inch cove into the 36-inch edges of one of the 12-by-36-inch sides of the board with the router table. Guide the board through the table in a smooth steady motion, just fast enough to allow the bit to cut the wood until each edge is completed.

Sand the routed edges with a fine-grit sanding pad. The coves will allow you to grip the back edges of the door with ease. Unlike a handle or a knob, however, you won’t be able to see the coves on the backside of the door panel. This technique is commonly used in modern cabinetry.

Wipe off the dust from the board with a tack cloth. Apply two even coats of wood finish to the board with a natural bristle paintbrush. Allow at least four hours between coats and 24 hours, after the final coat, before continuing.

Position the magnetic part of a set of cabinet latches into the inside corners of the opening at the base of the wine rack. The front face of the latches should be 1/16-inch in from the front surface of the wine rack. Drive the screws included with the latches into the wine rack with a screw gun.

Place the metal plate parts of the cabinet latches into the corners of the board on the side with the routed coves. Fasten the plates to the board with the screws included with the latches and the screw gun.

Align the door over the opening so that the metal plates align with the magnetic latches and press the door into place. Remove the door, as needed, to access the hidden storage space.