Hide Open Bathroom Shelves With One Piece Of Secondhand Wood

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A Hunker report describes a TikTok DIY project that turns one reclaimed wood board into door panels for open bathroom shelves. The method installs and aligns the board before cutting it into separate doors, helping preserve a continuous grain pattern; sizing, hinge support and fit depend on the individual shelving unit.

Hunker has reported on a DIY method in which TikTok user John Dolechek turns one piece of reclaimed wood into doors for open bathroom shelving, offering a way to conceal stored items without buying a custom cabinet door. The project uses a single board as one larger panel during installation, then cuts it into separate doors so the wood grain can line up across the finished fronts.

The report says the project board appears to be about a 1-by-16-inch board, roughly 6 feet long, though those dimensions are an estimate from the video rather than a stated requirement. The board needs to be large enough for the particular shelving opening. Hunker points to architectural salvage shops, Habitat for Humanity retail stores, Facebook Marketplace and leftover project lumber as possible sources for secondhand wood.

The method starts with measuring the opening and planning the door layout. For stained doors, the report recommends marking and drilling the hinge cups while the board remains whole, then attaching the hinges and fitting the board over the shelving. Once the board is in place, the installer marks where it should be cut into panels. Hunker says each door generally needs a pair of soft-close European hinges, with a third hinge for taller doors that need extra support.

After the board is removed and cut, the panels can be sanded, finished with iron-on edge banding and stained or painted. The report also suggests optional hardware. It says fixed shelf dividers can be covered with one door per section, by grouping sections, or with one tall door; the right arrangement depends on the opening and the intended use.

A Lower-Cost Alternative to Custom Doors

The idea addresses a practical problem: open bathroom storage leaves everyday supplies visible, while a made-to-measure cabinet door can add cost or require a different renovation approach. Repurposing one board may provide a more economical route to a closed appearance, while keeping the project adaptable to the shelf layout.

Using one board for the full frontage before cutting the panels can also preserve a continuous wood-grain pattern when the doors are closed. That visual effect depends on accurate measuring and careful cutting; it is not a guaranteed result for every board or shelving arrangement. The finish can be selected to blend with trim or walls, or to add contrast.

This is a DIY approach, not a universal ready-made kit. The amount of work, materials and cost will vary with the size of the opening, the condition and dimensions of the reclaimed board, and the number of doors and hinges needed. The source does not provide a total project budget or a tested estimate of installation time.

How the Board Becomes Separate Doors

The approach reverses a typical cabinet-door workflow: rather than making several panels independently, the installer first treats the board as one tall door. Hunker says this gives the installer a chance to align and mount the board before marking the cut lines. The panels can then be separated while retaining the original sequence of the grain.

The report cautions that lumber sizes sold under nominal labels may differ from their actual measurements. For example, a nominal 1-by-16 board is about 0.75 inches thick by 15.25 inches wide, according to the report. Measuring the actual board and the full opening matters because a panel that is too small will not cover the shelves.

Hunker describes drilling hinge cup holes with a 35-millimeter Forstner bit or a concealed-hinge jig. It recommends mounting hinges to a suitable frame, or locating the vertical stud framing the niche when there is no inner frame. These details are part of the reported method; the article does not establish that every bathroom shelf is built to support this installation.

“The board should be the same size, or slightly larger, than what you need to cover the open shelving.”

— Hunker, describing the project

Fit, Support and Project Costs

The source does not give the opening’s exact measurements, the board’s verified dimensions, the total cost, or a precise account of how long the work takes. The approximate board size is based on how it appears in the video, and may not suit another bathroom.

It is also unclear whether the project was independently tested or how the doors perform over time in a humid bathroom. The report does not specify the condition of the wall framing, the weight capacity of the shelving surround, or whether additional reinforcement would be needed in a particular home. Those factors affect whether the proposed hinge placement is suitable.

Hunker presents options for door arrangements and finishes, but does not claim the method will fit every niche. Readers would need to check their own dimensions, door clearances and mounting surfaces before buying materials or cutting wood.

Measure Before Cutting the Panels

For anyone considering the project, the next step is to measure the entire shelf opening and the actual secondhand board, then decide whether the layout calls for individual panels, grouped doors or one tall front. The installer should plan hinge positions and confirm that the frame or wall studs can support them before drilling or cutting.

For a stained finish, the method calls for fitting the board and marking the panel divisions before applying stain, then removing it to make the cuts, sand the edges and apply edge banding. A painted finish can follow a different order, according to Hunker. The report does not announce a follow-up to Dolechek’s project, so its long-term performance and final cost remain unreported.

Key Questions

Can one board cover any open bathroom shelf?

No. The board must be large enough for the specific opening, and its actual dimensions may differ from its nominal size. Measure both the shelf opening and the board before planning the doors.

Why install the board before cutting it into doors?

Hunker’s method mounts the board as one panel first, allowing the installer to mark cut lines while keeping the grain sequence aligned across the doors. This is especially relevant if the wood will be stained to show its grain.

What hinges and tools does the report describe?

The report describes soft-close European hinges, generally a pair for each door, and a third hinge for taller doors that need more support. It mentions a 35-millimeter Forstner bit or a concealed-hinge jig for the hinge cup holes.

Can the wood be painted instead of stained?

Yes. Hunker lists paint as an alternative finish, including matching the doors to trim or walls or choosing a contrasting color. The sequence for preparing and finishing the doors may differ from the stained-wood approach.

Source: rss