Media walls have become one of the most popular living room projects in UK homes. A false wall is built out in front of the existing one, with a recess for the TV, space for an electric fire and room to hide the cables. The trouble is that the best wall for a media wall often has a door in it, or a useful cupboard behind it.
A hidden door solves that. Instead of a framed door spoiling the run of panelling or plaster, the door sits flush in the media wall and almost disappears. This guide explains how it works, what to plan before the studwork goes up, and the details that make the difference between a door that vanishes and one that looks like an afterthought.
What a media wall is (and why it suits a hidden door)
A media wall is a non-structural stud wall built a short distance in front of an existing wall. Carpenters.trade describes it as a lining wall, framed like a stud wall, fixed to the floor, the wall behind and the ceiling above, and boarded over. The space behind hides cables, sockets and the body of an electric fire. Its guide suggests allowing about 150mm of depth for a slim fire and 250mm or more for an inset one.
Because the whole wall is new framing, it’s the ideal moment to build a concealed door frame in. You’re already creating the opening, choosing the finish and planning the cable routes, so the door can be designed as part of the wall rather than added later.
Two common reasons to put a door in a media wall
Keeping an existing doorway
Some living rooms have a door into a dining room, hall or kitchen on the wall you want to use. Rather than block it up, you can carry the media wall across it and fit a concealed door at the same position. Closed, the wall reads as one surface. Open, you still have the route through.
Creating hidden storage
The depth of a media wall can also hold a shallow cupboard for consoles, routers, games or toys. A full-height hidden door, or a smaller flush panel, gives access without breaking up the look. Our hidden cupboard doors guide covers storage doors in more depth.
Choosing the right type of hidden door
Concealed hinged door
A concealed door is a hinged door hung on hidden hinges in a frame that’s plastered or finished flush with the wall. There’s no architrave, and when the door is closed only a fine shadow line shows. Concealed doors are normally flush on one face of the wall, so frames come in push and pull versions. For a media wall, you’ll usually want the flush face on the living room side. See our concealed door frame details for how push and pull frames differ.
Ready-made options in our concealed doors range include the Concealed Omega Primed Door Set and the frameless hidden door kit.
Pocket door
A pocket door slides into the wall, so it needs a long run of clear wall beside the opening, roughly twice the door width for a single door. That space can’t carry the TV bracket, sockets or fire, which is usually where a media wall is busiest. A pocket door can work at the far end of a long media wall, but in most living rooms a concealed hinged door is easier. Our pocket door vs concealed door guide compares the two.
Planning the wall depth
This is where media wall doors differ from ordinary concealed doors. Concealed frames are made to suit particular wall thicknesses. A media wall, however, is the new stud wall plus a gap plus the original wall behind it.
If the door is replacing an existing doorway, you’ll end up with a deep opening. The usual approach is to set the concealed frame flush on the media wall face and line the deeper reveal behind it. Agree this with your joiner and check it against the frame maker’s instructions before you build, because it affects how the frame is fixed and which way the door can open.
If the door is for storage within the media wall, the depth is the space between the new studs and the old wall. That decides what fits inside, so measure your consoles or boxes before you set out the framing.
Hinges, latches and handles
Hidden doors in feature walls usually use concealed hinges and either a magnetic latch or a push-to-open catch.
- Concealed hinges. These sit inside the door edge and frame, so nothing shows when the door is shut. Check the hinge’s weight rating against your door, especially if you’re adding panelling or slats to the face. Our concealed door hinges guide explains the options.
- Magnetic latches. These are quiet and neat, with a small strike plate. See our guide to magnetic latches for concealed doors.
- Push to open. This works well where the door opens away from you, so there’s no handle to break up the wall.
Shop hinges and latches in our concealed door accessories range.
Cables, fires and the TV
A media wall is full of services, so plan where the door goes before anything else is fixed.
- Keep cable routes away from the door opening. Cables, conduit and sockets should run around the door, not across where the frame will sit.
- Put the TV bracket on solid framing. Fix it into noggins or studs away from the door, never into the door leaf.
- Respect the fire’s clearances. Follow the electric fire manufacturer’s installation instructions on clearances and ventilation, and don’t let the door or its frame encroach on them.
- Remember the remote. If a storage door hides your AV kit, note that infrared remotes need line of sight. GetMediaWall suggests options such as slatted doors, IR repeaters, or Bluetooth and RF remotes.
Making the door disappear
A hidden door only looks hidden if its edges line up with the rest of the wall.
Plastered and painted finish
The simplest finish is a smooth plastered wall painted the same colour on the wall and the door. The door then reads as a fine outline. Our guide on how to paint a concealed door covers primers, finishes and getting a good match.
Panelling and slats
Wall panelling and slat finishes are popular on media walls. Here, the door edges should fall on existing panel joints or slat gaps, so the cut lines look like part of the pattern. Set out the panel grid before you frame the opening, not after.
Remember that panelling adds weight and thickness to the door face. Check the extra weight against the hinges and the extra thickness against the frame and reveal.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper can be carried over a concealed door, but the paper must be cut at the door edges so it can open. Plan pattern breaks so they don’t fall in an awkward place.
Do you need made-to-measure?
Media walls rarely match standard door heights. If you want the door to run to the top of the media wall or the ceiling, a standard concealed door set may not be tall enough. Our made-to-measure service can help with non-standard sizes, and our made-to-measure concealed doors guide explains how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put a door in a media wall?
Yes. Because a media wall is a new stud wall, it’s a good time to build in a concealed door frame. Plan the door before framing so cables, the TV and any fire are kept clear of it.
Should I use a pocket door or a concealed door in a media wall?
In most living rooms, a concealed hinged door is easier. A pocket door needs a long clear section of wall beside the opening, which is usually where the TV and fire go.
What if my media wall is deeper than a standard concealed frame?
Set the frame flush on the media wall face and line the deeper reveal behind it. Check the detail with your joiner and the frame maker’s instructions before building.
How do I hide a door in a panelled media wall?
Line the door edges up with the panel joints or slat gaps, and check the added weight against the hinge rating.
Can I hide my AV equipment behind a hidden door?
You can, but plan ventilation and remote control. Infrared remotes need line of sight, so consider slatted doors, an IR repeater or a Bluetooth or RF remote.
Plan your hidden media wall door
A concealed door turns a media wall into a clean, continuous feature without losing access. Explore our concealed doors and talk to us about made-to-measure sizes for your project.
Browse concealed doors for your media wall today.
