DIY Network

Closet Between Dormers Learn how to convert wasted dormer space into a play and storage area for your growing family. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-201

The plan for the narrow space that the dormers create in Rob and Sarah Eddins' home starts with knocking a hole in the wall to prepare the space for a brand new door. Host Karl Champley and Rob mark and cut the wall, remove the baseboards, and then use a hammer to break into the wall. They use a reciprocating saw to cut the stud out of the way.

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	Host Karl Champley (background) and the homeowner (Rob Eddins) prove that no space in a home should go wasted. This small area between dormers is converted into...
	...a great closet-storage space that both Rob and Sarah Eddins children, Ethan and Lily, can utilize for their toys and more!
	With new carpeting, some shelves and unique colors, the space is no longer wasted!

Materials:

safety glasses
mask
nails
screws
wood glue
sander
paint rollers/brushes/trays
paint for the closet walls

Lily's Door

pre-hung door
ball Catch
hardware
paint
decorative door knob

Recessed Storage

1 x 4 pine
trim
1/8" ply backing
primer
paint

Carpet Tiles

tiles
carpet tape

Child-Safe Lighting

fluorescent fixtures

Tools:

carpenter's pencil
level
utility knife
framing square
tape measure
wood chisel
hammer
reciprocating saw
nail gun
dry wall saw
chop saw
electric screw driver
13/16 drill bit

Paint:

Wall Colors —

Benjamin Moore
dark color: Calypso Blue 727
medium color: Peacock Feathers 724
light color: Spring Rain 723 All Eggshell Finish

The first step for Karl and Rob is to knock a hole in the wall to create a door in Lily's room.

Knocking a Hole in the Wall

1. Use a pencil to mark the outline where you will cut through the drywall.
   
   
2. Then use a utility knife to score the paper of the plaster. This will enable a clean break (both inside and out) when it is time to knock in the wall.

3. Use a reciprocating saw to cut the stud out of the way. Start the saw before it makes contact with the stud. Make sure the saw is level, and then cut all the way through the stud.

Tip: Before breaking into a wall, use an AC finder to make sure there are no electrical wires behind the wall.

Note the small size of Lily's door, which is why it had to be cut down to size. The pre-hung door is has a hollow core and the sides (styles) have nothing in-between them. When working with a door like this, be sure to take off the bottom plate and reinsert it into the new bottom of the door using nails and wood glue.

Installing the Door

1. The next step is to install the door. For this project a pre-hung door that is already hanging on the actual jamb is being used. Note: You can get this type of door at any home improvement store.

2. The door has to be cut down to size since the space in Lily's room is shorter then a standard door.

3. Sand and paint the door.

4. Line up the two jambs into the new space that has been created. Fit the groove and the tongue together. They should snap into place.

5. It's important to make sure that the sides are plumb to the wall. This is especially important on the hinge side of the door. Use a level to check this.

6. After adjusting for plumb, use the nail gun to fire a couple of nails through the trim, drywall and stud.

7. After the hinge side of the frame is in place, insert the door to check for square. Adjust for square, making sure there is a "penny clearance" (an even gap the distance of a penny) all the way around the door.

8. Finally, finish firing the nails to secure the door.

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