DIY Security Systems
Having safes in the house is a very convenient way to store your valuables. However, they also cost a lot and take up too much space. There is a new trend happening, and that is the DIY book safe. Book safes are great in protecting your possessions because it looks like a boring, old, thick book—no intruder wants to read a book. They are easy to hide, cheap, and very easy to make. So, how to make a hidden book safe? Learn more about these safety products at home!
What Are Book Safes?
Before we learn on the details of how to make a hidden book safe, let us first learn what a book safe is! A book safe is a hollowed-out book, usually a thick, hardbound book that you can use to keep items and secretly place it in a shelf without anyone suspecting a thing. It can come in different sizes, and you can hide away your cash, jewelry, and other small valuables.
Other Uses for Book Safes
Book safes have other uses too! They are great and perfect gift ideas that you can give to a friend or loved ones! They are affordable and easy to do. You can even use them as cover for another gift inside. Book safes are eco-friendly and unique and can conceal your valuable items, like passports and other important documents, on your bookshelf in plain sight! They are great for traveling, too, since they are lightweight and compact.
DIY Book Safe Guide
Now, let us learn how to make a hidden book safe with our simple DIY guide! Below you will find the things you need to prepare, such as old books and handcraft tools, to successfully make your secret book safe.
Acceptable Books to Use
Books have been around for centuries, and there are several thick books just lying around in book sale boxes and libraries. However, there are certain guidelines on what old books you can hollow out. You can use books with inscriptions, ink smudges, and other markings inside the pages, ones that have wrinkles in their jackets, and books with faded covers. These books are great to use because they are less likely to be read by anyone.
Things You Will Need
Once you find the perfect book you will use on how to make a hidden book safe, you need to ready your tools! These are the things you will need in making your book safe:
- A metal ruler
- Pens or pencils
- Garbage bags
- Masking tape
- A cutter or utility knife
- A bottle of mod podge or white glue
- Small paintbrushes
- Wax paper
- Gym weight plates or other heavy items
- A plastic sheet for work area
- Black felt paper
You can also opt for an electric cutter or drill. Once you have all these ready, you can now start!
Hollowing the Book
It is easy, how to make a hidden book safe. The first major step is hollowing your old thick book. Here is how you safely do it:
- Open your book and secure the first 20 or 50 pages with a garbage bag, and secure them with masking tape. You can also choose to glue the first 20 or 50 pages onto the front cover. If you choose this latter step, leave the pages to dry for a few hours while separating them with a sheet of wax paper from the rest of the pages.
- After it is dry, draw a rectangle measuring one inch from the edge of the first page of the unglued pages using your pencil and ruler.
- With your paintbrush, apply mod podge or white glue on the outside edges of the book. Leave it to dry.
- Once it is dry again, use the ruler and your cutter or utility knife to trim the rectangle shape you marked. Take your time. Rushing will end up with a ragged edge interior. Also, always be careful in cutting. Make sure that you protect your fingers and hands to avoid injury.
- Gradually remove the cut sheets from the center and continue to cut until you reach the back cover and finally have a rectangular hole. You can recycle the cut sheets for other handicrafts.
Finishing the Interior
The next step is to make a finish of the interior hollow. Here is what you got to do:
- Open the dried book and apply mod podge or white glue using your paintbrush to the book’s cut edges and even the base. If the pages are swelling, do not worry—it is normal. This swelling means that the pages are absorbing the glue, and it will stick better.
- Place another sheet of wax paper over the glued portion of the book to separate it from the first 20 or 50 pages. Close the book.
- Place a gym weight plate or any heavy object and allow the book to dry overnight.
- After that, you can use black felt paper to line the center hollow of the book to make it more elegant.
Hide It on the Shelf
Of course, the final is step on how to make a hidden book safe is to place your cash, jewelry, and other small valuables inside your freshly dried book safe. Insert it between other books on your bookshelf, and no one will ever suspect it. You have successfully made your secret book safe!
Conclusion
Now you know how to make a hidden book safe in your library! The only thing you must do now is to apply the things you have learned to successfully make more book safes. Remember, you can use thick and old books for this DIY project. You can use it for multiple purposes, whether to keep cash, jewelry, antique items, or other small, highly valuable items of your family. Always be careful once you start in hollowing your book; always have first aid ready in case of cuts. Book safes are great when you opt for a less expensive way to add safety and security to your small items. Here’s how to learn more about Hidden Safes.