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How to Make a Hollow Book

Last Updated: February 11, 2024 Approved

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 113 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 14 testimonials and 91% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,828,578 times. Learn more...

A hollow book can be a nifty way to hide something, whether it's a spare key, a secret note, or even money. Most people wouldn't think to browse your library for private or personal things. It's also a great way to pass something to someone discreetly--an unsuspecting onlooker will just think you're sharing a very good read!

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  • If you are wondering, "What is the purpose of saving the last page to glue on top, and then cutting through it just like the others?" It's to cover up the lines you initially drew to cut out the compartment in the book. It also allows the book to be fully closed, compressing the pages while the inside dries. This is important so the book will close properly when it is finished. Thanks Helpful 21 Not Helpful 2
  • A Dremel tool makes quick work of 30-40 pages at a time, and sometimes the heat of the cutting disk burns the inside edges, leaving smooth brown lines on the inside. (See Warnings) Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 1
  • You may be able to get free old books from libraries that are clearing out the archives. But don't use a book from your family's library - it might be a valuable antique, and someone could start looking for it. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0

how to make hollow book

  • Hollow books are not effective against law enforcement. Thanks Helpful 26 Not Helpful 4
  • Although the Dremel tool cuts quickly, you may accidentally cut through the back of the book. Also be advised that it will burn the pages, and the smoke may smell bad, depending on the type of paper the book is made from. The depth of the cut is also limited to the radius of the cutting wheel. You will need to remove pages between cuts to go deeper. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0
  • Burning paper often contains dioxins, which are a potent carcinogen: Make sure you ventilate the room, perhaps blowing a fan across the book as you work to keep the dangerous fumes from your face. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0
  • Try adding a closing mechanism to keep your book closed like a magnet, belt buckle, or button. Otherwise, everything that you place inside will just fall out! Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 1
  • Cutting an old book can contain many old, foreign, possibly harmful contaminants found within the dust. The dust particles can sit for many years, contain bacteria, and chemicals. Depending on your method of cutting, you may find a little to a maximum of dust in the air. It is recommended that you cut in a well-ventilated area, use of an air vacuum with a HEPA filter is preferable, and most importantly you use a dust mask that can filter out the breathing of such dust particles. Eyeglasses can also be used to prevent dust from getting into the eyes, and protect from particles (ie: small rock, tiny metal particles from an old rusty pipe) that can shoot out from underneath a blade into the eye. Especially if using motorized tools, such as a Dremel. Dust will fill the air, so close all doors, to minimize the spreading of such dust particles. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 2
  • When choosing a book, make sure it is not a book that you care about and that someone will want to read again. Also, make sure that it is not a book anyone else might ask to look at because it will be hard to come up with an excuse as to why you won't let them read it. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

  • Hardcover book
  • Container to hold glue solution
  • Plastic food wrap
  • X-acto knife, or box cutter.
  • Brush to apply glue solution
  • Rags to wipe up any spills
  • Pencil or Pen
  • Something Heavy to weigh things down with
  • Flat work surface
  • Drill with a small drill bit

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How to Make a Secret Hollow Book

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Introduction: How to Make a Secret Hollow Book

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I destroy books for fun and profit, and I'm here to tell you how to do it too.

Book safes (aka Hollow Books, Secret Books, etc.) are a fantastic way to hide your stuff in plain sight, but they also make great gifts (and great gift boxes). This site explains my techniques, which I use to churn out several hundred book safes a year. After you've checked out my tutorials, feel free to drop me a line or see more information on Every Trick in the Book , my book safe crafting business.

©2019 Karen Ammon. Have any comments or questions? Email my public (aka spam fodder) account: [email protected]

How to Hollow Out a Book? The Complete Guide

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There’s a new crafting craze going around that you might not have heard of; hollow books. A hollowed book is pretty much what you’d expect, a book that’s been hollowed out. But why?

These upcycled books can be used as decorative boxes for things like jewelry, photographs, or small trinkets, or even as an extra special gift box.

But they can also be used as a hidden compartment to stash important objects. Maybe it’s love notes, a spare key, or cash and credit cards that you don’t want lying around in plain sight. Once that hollow book is back on the shelf, no one will ever know what secret lies inside it.

So if you’re a book lover  and  a crafty cat, making a hollowed out book could be the perfect DIY project to try on a rainy afternoon indoors.

So grab a hardback book you no longer need, and let’s get hollowing!

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need

  • A hardback book  – Obviously, don’t choose an expensive book or anything with sentimental value. Second hand decorative or  antique books  found at the thrift store are perfect for this project. Remember to consider the size of your book. Go large if you plan on storing a lot of things inside of it.
  • An electric drill
  • A sharp craft knife
  • A sturdy ruler
  • A sharpened pencil
  • White glue (Elmer’s school glue or similar)
  • A small bowl
  • An old paintbrush
  • A plastic bag or plastic wrap

How to Hollow Out a Book

Now that you’ve gathered your supplies, let’s get started.

Step 1. Prep

  • Take the first few pages of the book and fold them open to meet the front cover. These are the pages that will remain intact and glue-free. You might choose the first chapter, for example. Keeping a few pages intact allows your book to still look like a regular book, even when it’s first opened.
  • Now, carefully wrap the front and inside cover, along with your selected pages, in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Use the plastic to protect the spine and the back cover too. Be sure to stick on plenty of tape to hold it all in place.

The idea here is to protect these areas from getting covered in glue. (You can also use waxed paper or any material which the glue won’t stick to).  

Step 2. Apply the glue to the edges of the book

  • First, mix the glue with a small amount of water to thin it out slightly so that it’s easier to spread. A good rule of thumb is around 70% glue to 30% water, but it’s not an exact science, and it doesn’t matter if yours is a little thicker or thinning consistency.
  • Using a paintbrush, apply the glue mixture to the book’s exposed edges to bind all of the pages together, forming a solid block. Once you’ve thoroughly coated the edges of the pages, place something heavy on the top of the book and put it to one side to dry before you head in for the second coat.
  • Apply three coats of the glue mixture in total. As a good rule of thumb, leave it for around 30 minutes between each coat so that the glue can set. You can use a hairdryer to speed up the process if you’re short on time.

Step 3. Drill the corners

  • Once the glue is thoroughly dried, it’s time to get down to business. Open the book and, using your pencil and ruler, draw a rectangular outline of the area you want to hollow out. For stability, avoid making your edges any thinner than about half an inch; otherwise, they’ll be prone to bending and breaking.
  • Now, drill a hole in each of the four corners of your drawn-out rectangle (be careful not to drill so deep that you make a hole in the back cover. To be sure, you can mark out the depth you want on your drill with masking tape before you begin).

To make your incisions easier, drill several holes against the inside of each line of the rectangular shape. This speeds up the cutting process.

Step 4. Cut out your hollow

  • Using your craft knife and ruler, slice along the inside line of your shape, linking up all the holes you made with the drill. This process can take a while, as no matter how sharp your knife is, you won’t be able to slice more than a few pages in one pass. Apply plenty of pressure, and keep the blade angled downwards to help it glide along and keep it neat.

Step 5. Apply glue to the inside of the hollow 

  • Apply your glue mixture to the inside edges of your newly hollowed-out book. Just like in Step 2, apply three coats and let each one dry before applying the next.

Step 6. Unwrap your book

  • Now, unwrap the plastic bag or plastic wrap you used to protect the rest of the book. Once that’s all gone, carefully paint the top layer of your hollowed edge in one final coat of glue, being careful not to spill any on the exposed pages or the book’s covers.
  • Gently close the book, and put something heavy on top of it to weigh it down while the glue dries. Those extra few pages you saved earlier will now cover the hole but don’t worry; we’re going to uncover it once the glue dries.

Step 7. Apply the finishing touches

  • Once all the glue is thoroughly dry, open your book back up. There should be one page now glued down and completely covering the hollow. Using your craft knife and ruler, gently score along the edge of your rectangular cavity to cut through and expose the hollow underneath the page.
  • If any of the glue is still slightly damp, let the book dry out thoroughly. If you can, leave it out in the sun, or use a hairdryer to speed up the process.
  • Finally, use your craft knife to trim off any rough edges and make the finish as neat as possible.

And voila, your hollowed-out book is complete. Now your only task is to figure out what to keep inside of it!

Check out these other great posts!

7 Unique Ways to Wrap a Book for a Gift

How to Start and Run a Book Club? The Ultimate Guide

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DIY: How To Make A Hollow ‘Secret Stash’ Book

by missV | Oct 29, 2012 | DIY | 26 comments

how to make hollow book

26 Comments

Claudia Willison

What a fun DIY! Now I just have to find the right opportunity for it…

Vivid

Thanks Claudia 😀 We hope you have a lot of fun making it when you get the chance

2justByou

This is really something that my boys have wanted to do for awhile, but I just can’t part with any of our books! I’ll have to find an old one that we can use so that they can try this. =0) ~Kim 2justByou.blogspot.com

I feel that pain! The best thing to do is to thrift one or get one from a car boot sale. It’s best if you can find one that has a pretty cover but you have no interest in its story… but that is quite a challenging task! I hope they have lots of fun with it when you find the right books though 😀

Emily

You could make the book a new cover.

missV

Love that Idea!! x

Nadia Kushnir

I absolutely love this idea, and had the exact same thoughts! I can just never part with any of my books! Because of this, I decided to go to a local secondhand bookstore, and bought a pretty (plain plack, with gold on the side) hardcover book. It was only ten dollars and I was fine with cutting it up because it was just about ‘punctuation’ and how it should be properly used. It was pretty on the outside, and (in my opinion) was not as interesting on the inside so I bought it. I look forward to doing this soon!

So my advice is, if there are any secondhand bookstores around, have a look around! Maybe you might find something you’d like!

Ronda

You can always buy books at a Goodwill for a dollar. Just an idea.

ChatterBlossom

Love it! Especially with eyeballs inside! 😉 -Jamie http://chatterblossom.blogspot.com/

Thanks Jamie! Couldn’t resist hiding my favorite eyeball sweeties in there for halloween 😀 They’re nearly all gone now! Mwah ha ha

Zyzanna

You killed a book. I am crying inside.

To be fair, I read the book first and didn’t think much of it! I love the pattern on the cover (which is why I bought it) so I didn’t want to get rid of it. It’s now something that I love and will get a lot more fun out of, so its better off recycled and reincarnated ;P

Sheryl Hastings

What a great tutorial! I think I should raid my daughter’s old book collection and make me one.

Thanks Sheryl! I hope your daughter doesnt mind 🙂 Make sure you ask her first! hee hee

Laurel

I should have read these instructions before starting the cutting on my secret stash book. No wonder all my pages came out torn and roughly cut. I didn’t start out the right way. TY for the helpful tute…even though I found it too late for my first attempt. Maybe the next one will turn out better.

Just keep trying Laurel! It’s always tricking trying to work out what NOT to do, but another shot should get it sorted for you 🙂

Anonymous

Helpful Tip: Change the blade of your knife before starting to cut pages. I had the hardest time cutting the first 20 or so pages. The edges came out ripped and I couldn’t get a clean cut until I changed the blade. Now it’s looking pretty good! 🙂

I really love this idea! I go to high school and for HPE (health and physical education) we have to make something to look back on, and keep with us for the days we are feeling down. My teacher said it had to mean something to us and the first thing that popped into my mind was “books”. I absolutely adore books and I love art. So then I thought, why not do this? I have gotten my book and drawn up everything I need. Now all I need to do is glue and cut!

Thanks for the idea! Nadia xx

Thanks so much for leaving a comment! What a lovely thought! Your HPE teachers are totally spot on, I wish I had done more things like this during school to have some lovely keepsakes. Mind, I do have a crazy amount of sketch books full of drawings and ideas! Books are the greatest 😀 I hope you have fun making yours, I’d love to see a photo when you’re done too! You can find me on twitter and instagram as @MissVickyViola if you’re up for sharing it. Good Luck! Vicky xx

ShayDarian

Hello, there!! I am so happy I found this. I’m constantly running out of space for different things, like recipes, and to be honest, this might even help me save a little cash, too. I tend to try to hide it from myself so I forget its there when I’m not in a tight spot for cash. There are so many new opportunities I can think of for this! I can put my special family recipes in an old recipe book that we never use, I can put special keepsakes in one and use it for a jewelry box, or even just a place to keep all those loose earrings! Old pictures I haven’t sorted through, etc… This is perfect and can save so much space! I love shopping at Goodwill for the cute little knick-knacks that I find there, and they have a ton of books! Maybe I could find a few that would be just perfect for this DIY! I bought a jewelry box that was literally made to look like a book, and I love it! Now I can make my own! Thanks for this!

Awww! What a lovely comment! Thanks so much Shay, I’m so thrilled to hear how helpful you’ve found this! I bet your home is going to be full of amazing surprises 😀 Happy making! VX

Erica S. Hodge

Oh My Gosh this is so amazing your idea I have been thinking about a way to hide my money from my siblings I got six other siblings and they are always finding my money and this is a perfect idea they will not even think that it is a secret stash book you my friend are a genius

briella

hi missV, Thank you! Gave this to my best friend as a jewelry box but instead she prefers using it as a secrete money stash ( plans to runaway with her future werewolf bf ….T_T ) and loves it <3

Marie

I love this idea! Am going to make one for my daughter for Christmas. I was wondering if you could use decorative ribbon to line the inside pages if they look too messy? Will see how mine come out, but that might be an adoption, as well as lining the whole space with fabric.

Dwayne Comstock

Where exactly does one buy a scalpel? This is a great idea for a project.

It’s just a craft knife, any good craft store will have them 🙂 x

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how to make hollow book

How To Hollow Out A Book

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Tika Viteri

Tika writes from her home office in Pittsburgh, PA, accompanied by 3 grey cats and many, many plants. When not plonking away on a keyboard, she can be found painting, knitting, gardening, and casting the occasional spell or two -- all usually accompanied by a glass of wine.

View All posts by Tika Viteri

These days, everyone is sitting at home whenever possible. And if you’re a bookish person like I am, you have perhaps been sifting through your books, deciding which to keep and which you can release back into the world for someone else to find and love. While we may not be able to create the secret passage bookshelf of our dreams at the moment, there’s a more attainable secret project sitting in that pile of books waiting for the local donation store to open up. So grab a hardback from the pile, a few things from around the house, and let’s learn how to hollow out a book together!

There are many, many how-tos for this process available with a Google search. I have cobbled together several and added a step or two to assuage my own penchant for clean lines and finishes.

how to make hollow book

You Will Need

Step 1: prepare your book.

Cover the covers of your book, plus a few pages from the front of the text, with newspaper. Tape a piece of waxed paper between the covers and the main set of pages—this will keep them from sticking to the newspaper when you begin gluing.

how to make hollow book

Remember book covers from high school? Just like that!

how to make hollow book

Save the frontispiece and 1–2 pages at the front of the book. Tuck them inside the temporary book cover.

Step 2: Glue The Edges

Mix about a teaspoon of glue with a little bit of water. You want the glue to be smooth enough to paint onto the edges of the book, but not so wet that it will take forever to dry.

how to make hollow book

This is the step where I learned that a piece of waxed paper between the cover and the pages would be handy…

Fan the book pages a little so that they aren’t tightly packed, then paint the glue mixture onto the edges of the pages. Plop something heavy on top of the book, rinse out your paintbrush and cover the bowl for round 2, then read a book while you wait for the glue to dry.

how to make hollow book

When the edges of the book are dry, they will no longer be cool to the touch. Repeat step 2 twice more, for a total of three layers of glue. You may need to replace the waxed paper; once it gets soaked through, it tends to stick more.

Step 3: Hollow Out Your Book

Open the book and mark the edges of your hollow. They should be at least 1/2″ from the edge of the pages.

how to make hollow book

Pro Tip: Measure how deep you need to drill so that you don’t hit the book cover, then put a piece of painter’s tape around the drill bit at that depth!

If you have a drill, use it to make holes along the edge of your inner chamber. These holes will allow you to keep your cuts shorter, giving more control over the knife (always a plus) and helping the corners detach.

Step 4: Seal The Interior

Apply glue to the inside of the hollow, and if any of the pages have become separated during the hollowing out process, to the outside page edges as well. Weight and allow to dry.

how to make hollow book

Repeat step 4 again, trimming any scraps and tidying up the corners as necessary. N.B. For the second round, the outside edges were all firmly glued together, so I left the book open in the sunshine to dry.

Step 5: Make It Pretty

Remove the protective newspaper covering from the front of the book. Carefully glue the following, in order :

how to make hollow book

Step 6: Reveal The Secret Compartment

You’re SO CLOSE to done! Can you feel it?

Remove the waxed paper and set aside. Carefully cut around the edges to reveal the hollow in your book.

Fill it with treasures and tie it closed.

how to make hollow book

Hide it in plain sight on your bookshelf!

how to make hollow book

But what to do with all those scraps of pages? Make some paper flowers with them, of course !

Or if that’s not quite your jam, here are some other crafts to do with old books now that you’re eyeing your “to be donated” pile with fresh eyes. Enjoy!

how to make hollow book

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How To Hollow Out A Book [Tutorial]

July 12, 2014 by Scarlet

Looking to hide some loot in plain sight? Or maybe you simply want a hidden charging station for your iPhone? There are plenty of ways to use a hollowed out book and it is an easy craft for DIY’ers. This tutorial will show you how to hollow out a book and make a secret compartment. This cool book safe makes a great gift for adults and kids alike. It is a great way to conceal hidden treasure.

Secret Compartment Hollowed Out Book DIY

DIY hollowed out book

Hollowed Out Book Supplies

First things first, get the supplies ready for the project. Here is the checklist:

  • Book – the book needs to be a hard cover and decently think.
  • Foam paint brush – must be narrower than the thickness of the book.
  • Metal ruler
  • Pencil or pen
  • Utility knife (or box cutter or x-acto knife or craft knife)
  • Dremel (optional but nice to speed up work)
  • Mod Podge (or Elmer’s white glue)
  • Saran Wrap (plastic wrap or cling wrap)
  • A heavy object that can easily sit on the book

You can usually find some great old books as a used book store for super cheap prices. Pick a hardcover book that is the right size to blend in others on your book case. This little trick will help your book safes to be even more inconspicuous as a secret hiding place.

How To Hollow Out A Book With A Dremel

So you want to make a book with a hidden compartment?  It is a easy and cool project to do for yourself. Additionally, this DIY book safe would also be a very cool DIY gift to give to a friend or family member. Here is how to hollow out a book and turn it into a homemade book safe.

Gluing the Loose Pages

gluing book pages

The first step is to pull open the cover of the book along with the first 2 pages. You will cover this top of the book section with the Saran Wrap to keep glue away.

Get the adhesive concoction ready by making a well-mixed solution of half Mod Podge and half water. Use the foam brush to apply the solution to the sides of the book. Don’t be shy about applying good amounts of glue as it needs to soak in at least an inch to keep the pages together. However, try to keep the brush away from the outside surface of the back cover as the water can leave a stain.

After applying a sufficient amount of glue, close the book and set the heavy object on top. Let the water evaporate out and the glue set at least an hour or two. Wait longer for larger books or if you are unsure if the glue is dried.

Cut the Pages

cutting out the book center

Use the ruler and pencil to outline the desired perimeter of the hollow spot at the top of the glued pages. Cut the first couple of pages with the utility knife and the metal ruler as guide to keep the lines straight. Then start cutting into the pages with the utility knife or Dremel 20-30 pages at a time. If you do use a Dremel, keep in mind that it is likely to “burn” to edges of the pages. Personally, I kind of like the burns as it gives the book a distressed look.

Clean away all the paper debris and apply glue to the inside of the cavity. This will help to seal in the pages together even better and protect against wear and tear.

More Glue and One Cut

Remember those first couple of pages at the beginning of the book that we didn’t glue? Move the Saran Wrap to only include the front cover and the first page. Glue the page closest to the glued pages on top of the rest and compress the book again. This will help cover up all the cut marks.

It should only take 20 minutes or so for the glue to dry. Once you confirm that the page is dried, carefully cut it along the perimeter of the hollowed out cavity with a utility knife. You should be able to see through the page in good light to keep along the edge.

How To Hollow Out A Book

Remove the Saran Wrap and your diy hollow book is ready for action. If you want to run a cord into the hollow spot for a phone, simply drill a hole in the side of the book.

If you are wondering what book to use for this DIY book safe, try shopping at a thrift store or used book store for a thick, uninteresting book. You can sometimes buy a hollow book but they are usually more obvious. What I like about using a real book is that it has your normal wear and tear and a normal title. But it is your secret book and that makes it special!

I hope you enjoy this great homemade book cut out project. Your hollowed book is a great place to hide a spare key or keep your love letters!

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Reader Interactions

angela@spinachtiger says

July 12, 2014 at 12:12 pm

I have one of these I inherited with money hidden in it. Cool, huh?

Tyler @ HomeSpot HQ says

July 13, 2014 at 9:54 am

Very cool! The beauty of these books is they are so versatile. We use one at my house to hide an extra remote control for the TV since the main one seems to grow legs and walk away.

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How to Hollow Out a Book

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how to make hollow book

Have you ever wanted to make a secret hiding place for something? Recently, I created a Halloween Escape Room , and one of the props we needed was a book to hide a clue. It was a fun little project, and I can’t wait to show you how to hollow out a book!

how to make hollow book

Table of Contents

What kind of book do you need to make a hollowed-out book?

I would recommend a newer hardback book that feels sturdy and doesn’t feel like it’s going to disintegrate.

A stack of hardback novels.

You can find super cheap hardback books at Dollar Tree for just $1. That’s where I got mine. You could also find a cheap one at a second-hand bookstore or even a thrift store like Goodwill.

What do you need to Hollow Out a Book?

You’ll need a few things to do this.

  • Mod Podge or watered down white school glue.
  • Exacto knife or utility knife
  • Foam brush or paint brush
  • two pieces of wax or parchment paper

The supplies needed to make a hollowed-out book.

How do you Hollow Out a Book?

This is pretty straight forward, but I will warn you now. It’s messy! You will have pieces of book pages everywhere! I had to clean up the big pieces and then get a vacuum for the tiny slivers.

First, you will decide where you want the secret compartment to start. I recommend about 3/4 or 2/3 of the book to make it fairly deep to be able to hold something.

Painting the edges of the book with Mod Podge to create the compartment.

Divide the book into 1/4 of the front of the book and 3/4 of the back of the book. Then, you will hold the 3/4 of the book pages together and paint the Mod Podge or glue around the edges.

Once you’ve painted around all three edges, then slip a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between that and the book cover and lay it back down so it can dry.

Now decide how large of a compartment you want to make. I chose about the size of a 4 x 6 photo.

Measuring the book page to cut the hidden compartment.

I recommend using a ruler and drawing the lines lightly with a pencil or using something the size you want as a guide. I actually used an old messed up photo to begin the cutting.

Cutting the pages of the book to create the hidden compartment.

This is the part that does take a little time. Just begin cutting down the book pages. Follow the cutting guide you made with the first pages and just do a few at a time, until you reach the book cover.

Make sure the knife is sharp. Otherwise, the page cuts will look very choppy. I broke my blade and had to change it once while doing this.

Painting the inside edges of the book pages once the hidden compartment is cut.

Once the book pages are cut out of the entire compartment, apply Mod Podge to the back of the compartment and glue down it to the back book cover.

Next, apply Mod Podge around the inside cutting of the pages to hold it together as the compartment. When finished, make sure to put a piece of wax or parchment paper between the compartment and the regular book pages, so they don’t stick together while drying.

One thing I noticed was that after the Mod Podge dried on the edges of the book pages, you could definitely tell the difference in the compartment and the free pages because the Mod Podge turned them compartment pages a slightly darker color.

So, I actually held the pages together above the compartment and lightly added Mod Podge to their edges to get the same coloring.

The hollowed out book being used as a prop in an escape room game.

It took just a couple of hours to be completely dry and ready to use.

This was fun to make and worked quite well as a prop in the escape room game I set up – which I cannot wait to share with you! It’s coming in just a few days!

More Secret Tutorials

If you’re looking for more super secret spy ideas. Here’s a few:

  • Turn Your Drink into a Decoder
  • Valentine Secret Messages
  • Halloween Secret Messages
  • Surprise Your Husband with Love Notes

Let’s Make Witch’s Brew Halloween Brownies

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DIY Inspired

Hollow Book Safe How To

How to hollow out a book to make a secret book safe.

Arguably, “vintage” is anything 50 years or older while “antique” is considered anything that is 100 years or older.  The difference between the two always confused me, so naturally I Googled it.  I tend to Google everything that I am unsure of (which is a lot of things). That didn’t help, because everyone and their mother has a different definition of the two meanings. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, I inherited boxes full of “antique” books.  I had so many and in my diyinspired head, I wanted to do something creative with them.

I know what you’re thinking… so FIRST I tried to see if anyone else would enjoy them before I altered them.  I took them to three different antique book shops and none of them would take any of them because they were in poor shape and were “not worth anything”.  I put them on Craigslist three different times and only sold a handful.  So now I am left with two plastic bins of beautiful antique books in my garage waiting to be repurposed and given new life.

I recall writing a few blog posts on recycling old books, so I used my own site for reference and decided to tackle the book safe challenge.  How hard can it be to hollow out a book?  Here is the hollow book safe how to.

Time: 1-2 Hours

Materials needed:  

  • thick hardback book
  • decoupage medium  (affiliate link) or glue and water mixture
  • paint brush
  • sharp knife
  • metal straightedge

Instructions:

I wanted to keep a few of the front pages in tact to show the copy-write date and an illustration. I covered the front cover and those pages plus one page with plastic wrap.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

I used Mod Podge, a decoupage medium, and a paint brush to seal the three edges. Make sure you saturate them with approximately three coats.  Allow the Mod Podge to dry (about 15 minutes), meanwhile set something heavy on top of the book to create pressure.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

Step Three:

Next, using a straightedge and a pencil, I marked the area I wanted to cut out.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

Using a sharp knife and a metal straightedge, I carefully cut out a few pages at a time, making sure to remove small bits and pieces along the way. Take your time while doing this step.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

After I reached the desired depth, I sealed the inside edges with applying Mod Podge with a paint brush and allowed it to dry completely.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

I then used Mod Podge around the top edges and glued the extra front page on top.  After a few minutes, I used the knife to cut out the center.  This top page gives it a nice clean look.

How to Hollow Out a Book to Make a Secret Book Safe

Save the book pages for other craft projects. Also, consider using ribbon to cover the inside edges or decorative paper to cover the inside back for a more finished look.

Here are more recycled crafts you may enjoy:

  • Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath
  • Easy Coffee Filter Paper Flowers
  • How to Make Paper Mache Bowls
  • Brown Paper Bag Gift Wrapping

Update: I originally published this article on September 12, 2011. This was just five moths into my blogging journey.  I still have this book safe today.

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10 comments.

So cool! I have always wanted to know the right way to do this. I read some of your other posts and I can tell you are quite creative and inventive. I’ll be back soon, so please keep sharing! Thanks.

Thank you SO much! I appreciate your comments and thank you for reading!

I always wondered how to do this… thanks! Love your blog!

Thank you! And thank you for stopping by!

good stuff. this is so much better than throwing away all my old books. this would be great for chirstmas… if i have time! =)

I came across your website this morning and I have to say, I am an avid “searcher” for DIY ideas, tips, and tutorials… I really love your ideas, blogs and tutorials. There is something about you that pops out and to me, is exquisite. Not knowing anything about your, personally, I got the feeling that you are a very talented and special person. Congratulations and I wish you continued success. I wish I had the confidence and ability to show myself as you do. I am just a mother and wannabe blogger and if I could do it, I wold hope to exude highs class, as you have portrayed. Again, much luck and I look forward to learning more from your pages.

Thank you for your kind words, Corinne! They mean a lot to me. You should give blogging a try. It changed my life and love doing it.

I’m going to try this and use a magnet inside the cover / hollowed out area to keep it closed. Looks like fun!

What a great idea, Kristie! I’d love to see a picture when you’re done!

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how to make hollow book

How To : Make your own hollow book

Make your own hollow book

This video shows you how to create a hollow book for keeping secret things inside. To the outside world the book looks normal, but only you know what goodies you have stored inside. You will need an old hardcover book, wood glue, Razor knife, steel ruler, brush, pencil, and cup for water glue mix.

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IMAGES

  1. How to Make a Secret Hollow Book : 11 Steps (with Pictures)

    how to make hollow book

  2. How To Hollow Out A Book

    how to make hollow book

  3. How to Hollow Out a Book: A Full Tutorial

    how to make hollow book

  4. How to Make a Hollow Book

    how to make hollow book

  5. How to Make a Hollow Book

    how to make hollow book

  6. How to Hollow Out a Book: A Full Tutorial

    how to make hollow book

VIDEO

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Make a Hollow Book: 13 Steps (with Pictures)

    1 Select a book, preferably a thick one with a sturdy hardcover. (See 'tips' and 'warnings' first, about where to get an appropriate book and not to select a valuable/antique/currently popular/important book). 2

  2. How to Make a Secret Hollow Book : 11 Steps (with Pictures

    Step 1: Supplies: A hard bound book (your choice of size) Craft knife with extra blades Metal ruler Pencil Paintbrush White glue (I used Mod Podge) Tape T-shirt shopping bags (you could use plastic wrap, or plastic bags) Step 2: To start, determine how much of the book you want to seal. Leave 4-10 of the first pages free. Step 3:

  3. Make Your Own Secret Hollow Book

    How to make your hollow book: Step 1: Start with a hardcover book that you don't mind gluing shut. Step 2: Open your book up to the first page. Step 3: Brush a thin, even layer of Modge Podge over the first page. Step 4: Close the book and press down for 20-30 seconds.

  4. The Fastest Way To Make A Hollow Book Safe

    garrethbert 1.64K subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 171 13K views 3 years ago How to quickly make a book stash. Making a hollow book (book safe, stash book) shouldn't be a long and...

  5. How to Hollow Out a Book

    1. Pick your book. You can really judge a book by its cover with this craft. Be sure to use a book with a reasonable number of thicker pages (say, 300 or so that aren't tissue-thin). Keep your eyes peeled for the brightly bound Reader's Digest Condensed Books or any other delightful tomes on the giveaway table at your library. 2. Prepare the book.

  6. Do-It-Yourself Guide to Making Secret Hollow Book Safes

    Faster and better instructions to make hollow book safes, with and without any power tools. Also includes instructions for adding backgrounds, magnets, and padded fabric interiors.

  7. How to Make a Hollow Book

    1.2.1 Step 1: Start with a hardcover book that you don't mind gluing shut. 1.2.2 Step 2: Open your book up to the first page. 1.2.3 Step 3: Brush a thin, even layer of Mod Podge over the first page. 1.2.4 Step 4: Close the book and press down for 20-30 seconds.

  8. How to Hollow Out a Book? The Complete Guide

    How to Hollow Out a Book Now that you've gathered your supplies, let's get started. Step 1. Prep Take the first few pages of the book and fold them open to meet the front cover. These are the pages that will remain intact and glue-free. You might choose the first chapter, for example.

  9. How To Hollow Out A Book

    Click SHOW MORE for more details on this project!Our blog is www.RunningWithSisters.com. It is loaded with DIY crafts, jewelry tutorials, and all kinds of gi...

  10. DIY: How To Make A Hollow 'Secret Stash' Book

    To start making your hollow book, you'll want to save a few pages at the beginning and at the end of the book so it looks more realistic; you wouldn't want to give away your secret as soon as the cover has been opened! So, go about 5 pages in (at the start and the end) of the book and cover them with cling film.

  11. How to Make Secret Book Safe

    Place the book in a vice or under a weight. To cut down on warping, place the book in a vice or under a heavy weight such as several large books. The pressure will hold the pages together as the glue dries. Let the book dry for about an hour. 7. Draw the outline of your secret compartment.

  12. How to Hollow Out a Book: A Full Tutorial

    Step 1: Prepare Your Book Cover the covers of your book, plus a few pages from the front of the text, with newspaper. Tape a piece of waxed paper between the covers and the main set of pages—this will keep them from sticking to the newspaper when you begin gluing. Remember book covers from high school? Just like that!

  13. How to Make a Book Safe! (Secret Hidden Hollow Book)

    Using your razor blade, carefully begin cutting 5-10 pages at a time inside the lines of your card stock paper template. Press hard with the blade and keep your template in place. Remove the cut papers from the center of the book and discard. Continue cutting out the center of the book until you have a rectangle compartment of your desired ...

  14. How To Hollow Out A Book [Tutorial]

    Glue the page closest to the glued pages on top of the rest and compress the book again. This will help cover up all the cut marks. It should only take 20 minutes or so for the glue to dry. Once you confirm that the page is dried, carefully cut it along the perimeter of the hollowed out cavity with a utility knife.

  15. How to Hollow Out a Book

    First, you will decide where you want the secret compartment to start. I recommend about 3/4 or 2/3 of the book to make it fairly deep to be able to hold something. Divide the book into 1/4 of the front of the book and 3/4 of the back of the book. Then, you will hold the 3/4 of the book pages together and paint the Mod Podge or glue around the ...

  16. Hallow Book Safe How To

    Instructions: Step One: I wanted to keep a few of the front pages in tact to show the copy-write date and an illustration. I covered the front cover and those pages plus one page with plastic wrap. Step Two: I used Mod Podge, a decoupage medium, and a paint brush to seal the three edges. Make sure you saturate them with approximately three coats.

  17. How To Make A Hollow Book

    1.2.1 Step 1: Start with a hardcover book that you don't mind gluing shut. 1.2.2 Step 2: Open your book up to the first page. 1.2.3 Step 3: Brush a thin, even layer of Mod Podge over the first page. 1.2.4 Step 4: Close the book and press down for 20-30 seconds.

  18. How to Make a Hollow Book Secret Store

    Shows you how to easily make a simple store in your home to keep your valuables safe.

  19. How to Make your own hollow book « Papercraft

    This video shows you how to create a hollow book for keeping secret things inside. To the outside world the book looks normal, but only you know what goodies you have stored inside. You will need an old hardcover book, wood glue, Razor knife, steel ruler, brush, pencil, and cup for water glue mix.

  20. How to make a secret compartment hollow book box / safe ...

    #diy #crafting #acrylicpouringThis is nothing i normally do on this Channel but it could still be decorated very nice with acrylic pour / acrylic skins and i...

  21. How to make a hollow book safe

    How to make a hollow book safe BCtruck, BC Blades 64.1K subscribers Subscribe 53K views 10 years ago Step by step instructions on how to hollow out a book. You can hide valuables of any...

  22. How to Make A Book Safe

    Three part series on how to make a hollow book safe.To purchase from my shop: www.HollowBooksByRP.Etsy.com

  23. DIY Craft Tutorials: How To Make A Hollow Book Jewelry Box

    Click SHOW MORE for more details on this project!Our blog is www.RunningWithSisters.com. It is loaded with DIY crafts, jewelry tutorials, and all kinds of gi...