Book safes are a fun and creative way to hide secret belongings, but how do you make one yourself? Making a hideaway book is a pretty simple process that beginning crafters can accomplish with confidence. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to carving out your own secret book box to protect your favorite treasures. Keep scrolling if you’re ready to hide your valuables in plain sight!

1

Choose an old book you don’t mind cutting up.

  1. Look for a hardcover book that’s big enough to stash your treasures. Go for something about 300 pages or more thick with the right length and width to fit your secret items. Choose a book with a boring title—it’ll keep visitors from wanting to pluck it off your shelf![1]
    • Scan used book stores, garage sales, or free book bins at stores and libraries to find large hardcover books for little (or no) cost.
    • Double check your book will fit on your bookshelf or any other places you’ll want to store it.
    • If you’re gifting your book safe to someone, choose a book with a title or cover that reflects the recipient’s personality.
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2

Choose a starting page for your secret compartment.

7

Cut out the compartment with a sharp knife.

  1. Use a utility knife to slowly cut and remove 10-20 pages at a time. Cut along your outline (it might be helpful to use your straightedge as a guide). Be extra careful and precise at the corners—switch to a straight blade for precision if needed.[10]
    • Stop cutting with at least 10 pages to spare before you get to the back cover.[11]
    • For extra sharp corners, use a drill with a medium bit to drill holes at each corner before cutting. Make sure not to drill through the back cover.[12]
    • If you prefer power tools, try an oscillating tool with a semicircular blade to saw along your outline. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can I use a book safe to hide a journal?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Sure! You will need to make sure the book for the book safe is large enough to hide the journal though.
  • Question
    What should I do if I don't have a hardcover book?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Look up indoor flea markets, thrift shops and antique malls in your area. They always have an assortment of attractive hard cover books for less than a dollar.
  • Question
    I don't understand. Do I glue each page together?
    Mollysteffens
    Mollysteffens
    Community Answer
    You can, but it's simpler to just paint the glue on the edges of the pages.
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Things You’ll Need

About This Article

Claire Donovan-Blackwood
Co-authored by:
Arts & Crafts Specialist
This article was co-authored by Claire Donovan-Blackwood and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Claire Donovan-Blackwood is an Arts & Crafts Specialist and CEO of Heart Handmade UK, a site dedicated to helping people live a happy, creative life. With over 13 years of experience, Claire uses art as a form of therapy and focuses on mindfulness in the making of art. She makes crafting easy and accessible for those she works with. Claire received her B.A. in Photography & Visual Imagery from The University of Huddersfield. This article has been viewed 82,764 times.
7 votes - 85%
Co-authors: 16
Updated: November 20, 2022
Views: 82,764
Categories: Book Crafts
Article SummaryX

To make a book safe, start by mixing 4 parts glue to 1 part water, which will create a glue sticky enough to close the book but not too sticky that it's hard to spread across the pages. Before you begin, you'll also want to wrap the book's cover and first few pages in plastic so your book isn't glued completely shut after your glue dries. When you've securely wrapped those pages, use an old paintbrush to "paint" the sides of your book with glue until they're completely covered. Then, weigh down the book and leave it to dry for at least 24 hours. Once the glue is dry, open the pages you didn't glue shut, and use a pen to mark how big you want your secret compartment to be. Finish by carving that compartment out with a sharp utility knife. For tips on how to carve an intricate design on the cover, keep reading!

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