Bri needed some additional storage (who doesn't?) and found out the the area under her landing and stairs was just begging to be used.

So we're going to put a door right about here.

That existing door is already a closet, which could have used this space but didn't. Instead the joint wall has power and the home security system panel.

The stud finder's findings were confusing (too many studs in the area I guess) so we just opened up the wall near where we needed the hole.

We found an exterior four by six and a funky sloping brace.

What was the giant 4x6 supporting?  Who knows?

It looks like a 2x4 nailer for a joint in the sheetrock. But it may really be structural, so we'll treat it like it is.

We found more funkyness inside, but the good news is that you can stand in a four by five space - plus there's the sloping area behind me under the stairs.

We replaced the 4x6 with a couple of 2x4s.  We also added one to the top and another to the side to make an opening to fit a 24" wide door.

We didn't take the opening all the way down to the floor, which was a good thing given all the crap they used under the wall.

Adding the double 2x4 means we have to fix the wall board on the left, but we do have our two foot by five foot opening.

Next we added 1x6 to make the door frame- top, sides and bottom.

The following weekend I added the door and hinges.

First I had to fill the cut edge of the hollow core door which we shortened to five feet.  I used my router to manually inset the hinges, but they turned out pretty good anyway.

Here's a shot of the downstairs hall where I'm working.

Not a lot of room.

Because the door was shortened, the door knob was going to be installed in a 'hollow' part of the door.  So first I cut a block of wood to fit the space between the door panels. Then I glued it in place. Here it is being slid in.

The lockset tightened up nicely with the internal brace in place.

So now we have a working door.

Next I filled in the missing sheetrock then taped and mudded it up.

Next weekend, when the mud is truely set, I sand, finish coat and add the moldings.

What? You thought I had weekends off?

Next week:  Wendy's fauset, Lisa's furniture and more basement work.