How to Upcycle Bifold Doors into a Privacy Screen with Shelves

Marie Overton
Sep 30, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Apr 2

I found these bifold doors for practically nothing last summer at a garage sale. I didn’t have any particular need for them at that time but they held too much promise to pass them up. I was sure I would be able to upcycle the bifold doors into something spectacular. I brought them home and put them under a cover and then was so busy with making my root cellar that I pretty much forgot about them. It wasn’t until I was looking for projects to make as displays for up at our fairgrounds that I thought about them again.

I decided to upcycle the bi-fold doors into a lovely privacy screen with shelves.

White corner shelf with potted plants and a stone statue. Large metal star on pale green wall. Cozy and rustic decor.

Bifold Door Privacy Screen

I am really happy with how the shelf turned out and I love the way it folds down so nicely for storage and transport.

Materials Needed to Upcycle Bifold Doors:

Wooden shutters lean against a white picket fence in a grassy yard with leafless trees. Bright daylight highlights the natural scene.

bifold doors

2 sets of bifold doors (4 total)

1×8 boards treated with wood effects (charred wood)

54 inches (2) shelves

wood effects

Minwax wood effects charred wood

Antique-looking hinges (9)

Caulk

White chalk paint

White primer

finishing wax

Jolie Clear finishing wax

Tools to Upcycle the Bifold Doors into a Privacy Screen with Shelves:

Drill (for pilot holes)

orbital sander

Orbital sander with 80 grit sandpaper

An orange and black handheld sander rests on a white surface. The setting is outdoors with sunlight casting shadows.

mouse sander

Mouse sander with 120 grit sandpaper

Assembly of the Upcycled Bifold Privacy Screen Shelf:

Yellow and black DeWalt drill on a wooden surface, surrounded by hinges, screws, and door knobs. Woodworking tools setup.

remove hardware

Begin by removing the old hinges and handles.

Person sanding a wooden shutter with a red power sander on a wooden deck. Metal barrel and ladder visible in the background.

sand doors

Sand the doors down just enough to rough up the surface of the old finish and remove any possible splinters.

Person in purple sweater sanding a wooden shutter with a power tool. The setting is a rustic, wooden-floored area.

remove 1st and 16th slat

Use an oscillating saw to remove the bottom and the 16th slat. This will create openings for the shelf to go through. All the doors have to be the same or they will not line up.

Person paints a wooden door white on a sawhorse outdoors. Lawn mower and grass in the background. "KILZ HIDE-ALL" text on paint can.

primer the doors

Use primer on all of the doors.

A person kneels on a wooden floor, using a caulking gun to apply sealant to a wooden louvered panel.

Caulk all holes

Caulk all of the screw holes and the holes where the slats you cut out went in.

A person in a floral shirt paints white slatted wooden panels indoors. A paint can is nearby on a wooden floor, with sunlight streaming in.

Chalk paint doors and shelves

Use chalk paint on the doors and the shelf boards. Reapply until they are sufficiently covered.

Person measuring a white wooden shutter with a yellow tape measure on a wooden deck. Hands holding a pencil, daylight setting.

mark hinge positions

Person uses a drill on a large, white shutter door laid on a wooden surface. The scene appears industrious and focused.

drill pilot holes

Person using a drill on a white door laid flat on a wooden deck. Door features louvered panels. Bright daylight, no visible text.

attach hinges

Now that all the parts are prepared it is time to put them together. Using 3 hinges, connect the 2 center doors. Measure and mark the center and 12 inches in on each end, make pilot holes, and attach the hinges with screws. Flip the 2 doors over and set the 2 remaining doors next to them, one on each side. Connect these to the first 2 doors with the 6 remaining hinges. Attaching the hinges this way allows the doors to fold in on themselves in an accordion style. This makes it so that the shelf can slide in and so that it lies stacked for easy transport.

A person adjusts white shelf panels on a louvered room divider outside. Background includes wooden beams and a grassy area.

slide in the shelf boards

Now that the hinges are in, stand up the doors in a zigzag-type shape and slip in the shelf boards. Adjust the doors so that it is a tight fit over the shelf.

It is now ready to be placed and decorated however you desire.

Note: This is a little top-heavy so be careful if you have it in any area where there is wind.

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