We thought this would be the final chapter of our basement makeover, but because we tackled two separate DIY projects — building a screen to hide our unattractive water heater and frosting the windows for privacy while keeping light — it made sense to split the content into two posts. That way we could show clear step-by-step photos and instructions for each project. Here’s how we created a custom screen to conceal our eyesore of a water heater using three secondhand bi-fold doors and a quart of bright green paint, all for a modest budget. (Window-frosting instructions coming soon.)
First, a quick reminder of what we were dealing with: an ugly water heater tucked into the corner, plus an unsightly trap door in the wall that leads to the crawl space. Replacing the unit with a tankless heater was considered, but since the existing water heater still works we preferred to hide it rather than replace and send a functioning appliance to a landfill. A removable screen felt like the most practical, low-cost solution that still allows easy access when needed.
We wanted something that would block the view of the water heater and the trap door, be tall enough for the 6′ unit, and stay within a small budget. Store-bought folding screens were either too short or too expensive, so we brainstormed affordable alternatives. The solution: hinge three tall bi-fold doors together to form a free-standing screen — simple, lightweight, easy to move, and ready-made for painting.
Step 1: Find three tall, sturdy bi-fold doors that will stand on their own and cover the full height of your water heater. We searched secondhand sources and found three matching bi-fold doors at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore during a door sale. For just $18 we had the panels and enough hinges to join them into one large screen. Bi-folds are ideal because they’re already sectioned and lighter than a single full-size door, making them easier to handle and paint.
Loading them into our compact car was a challenge, but we managed by reclining the front seat and securing the panels with the seat belt. In tight situations, borrowing a larger vehicle or renting a truck for a few hours can also solve the transport problem.
Tip: If you must carry long items inside a small car, recline a front seat and loop the seat belt over the cargo to help keep it secure during transit.
Step 2: Assemble and prep the doors where the screen will live. Unpack the doors in the room where the screen will be used so you won’t have to move the finished piece later. Lay them on cardboard for painting and attach them using the existing hinges. Do light puttying and sanding to fill any recesses or blemishes so the paint will lay smoothly. For used doors at a low cost, a bit of prep makes a big visual difference.
Step 3: Paint the screen. We used a quart of semi-gloss latex paint color-matched to Benjamin Moore’s Bunker Hill Green 566. Two coats gave full coverage and a cheerful pop of emerald green. Painting where the screen will be used saves handling and touch-ups later. Using a small, affordable quart kept costs low — the paint was $14, bringing the total for the project to roughly $32.
The green screen brightens the space and ties in with other green accents in the room, like storage bins and subtle rug stripes. Functionally, it conceals the water heater and trap door while remaining easy to move for maintenance access. There’s still ample clearance — more than 35″ — to pass around it and access other areas of the basement.
Repurposing old doors into a custom screen is an inexpensive, attractive way to hide utilitarian features without permanent construction. We’ll follow up soon with the window-frosting tutorial and a full basement wrap-up, including before-and-after photos and a final budget tally. Have you reused doors, windows, or other household items in creative DIY projects? We’d love to hear your ideas and experiences.