Build a Room Divider Screen

Are you wondering how to build a room screen divider? Dividers can be functional or they can simply be an added touch to your room, but no matter what your reason for wanting a room divider, they are surprisingly easy to build. You don’t need a great deal of experience with woodworking to get the job done, and the longest part of the project is waiting for your paint to dry. Find out more about how to build a room screen divider.

You can paint your screen room divider to match your decor.

Before you can start building your room divider, you need to collect all of the materials. Although you will need to make decisions about the height, width and length of your divider and the panels that make it up, this list of materials will give you a general idea of what you need. For the purposes of this article, we’ll discuss working with paneling of a certain size, but feel free to manipulate those numbers to suit your project.

Here is a list of supplies you will need:

• At least three panels of wood, approximately 12 inches wide and 7 feet tall. The height of your panels in particular is something to consider. For decorative purposes, you may be able to go as low as 5 feet tall, while for privacy purposes, you will want to go taller so that people will not be able to see over the screen. Although any wood will do, plywood makes a good choice since it is light and easy to cut and decorate.

• Patio hinges – enough so that each panel of wood can be joined to another at the top, center and bottom.

• Screws for the hinges/screwdriver or drill

• Decorative touches of your choosing – paint, stain, stencils, fabric, wallpaper and so on.

• Optional – jigsaw – if you plan to cut the wood for decorative purposes

With all of your materials gathered, it’s time to get the job done! The steps are relatively simple. Here’s what you need to do:

• Prep and decorate your panels to your liking. If you are painting or staining or attaching wallpaper or fabric, you will need to let everything dry and set completely before you can continue on with the process. Follow the instructions on the label of your paint/stain/adhesive for correct drying times. If you want to make decorative cuts in the wood, such as scalloping along the top or “window” in the panels to cover with fabric, now is also the time to do that.

• Line the panels up side by side. Make sure they are perfectly even. Leave a small gap, big enough to insert the hinges, between each one.

• Using the screws and a drill or screwdriver, attach the hinges at the top and bottom of each panel, in turn attaching each panel to the one next to it. Make sure the hinges line up perfectly across the body of the panels.

• Stand your screen up - your project is complete! Note that depending on the type of wood you have chosen, your room divider screen may be too heavy for you to move on your own.

Here are a few tips to make sure your room divider comes out perfectly:

• If you choose plywood, go for the smooth variety. It will make your designs come out cleaner.

• If you don’t have a jigsaw, or just aren’t confident in your ability to cut your wood properly, most home improvement stores or lumber yards will do it for you.

• Alternate the direction of the hinges so that you can fold the room divider easily.

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