How to Make a Folding Room Divider With Removable Fabric Panels

A folding room divider is a perfect way to divide a room or to hide clutter. The removable fabric panels make it easy to keep clean it clean and fresh.

The folding room divider screen described here is easy to make, lightweight so it’s easy to move around, can be restyled for different seasons, and, best of all, only requires rudimentary carpentry skills to make.

The screen, however, is cheap to make (under $15.00). Small curtain tension rods at the top and bottom of each panel hold fabric inserts in place and allow for the removal of these fabric inserts for cleaning or to change the look with the seasons.

How to Make a Folding Screen With Fabric

Note: Screen Panel Measurements

Outside measurements are 19 inches wide by 59 inches long.

Inside measurements (for fabric insert) are 13 inches wide by 50 inches long.

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Tools Required for the Screen

• Electric drill with 5/16″ drill bit
• Hammer
• Small Saw
• Screwdriver
• Wood clamps (optional)

Material for Pine Frame

• 6 pieces of 6 feet x 1-in x 3-in clear pine (2 for each screen panel)
• 6 brad hinges (two for each screen panel)
• 12 5/16″ wooden dowel pins
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper
• Varnish or stain (as desired)
• Small paintbrush (to apply varnish or stain)

Instructions

1. With a pencil, mark off a 13-inch at each end of the 6-foot lengths of lumber.
2. With the saw, at the 13-inch mark, cut each length of pine. There will be six 13-inch pieces – two for each panel.
3. Sand each one of these and then set aside.
4. Sand each of the six 59-inch pieces.
5. Mark and drill a 5/16″ hole 1″ from top and 2″ from the bottom of each 59-inch length.
6. Mark and drill the 6 smaller pieces, centering hole at each end.
7. Fasten pieces for the panels as shown in Figure 1 below, using glue to reinforce the joins. Set aside to dry.
8. When dry, sand and varnish or stain each frame panel. Let dry.
9. Attach two hinges to either side of the center frame 12″ from top and 12″ from bottom and then attach these hinges to side frames to complete the assembly. For easier assembly, clamp the frames together to evenly mark the hinge holes and drive in the screws.
10. Use small curtain tension rods at the bottom and top of each screen section to hold the fabric inserts. See instructions below on how to make the fabric inserts.

How to Make the Fabric Panel Inserts

Material Required

• 9 yards by 45-inch wide fabric
• 6 curtain tension rods (11-inch to 14-inch extension x 7/8-inch)
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Measure and cut three panels of 3 yards long by 15 inches wide each.
2. For each panel: Fold and sew a 1/4-inch seam along both lengths of the edges of the fabric.
3. Press, fold, and sew a second ¼-inch seam again to give both sides a clean finished appearance.
4. Fold material in half lengthwise right sides together and sew bottom edges together to make a “circle” of fabric.
5. Press seam flat and turn right sides out. Press again.
6. Insert these panels using the tension rods.

It takes very little time to assemble this folding room divider. It’s lightweight making it easy to move around and also to store.