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DIY screen – how to make decorative cardboard, fabric, plywood step by step with a photo

This WordPress post details an easy and straightforward way to make decorative screens out of cardboard, fabric, or plywood step by step with accompanying photos for reference. This DIY project is not only cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing, but also an opportunity for creative expression and a means of transforming any living space with minimal effort. Furthermore, this project can be completed with items readily available from home, making it incredibly convenient. With detailed instructions, this post serves as a helpful and comprehensive tutorial for anyone interested in creating their own decorative screens.

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Decorative partitions are designed to decorate the interior and delimit space. They have been known since ancient times. Compact, mobile and aesthetic screens were used hundreds and thousands of years ago in Egypt, the Roman Empire, Greece and China. Rich people decorated such partitions with a variety of fabrics, precious stones and metals, inlays. With a screen, you can make the space cozy, or turn the design into a real art object, adding decorativeness and theatricality. Do it yourself element of interior and zoning.

Types of screens

A modern screen can be of several types, depending on the structure, purpose and materials used. When choosing a design option, it is necessary to take into account the stylistic orientation and the place in which the product will be located. The main varieties for functional purpose:

  • Casement (sliding). Until recently, were the only screen options. The product has a rigid frame on which fabric, paper or other material is stretched, and includes several frames connected to each other – 3–8 or more. If necessary, they are folded with an accordion and removed. Initially, the frame was made of wood, but later it was replaced by lighter aluminum.
  • Single screen. They include only one wide leaf – it can be a frame made of any material with fabric or paper stretched over it, or a sheet of plastic, plywood, chipboard or glass fixed to a stand. This option is recommended to be equipped with wheels..
  • Screen-book. Consists of a pair of flaps of the same or different widths. When it’s time to rearrange it, the product easily folds into a book. This type of product can be used for holiday photo shoots or just for changing clothes.
  • Flexible. For their manufacture, long thin sections (pipes, plates, rails) are used, which are interconnected. The design is a single wall. The peculiarity of flexible products is that they can be put in a spiral, wave or even twisted into a roll and put aside.
  • Deaf They consist of a different number of leaves, but their feature is its complete opacity. A solid board (a screen made of plywood, chipboard, etc.), a dense fabric stretched over a frame or cardboard inserted into a frame can be used for manufacturing..
  • Transparent. Often they are transparent material stretched over the frame, for example, tulle, organza or even starched gauze. Metal versions made using the air forging technique or wooden models with through openwork carvings are no less in demand.

Materials

Having decided to make a screen with your own hands, initially decide on the suitable material. Traditionally, a product of this type was made of wood – battens or solid boards. Today, creativity and originality are appreciated, so a variety of materials are used to make the partition. Common Options:

  • Wood. A simple smooth board or material with a pattern carved on it will go, or a design of battens or beams. Differs in simplicity in processing, ease and low cost of plywood. You can build a partition even from old doors, having previously restored their panels and giving them a fresh look.
  • Plastic. Pipes made of this material are widely used, which are suitable for creating frames or frames. They are cheaper than metal and weigh less. The product from plastic pipes is easy to assemble and disassemble. Caring for them is simple: you just need to periodically brush off the dust from their surface. An alternative is plastic panels, of which it is very simple to make a partition. You can pick up several panels with the same pattern and connect them to each other. The finished partition is well suited for a bathroom, pool or garden shower.
  • Metal. Often used metal frames of a given shape, which can be ordered from the master. Panels of plastic, glass, wood are inserted into them, or fabric is stretched. Iron sheets look bulky and do not make the room cozy, but the ornament forged from the rods will give the partition a spectacular look. Often, metal pipes with a diameter of not more than 5 cm are used to create the frame. A screen of this type will decorate a garden or yard.
  • Cardboard. Cheap and affordable material from which you can make a creative, original screen from your own hands. Working with him is very simple, because you only need to cut out the parts in accordance with the scheme and fasten them into one canvas. For the street, finished partitions will not work, because they will quickly deteriorate due to weather factors.
  • Branches. This includes reeds, willow twigs, and bamboo. Screens from them are mobile, light and visually simple. They are perfectly combined with various styles in the interior: tropical, classic, empire, eco style. Their manufacture requires performer skills of weaving from the rod. The finished product will look great in the garden and will not deteriorate from the wind, rain and sun, if the material is processed correctly.
  • CDs and vinyl records. These parts are interconnected by brackets or threads. The result is an original openwork canvas that can be tweeted anywhere in the room in the form of a wave, a semicircle or in a straight line.

Screen printed fabric

DIY fabric screen with a wooden frame

The classic version is a screen made of fabric, which is stretched over a wooden frame. The product is made in the form of a dressing table, book or accordion. The number of frames affects the final shape. Prepare the following tools and materials:

  • drill, screwdriver;
  • construction stepper;
  • hacksaw, sandpaper;
  • door hinges (12), screws (96);
  • the cloth;
  • wooden bars (24);
  • varnish, paint, universal glue;
  • decorative elements (beads, ribbons, etc.).

It is recommended to take the bars 2 cm thick and 6 cm wide. In this case, one half should have a length of 170 cm and the other 60 cm. Steps:

  1. Measure from the edge of each bar 6 cm, draw a line. Then make cuts on the markings to half the width of the strips.
  2. Make cuts from each edge of the plank by removing the layer of wood to the file – put a chisel on the beam and hit it with a hammer. Apply universal glue to the inner surface and assemble the planks in the frame, then press them firmly.
  3. After the glue has dried, sand the surfaces with sandpaper, varnish the wood. Secure door hinges to the frame with a screwdriver.
  4. The finished base for the screen should be decorated with a fabric of any texture and color. Make a pattern for the size of the frame, taking into account the hem. Use a construction stapler to attach fabric to the base. The tension should be good. Fasten in the following order: top, bottom and sides.
  5. Next, assemble the screen on the door hinges. The latter will need 2 to 1 connection to fold the product in the future was convenient.

Wood frame

DIY screen for a room made of cardboard

One of the interesting options is a cardboard screen. To make it yourself, order cardboard pipes designed for winding fabrics or linoleum. In a specialty store they generally consider waste. The finished partition will turn wavy. Tool kit and materials:

  • cardboard pipes (16–20);
  • strong decorative rope (1 skein);
  • drill;
  • scissors, tape measure, pencil;
  • paint suitable for the interior color (optional).

If you decide to use pipes for linoleum, then 8-10 pieces are quite enough. Their length is more than 3 m, so cut each in half:

  1. Cut all pipes to the required height and lay them in a row.
  2. Measure from the bottom edge of 20 cm and make a mark on each element (point A).
  3. Measure up a segment 1 m long and make a new mark (point B).
  4. Next, in the center of each pipe, mark point C. Drill holes in the designated places.
  5. Pass the decorative rope: first at points A, then B and C. After that, slide the pipes and tie strong rope knots on the sides of the screen. The result will be a screen similar to a reed or bamboo partition.

From cardboard

Do-it-yourself decorative screen made of plastic pipes

Making a mobile screen with your own hands is possible using plastic pipes. A finished partition will help to zon the rooms or take shelter on a hot day from sunlight. Prepare:

  • screwdriver;
  • self-tapping screws, washers;
  • paints, brush;
  • furniture wheels (4);
  • the board to be the base;
  • a pair of flanges;
  • plastic pipes (3);
  • metal pipe for weighting the base.

If necessary, plastic pipes can be replaced with similar metal products in width and length. Sequencing:

  1. Mark up the board. Designate places where wheels will be fastened.
  2. Fasten the wheels to the board using self-tapping screws.
  3. Fix the weighting compound (metal pipe) on the underside of the base. Screw it with a screw and with the help of holders.
  4. On the upper side of the base, it is necessary to fix the flanges into which the pipes must be inserted.
  5. On top of one horizontal pipe, connect the two vertical pipes by inserting their ends into the connecting elbows..
  6. After finishing work, paint the entire structure.
  7. Show your imagination, for example, hang a dense fabric on the frame. The old curtain is quite suitable, the main thing is that its size should correspond to the width of the frame, and the picture with the flower fit the main notes of the interior.

Frame made of plastic pipes

Wooden dressing screen

Case, if you want to create a screen with your own hands for changing clothes, make from wide and thin boards of any kind of wood. This design can even muffle sounds. It’s easier to use MDF panels. The list of necessary tools and materials consists of:

  • screwdriver, construction gun, scissors;
  • primer or sealant;
  • decorative building nails;
  • hinges for doors, upholstery tape;
  • acrylic paint;
  • 3 thin boards 45×180 cm;
  • 3 cuts of synthetic winterizer 50×200 cm;
  • 3 thick fabric cuts – 50×200 cm.

First prepare the boards, cover one surface with a primer (it will be the back). As soon as the primer dries, cover this side with acrylic paint. The following actions:

  1. Cut a strip a little wider than the panel from the padding polyester. Put on a board and fix with a construction gun. Cut excess material on the sides.
  2. A piece of fabric should be the same size as a synthetic winterizer. Attach it to the panel, pull, break the edges and fasten over the synthetic winter layer.
  3. Use glue to fix the upholstery tape around the edges. Fix it with nails. Repeat for all panels..
  4. Connect the structure by placing the two panels face down. Attach furniture hinges at a distance of 10 cm from the upper and lower edges, attach them. At the end, fix the third panel in the same way..

For the room

DIY kindergarten screen

You can make a screen with your own hands, which will become an ideal decoration of a kindergarten, from ordinary pipes made of polypropylene. In addition to them, it would be nice to prepare a special apparatus used for welding such pipes. If desired, you can paint all the elements in any color. Stages:

  1. Cut the PVC pipes to the desired length. Then fasten the section frames with corner joints.
  2. Sew covers from any fabric. Its area should be equal to the size of the frame section. Sew the edges.
  3. For fastenings, use Velcro tapes or loops. They will need to be sewn or attached on the upper side of the cover.
  4. The final stage will be decoration with some floral motifs. Stick colorful applications on a cover stretched over each section or sew small pockets.

For children's games

For a wedding photo shoot

A do-it-yourself screen of this type is made a little more complicated than others because You need to show your skills in painting. Prepare:

  • mosquito net, wooden blocks;
  • long (5.7 cm) and short (1.27 cm) screws;
  • corner brackets, hinges;
  • stapler, drill;
  • scissors, brush;
  • acrylic white paint;
  • white paint for wooden surfaces;
  • sparkles;
  • water-based protective coating.

Cut the bars, assemble into a frame and connect with angle brackets, screws. Having decided to paint the frame in white, do it immediately after assembly. Ram need to do three. Further:

  1. Fasten the mosquito net using a construction stapler.
  2. Spread a water-based coating over the grid. Wait for it to dry..
  3. Apply the pattern with light strokes using acrylic paint. To create a shadow, you need a little black or gray paint..
  4. To give brightness to the festive partition, coat some areas with PVA glue and sprinkle with sparkles. At the end, connect all three frames with door hinges.

Man draws

Japanese style

An interesting option is a Japanese-style product. To make it yourself, prepare:

  • bars 2×5 cm;
  • furniture hinges;
  • fabric of any color, texture;
  • thin cord (decorative) or rope;
  • hammer, chisel;
  • screwdriver or screwdriver;
  • glue, clamps;
  • brush, paint (varnish);
  • furniture corner, self-tapping screws;
  • measuring tool;
  • sand paper.

To begin, mark the bars, laying off a distance of 5 cm from the edge and drawing a line across. Further actions:

  1. Make a cut on 1/2 of the thickness of the bar, remove part of the wood with a chisel and a hammer to the depth of the cut made. Work the slats on both sides..
  2. Connect long and short parts perpendicular to each other, remembering to first apply wood glue to the inside of the recesses.
  3. Clamp the joints with clamps, wait for the glue to dry and tighten the furniture corners to the joints. At the end, attach fabric to the frame using a decorative cord – for this, make fabric inserts around the perimeter.

Japanese style

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Comments: 1
  1. Nova Morgan

    Can anyone provide a detailed step-by-step guide, along with accompanying photos, on how to create a DIY decorative screen using cardboard, fabric, and plywood? I would really appreciate the instructions and visuals to help me understand the process better. Thank you in advance!

    Reply
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