DIY Japanese Room Dividers

Building a Shoji screen requires basic tools and material.

A Shoji screen room divider, a common element in Japanese homes and offices, serves decorative and functional purposes. The screen comprises 6-foot-tall wood or bamboo frames or panels connected to one another with hinges that fold across the room. Each panel comprises a sheet of rice paper that allows light to filter through while maintaining privacy with wood strips arranged over it in a decorative pattern. Freestanding or sliding Japanese screens are commonly used to partition large rooms in Western homes and buildings.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Graph paper
• Cedar or redwood lumber
• Miter saw
• 1-inch wood panels
• Sandpaper
• Wood glue
• Clamp (optional)
• Drill and drill bit
• 2-inch screws
• Paintbrushes
• Paint or wood stain
• Rice paper
• Scissors
• Hinges

Instructions

1. Measure the width and height of the particular spot where you want to install the Japanese divider. Design the screen on paper to determine the number of panels it should feature. Include designs on the screen, such as a grid made of wooden strips, or lengths of strips attached along its edges.

2. Measure and cut 1-by-1 1/2-inch boards of cedar, redwood or basswood to the desired width and height for the rectangular frame using a miter saw. Also cut 1-inch wood panels to your desired lengths to form the grid or decorative lattice within the frame. Smooth the edges of the wood boards for the frame and grid with sandpaper.

3. Dry-fit the rectangular frames to ensure the mitered ends form flush corner joints. Spread an even layer of wood glue over the corresponding edges of the boards and hold them together until secure. Alternatively, insert the glued ends in a corner clamp, tighten and wait until it sets. Once dry, bore a pilot hole through each corner and insert a 2-inch screw through each.

4. Lay the rectangular frames on a clean, level ground. Depending on personal preference, prime or paint the frames and strips for the grid in your desired color. Let one side dry overnight before turning the frame and painting its other side.

5. Spread a uniform layer of wood glue over the edges of the frame when the paint or stain has completely dried. Position the edge of a sheet of rice paper over the end of the frame and press it in place. Continue pressing the sheet over the glued edges of the frame until it is completely covered. Work slowly to prevent creases or folds from forming on the rice paper. Cut off excess rice paper with scissors.

6. Apply a thin layer of wood glue to the back of the wood strip for the grid. Refer to the sketch for placing the strip over the desired point on the rice paper. Continue the process of attaching strips for the horizontal components of the grid along the length of the frame, at the desired spacing. Also glue strips along the width of the panel for the vertical components of the grid. Let the glue on this panel dry and repeat the process to form the remaining identical panels.

7. Mark two identical spots along the edges of each panel, one near the top and the other near the bottom, for hinge connections. Join the hinges over the spots between two adjacent panels using screws.

References

• "Shoji: How to Design, Build, and Install Japanese Screens"; Jay van Arsdale; 1988
• eShoji.com: How to Choose Shoji Paper for Shoji Screens
• Room Divider Shoji: About Room Divider Shoji Screens
• Screen Room Divider: How to Build a Shoji Screen room Divider
• Shoji: Shoji Screens & Doors