Instructions for Making a Room Divider Screen

Turn several old doors into a room divider.

Homeowners often have trouble furnishing very large rooms or defining separations between rooms that flow into each other, like a kitchen and family room combination. Parents may also want to divide a room shared by siblings, especially when those siblings get old enough to need their own space. A simple, inexpensive solution to all of these problems involves making room dividers. This can be as simple as pushing bookshelves between beds, but hinged screens are more customizable and very easy to make.

Things You'll Need

• 3 doors 12 wooden blocks, 4 inches high Pencil Measuring tape 6 two-way hinges Electric drill

Instructions

1. Lay your doors side-by-side in an area with lots of space. Slide one 4-inch-high wooden block under each corner of each door so the doors lay flat despite the doorknobs. Arrange them in the order you want them to be in the finished screen.

2. Measure the sides of your doors and divide the number by 3. Divide the right side of the left door, both sides of the center door and the left side of the right door into thirds with pencil marks. For instance, if your doors are 6 feet high, make a mark every 2 feet.

3. Place your first hinge right above the center marks on your left and center doors. The left side of the hinge should lie on the left door while the right side lies on the center door. Screw the hinge into place. Repeat with the other five hinges, lining them up just above your pencil marks.

4. Stand your new screen up and bend the doors at the hinges to keep it standing.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint, refinish or distress doors to match them to your décor. For children’s rooms, screw bins to both sides of the doors for storage. Teens and adults may enjoy floating shelves on their doors. Embellish windows in your doors. You can cover them with curtains, paint them with window paint or create faux stained glass with an easy-to-use kit.

References

• BHG: How to Make a Room Divider
• HGTV: Build a Room Divider Using Antique Doors