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| by:
Rick Campbell
photos: Christopher Campbell
illustration: Len Churchill |
OUT OF SIGHT |
| Build
this easy, elegant outdoor screen—because you don't always
want to see and be seen |
Indoor decorative screens are a flexible and creative design
solution. They can divide a room, add privacy, or simply obstruct
an unpleasant view. You can enjoy the same benefits in your
backyard with this easy-to-build outdoor screen. Although the
styling echoes delicate Japanese rice paper screens, sturdy
construction will hold up outdoors on the patio or in the garden.
Be Selective
Sort through your supplier’s cedar construction lumber to find
straight boards free of loose knots, cracks and wavy grain.
This is especially important for long parts like the stiles.
For the best value from my supplier, I ripped the pieces from
2 x 6 stock.
Translucent acrylic panels—actually
fluorescent light diffusers I found at Home Depot—are an inexpensive,
durable substitute for rice paper.
Assemble the project with exterior
wood glue and stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized screws.
Predrill and countersink all screw holes.
Make it Simple
 |
| Everything
hinges on using the right screen hardware |
|
Square up
your stock by ripping 1/8" from the edges of each board to remove
any roundover. Cut the stiles, rungs, and bridge members. Sand
the parts now, before assembly.
Attach the bridging to the inside
stiles and top and bottom inside rungs. Next, attach these to
the inside rungs and the outside stiles for each frame. Before
joining the frame bottoms to the outside stiles, cut notches
for the feet. The middle frame needs no notch because it has
no foot.
The curved top is your biggest
challenge. Begin with a cardboard template of the top. Transfer
the pattern to your wood, cut the profile and sand the edges.
With a sanding block, round the top end of each top vertical
bridge member so it mates with the top. Trim the frame stiles
after assembly to match the curved top.
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| Click
above for a larger image |
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Rout a 5/16"-wide rabbet for the inserts and square the corners
with a chisel. Cut the acrylic inserts to size (keep the protective
paper on for now) and secure the inserts in the frame with trim
strips, glue and brads. Prepare the feet and attach hardwood
pads to the bottom with glue and brads.
Only one more step—screen hinges.
Ours (two pairs for three panels) came from Lee Valley (#00H53.02).
Clamp the panels one on top of another, spaced with cereal box
cardboard. The cardboard creates a gap for free hinge action.
Centre the hinges over this gap and screw them down.
| You Will Need |
| PART |
SIZE |
QTY |
| Frame
top |
1
1/2" x 4 1/2" x 20 1/4" |
1 |
| Frame
stile |
1
1/2" x 2" x 71" (a) |
2 |
| Frame
bottom |
1
1/2" x 5" x 20 1/4" |
1 |
| Inside
rungs |
1
1/2" x 1 1/2" x 11 1/4" |
5 |
| Inside
stiles |
1
1/2" x 1 1/2" x 52 1/2" |
2 |
| Horizontal
bridging |
1
1/2" x 1 1/2" x 3" |
8 |
| Top
vertical bridge |
1
1/2" x 1 1/2" x 8" |
1 |
| Bottom
vertical bridge |
1
1/2" x 1 1/2" x 4" |
1 |
| Foot |
1
1/2" x 4 3/4" x 24" |
1 |
| Horizontal
trim strips |
1/2"
x 5/16" x 11 7/8" (a) |
8 |
| Vertical
trim strips |
1/2"
x 5/16" x 11 1/4" (a) |
8 |
| Foot
pads (hardwood) |
1/4"
x 1 1/2" x 4" |
2 |
| Translucent
panels (b) |
11
3/4" x 11 3/4" x 1/16" |
4 |
| a
- trim to fit; b
- cut from four stock 23 3/4" square panels |
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