Building a Wall Divider

Uses

• You can build a wall divider to accomplish a number of different goals. In some cases wall dividers are purely decorative, forming visual divisions between rooms or between parts of the same room. Other dividers have a more practical function, offering privacy within a bedroom or blocking guests' views of the kitchen or bathroom. Wall dividers can also section off the space within a shared bedroom or dormitory. Finally, wall dividers can block off sections of rooms you don't want to see due to disorder or damage.

Preparation

• Before you begin to build a wall divider you need to make several key decisions. Besides choosing where to place the divider you'll need to take measurements to ensure that the divider you make is large enough to serve the purpose but small enough to allow people to move around it. In a room with ceiling fixtures such as fans and lights, the height of a divider is as important as its length. Leaving space above the divider will also allow light and air to cross from one part of the room to another.

Materials

• Wall dividers make use of many materials, from wood and metal to glass, fabric, paper and synthetic materials such as plastic and foam. Select materials that complement the room. A divider based on prefabricated bi-fold wooden doors will look best in a room with traditional decor, while a white foam divider will appear more at home in a modern office or bedroom. Your wall dividers can incorporate fabric swatches to add color or feature fiberboard walls that double as bulletin boards for tacking notes.

Construction

• Wall dividers should be light enough to move but also sturdy enough to stand freely. Much of the work involves selecting a material and cutting individual panels to size. Metal hinges can support the weight of large panels, allowing the wall divider to adjust to the shape of the room. A wall divider's base is an essential part of its construction. The bottom of each section may include felt pads to protect flooring, casters for increased mobility or a wide footprint for enhanced stability.