[uberspeck]

Hello! This is my first post :grin:

I've been interested in trying out woodworking for sometime now. I grew up watching my father craft and carve about everything you could think of and I'm ready to finally give it a go! I've always been good with my hands, patient and very detail oriented so, although I have a lot to learn, I think I'll be able to pick it up. I have no power tools to speak of so I'll rent equipment to start and commit to purchasing only after I've concluded this isn't just Another Bad Idea™ :wink:

For my first project I want to create a small (7.5' H x 6' W) decorative screen for my house. Something to partially block the entry way from our dining room. I've attached a few pictures of styles I'm using for inspiration. I don't need to go too crazy. No fancy joinery or exotic woods etc. I know I'll probably make some bone headed measurements/cuts so I have to be careful material costs don't leave me on the spousal unit's :vs_poop: list. However, I do want it to look good and last so I'm guessing knotty pine is probably a bad choice :wink:

Anyway, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

FWIW, I live in Colorado so it's quite dry. We have a humidifier on our HVAC system that keeps humidity in the ~35% range when the heater is running in the winter, but I can't run it in the summer without freezing up the AC unit so we're at the mercy of the climate. Not sure if that matters?

 

[TomCT2]

to state the obvious.... this project is easiest if you cut all the verticals to exactly the same dimension. neatness counts - mark for cuts with a sharp blade utility knife - a pencil line is wider and iffy.

assembly is an issue - you can't assembly it flat and tilt it up unless there is a higher 'space' immediately adjoining. usually the top is left loose, slid in after the wall is up, then all the verticals carefully attached to the top.

another problem is... are the ceiling and the floor flat and level? the typically are not perfect - and cutting each individual pc to length as you go along is a recipe for a real mess. there are all kinds of alternatives.

the wood proper - if you're relying on getting quality wood from a big box store that will not warp/twist/hook/etc - you're toast. the only way to do that is buy the wood and 50% extra then keep it in the house for 4-6 months to see if it's stable. if you can locate a nearby seller that deals with the furniture industry, that's your best bet. show them what you want to do - they'll need to very carefully select the stock to minimize the risk.

the kind of wood is restricted by types with long straight grain. knotty pine, for example, is not a good choice. stuff like long straight grain mahogany or teak is not cheap, btw....

 

[Steve Neul]

If you like the appearance of mahogany you might use Philippine mahogany. It's otherwise known as Lauan so it's fairly cheap. I think I would prefer quarter sawn white oak. Quarter sawn wood is always more stable anyway.

 

[johnep]

very elegant. We visit a restaurant that has a wall faced with what look like old floor boards. Style is rustic.
johnep

 

[uberspeck]

@TomCT2, thx for the reply! The house is a new build so the floor, ceiling and wall are all pretty square and straight. I just broke out my level to confirm and everything looks really good. The screen will be placed under a lowered beam on the ceiling so it is feasible for me to assemble flat, then slide into position. I'll definitely take your advice and keep the verticals equal length. I figured Home Depot/Lowe's etc would NOT be able to provide the kind of wood I'm looking for. I believe there are some local places that cater to the furniture builders and other craftsman so I'm hopeful I can find a source...and maybe a few brains to pick.
@Steve Neul, thx for the recommendation! I'll definitely look into Lauan.