Create a Carved Tambour Door

A tambour door adds an element of timeless distinction to your woodworking project. If you make it yourself, it will also give you bragging rights because most woodworkers seem to shy away from this project that seems intimidating to first-timers. They won’t need to know that it is actually quite a bit easier than it might seem if you follow the instructions that George shares here.

A few important aspects to making a tambour door include:

Stock prep is crucial. You will want to plan out the size of your tambour door carefully and be sure that you use precise machine setup to achieve accurate size and consistency of your pieces.

Keep it square during glue-up. Use a jig like the one that George uses in this video to ensure that your door is square and fits the opening perfectly.

Backing material is important. Be sure you use backing material that is well suited for your tambour door, offering flexibility and durability to hold up for many years of use.

Roll the back. Using a roller as you attach the fabric to the tambours to be sure that it lays down securely, eliminating any wrinkles or puckers that could occur if you’re not careful.

No glue between tambours. If glue cures between the tambours, you will have made a solid panel rather than a tambour door. Not a good situation. To avoid that, after you attach the canvas, flex the door before the glue fully cures to break any bonds in case some glue snuck in between the tambours.

After the glue fully cures, trim the access backing using a sharp utility blade, and form the sizes to fit into the track if your project.

For a nice final appearance, decorate the door using your own expression using the approach that George demonstrates, using power carving tools from Arbortech.