# Making Tambour Doors



## arasent (Dec 4, 2007)

I am making kitchen counter appliance "garages", but have never made a tambour door. Any clues/tips/resources to give advice for small doors?


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## Kdaney (Dec 4, 2007)

*East Way*

Not sure how nice you want to make them, but I use screen molding from the hardware store and glued them down to a thick cloth material.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

I've seen some with a heavy Canvas type backing........ to me (unless it's a special Speice of wood) I'd look into Buying the tambor doors already made.........


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## Denny J (Nov 16, 2007)

The easiest is to order a kit that has the Tambour,track etc all in one that you just cut to size.

I have made my own tambour for some Teak cabinets that I built some time ago. I used heavy duck canvas from the fabric store. There are s few adhesives to use. One is to use wood glue and weight it down until the glue sets. The other is to use a spray contact adhesive and press it in place.


That being said, we have not done a tambour appliance garage for about 6 or 7 years. We now just use a hinged door and IMHO this looks better and works better than the tambour ever did.Our customer satisfaction has also been much higher since then.


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## nywoodwizard (Oct 31, 2006)

Its simple .Find a fabric shop and purchase some canvas and just contact cement it together. I think it can be other fabrics but they can't be stretchable fabrics There is also a Tambour cloth tape available thats even simpler. Routering the tracks are pretty easy to, just need to make a template use a plunge router and collar.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You can buy a tambour kit but you may be limited to specific species of wood. You can make your own tambour either in half round, or flat with beveled sides. It's time consuming, but if you only have one or two doors, may be worthwhile. The backs of the strips of wood can be glued to heavy woven fabric. What works well to keep it together while in its movement path is to glue on the back a strips of thin Formica, maybe 3/4" to 1" wide, like one at each edge and one in the middle. This will allow it to move in the tracks without bunching up. You can rout your track in the side panels before you assemble the carcass.

This is one shot of a kitchen where all the doors and panels were done in Red Oak tambour. This picture is at the desk with a roll up front.
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## bwhall (Feb 26, 2008)

you might want to check out amana tambour door router bit set i completed a rolltop desk last year with these bits it took me 2hrs to completely mill the tambour door


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## bwhall (Feb 26, 2008)

just noticed only part of post made it on screen. re. amana tambour bit set routes a ball and socket making solid wood door no need for canvas wires or glue very neet and easy


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## rmgolf (Feb 12, 2010)

*Make your own tambor*

Making your own tambour is actually quite simple.
Cut some 3/4" thick boards to the desired length.
Router both corners of one or both edges with 1/4" round over bit and finish sand. Then rip the edge of the board to to desired thickness of you tambour; I make mine 3/8" thick. For the bottom piece cut a 1 1/2" wide by 3/4" thick piece and cut the edges to fit in the groove; I cut mine 3/8" thick and 3/4" wide like the other pieces. After you have all your pieces made just glue them to a piece of canvas or denim material with contact adhesive. Don't cover the ends that will fit in the groove with material, it slides better wood on wood. Wax the goove with paste or furnature wax and it will slide easy.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

i bought hardwood dowels and ripped them in half. then cut a bevel on one edge to give an overlap. then glued and stapled to a piece of denim. about 25 years ago, still works perfectly.


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