Roll-Front Cabinet

This kind of sliding door of wooden slats glued to canvas is known as tambour-work, in the same sense that a tambourine is made of stretched material.

The track for the slats may be either carved into the inside surfaces of the cabinet or built up from blocks glued to the surface.

Make sure you allow extra width in the curve of the corners to help the slats make the turn.

Cut the slats about 3/16 inch thick and 3/4 inch wide.

The bevelling on the forward shoulders will help the slats to slide more easily through the corners.

Clamp the slats together, face down and glue on a backing of canvas.

Filler blocks on the ends will cover the gap left for the tambour track.