Remodeling House Ideas: A Japanese Translucent Sliding Doors 01

Remodeling House Ideas : A Japanese Translucent Sliding Doors 01

While tatami will provide a refreshing, sensuous carpeting, shoji sliding doors will transform instantly and beautifully the mood of a home.

Shoji were originally introduced to Japan from China. In China, however, houses were constructed with heavy walls, and shoji were used simply to partition off areas within the interior itself. The basic structural element of Japanese houses, in contrast, are pillars, and shoji had to be employed not only for interior partitioning but also for marking the boundary between interior and exterior. The characteristic paper shoji thus came into existence in response to the need for a partition that admits light, but not drafts.

Construction

Besides their striking beauty, shoji are very light. They are made of a simple skeleton of thin wooden strips arranged in various rectangular patterns and framed by somewhat wider strips, over which paper is usually pasted. The wooden strips are notched into each other from alternate sides to give strength to the frame. The lower portion of the shoji is often a wood panel.

Well-dried, soft, white wood is best for the frame. (Hard wood is more difficult to work with.) The top and bottom of the frame must be prepared with protruding ridges, as shown, in order for the shoji to slide in its runners. The bottom runner need be only 1/8 inch deep, but the top runner should be about 5/8 inch to allow the shoji to be conveniently inserted and removed. To insert the shoji, first incline it a little, and then gently push the upper frame into its runner. The lower frame can then be dropped into place. Wax may be applied to reduce friction. Japanese shoji paper is traditionally used for the screen itself, though other materials are also acceptable. Because relatively long fibers are used, the texture of Japanese paper is somewhat coarse. This has the effect of diffusing the light that passes through it, creating a generally soft atmosphere. As light conditions change through the course of the day, so, too, does the quality of light created by shoji, and the gentle patterns produced are a joy to watch.

PARTITIONING FUNCTION OF SHOJI