Okay, sorry guess I had a hormone flare. RE-reading the posts with those recent comments in mind, I'll "mea culpa" on my first interpretation.

Getting back to your issue at hand Angela

If a ceiling mounted "track" would work for you, 2 cheap solutions, both easy, and both require little "maintenance set up" (as screens would - and cheaper than screens). IF noise is not an issue, and you just want privacy and room area darkening while occasionally "in use" as a guest bedroom, and a minimum of sight and/or space disruption when not in use are:

1) using ceiling mounted verticle blinds. Now this can be pricey IF your ceilings are greater than standard "door height", and if you want a distance greater than six to six and a half feet wide covered from ONE direction (but if height is an issue you can order longer slats, and either a special order longer track OR use multiple tracks). You could start as cheap as three bucks a linear foot if you have "low" ceilings for this area and regular 4" slats of white or alabaster or hunter green is your color of choice and straight PVC is okay(maybe a sofit/obstruction "demarks" the zone you want to close off) and goes to the "sky's the limit" with regards to materials/colors/fabrics etc. to match your decor.

2) the folding doors option like I suggested an example at LTLHOMEPRODUCTS (.com) which if the height and width limitations of a standard sliding glass window work, can be done for six bucks a linear foot going to 8' tall and 8'wide sections up to 16' linear un-obstructed could start at nine bucks a linear foot and upwards depending on finish color. There are also other producers of such products.

I think as you wish the entire area opened up most of the time as a "great room area" you do NOT want any kind of floor track system as a trip hazard, nor do you want to see anything "massive" interupting the continuity of the room when not closing off this area. Have you looked at those doors I recommended yet? What do you like/NOT LIKE about that idea? I'd be happy to throw some other ideas your way if only I knew your thoughts about my "first pitch".

F.Y.I. I found louvered panels a REAL PAIN to sand/paint/seal and later clean I don't recommend them for THAT reason! I'm also over-fond of things I can wash with lots of water and regular vinegar or household detergents, AND things that I can dust/vacuum freely, efficiently, and with out any special gizmos, but that's "me", I'm kinda a nut about cleaning things and am super anti-mold/mildew because I'm highly allergic to both, hence the non-mold food references previously.

Mea Culpa, and sorry for the sting. I've since had plenty of rest, a healthy dose of theraputic chocolate, and a few days for my system to adjust and brain to think clearly.

Thanks, no prob MistressEll! :) We all have "off" days!

In addition to other ideas provided (screening of different "flavors"), I have been thinking about this problem....

How about something hung from the ceiling like a shower curtain (but with (hopefully!) better fabric?

OK, I know, I keep getting "simpler and simpler"... Must be my old age...

Regards,
-k2 in CO

Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous

Well on the curtain idea, I'd go with a cafe style system, use EMT pipe for stability and for quick ez install I'd use those rubber coated bike hooks, then you tilt/turn the opposing shorter hook sides in towards the center to hold tight. I'd use larger metal gromets with doubled over fabric with reinforcing web between the layers (iron-on or sew or hot glue gun) and I'd "thread" a curtain chain (plastic coated rust resistant) or cheat and get long lengths of "pull chain" for those pull chain lamps you can get up to 12 foot lengths) to thread in the hem and tack it with a few whip stitches (to weigh it down so the curtain doesn't waft/sail/billow in the slightest breeze when drawn). If you de-oil the emt pipe well, prime then paint with a rustolem type paint (I prefer spray paint applications myself I can't paint with a brush worth a darn, esp. glossy finishes) it works pretty well. I usually use 1-1/4" emt for long closet poles and in laundry areas (for clothes hanging) in basements and garages suspended via those bike hooks I mentioned, as a simple 1/8th twist of the hooks losens tension to remove for access/future cleaning, and to avoid the common woes from some nut using a water pipe or electrical wiring as a hanging location for clothing! Sometimes a creative use of a similarly sized pvc cap finishes it off well with a touch of epoxy adhesive or urethane caulk to bond it on, so no source for creepy crawlies (spiders and the like) to nest in the pipe while its hanging. Here 1-1/4 EMT indoor non-threaded goes for about $2 a linear foot in 10-foot max lengths, 2 of those bicycle hooks for 6-7 feet, but you need a central one for 10 feet at about $1.75 each, cafe style wood rings are more expensive, but those circle type shower curtain rings can be found for a dollar a dozen at a dollar store in a multitude of colors, and those heavy duty gromets and a hand tool to install them about $5 for about a ga-zillion of them at a fabric/sewing store, then of course the fabric choice is unlimited in cost, plus drapery weighted chain, or the cheaper alternative of the pull chain at about $3-4 for 12 feet length. Although perhaps if only looking for five foot of privacy one might stock up on shower curtains themselves, I'd think they'd lack in both privacy and light blocking potential for a 'sleeping room/area for occasional overnight guests'. You could go with 1" EMT for less than 10 feet, but for 10 feet or longer I'd really not go with anything less than 1-1/4 EMT. However 1-1/4 EMT is the perfect for the combination use as a hanging location for strength of items on hangers as it has the strength to support hundreds of pounds of hanging strength without bending. Of course there's always finished brass rail also but that's more expensive and not as strong. (prefer to paint myself with rustoleum and use the EMT if a color other than brass is desired).

Okay this is a little "off the wall" (PUN intended!) but I just had another crazy idea.

Get some by-pass door track multiple (more than 2 channels) and a bunch of hollow core bi-pass doors depending on the area you needed to "wall off" you might end up with a railroad effect of a foot thick of track though if you wanted all the panels to retract to one position when open. Now if higher ceilings, maybe you could get creative with some 1x2 framing with foam pannels, make your own panels and then cover with like paneling? or that masonite board that looks like wall paper, use the pvc 90-degree plastic outside corner trim mitered inside cuts? It would help if I knew the height and linear distance you wanted this movable panel wall to cover/open up to. I was thinking this might work as pocket door systems require more than the width covered additional for the pocket/storage.

Kind of crazy thinking I'm guessing I'll be embarassed by THIS idea when I'm not so tired, for some reason I'm thinking I should have done this in my basement now LOL!!!!! I'm sure the morning sunrise and a pot of coffee after sleeping and this will no longer seem the 'eureka' moment it does now. Ah well, I need more information for the intended area before I can come up with a reasonable idea, yeah, that's the ticket, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Well once again my mind, too, has been pondering the temporary wall question.

I got to thinking about those moveable walls they use in hotel ballrooms. You know, where they roll out to divide a giant ballroom into two or three smaller ones to fit meeting sizes?

These are 'accordion style' and, from what I've seen, are quite compact when "open" and unobtrusive when "closed."

No idea where you'd find these, but they gotta be out there!

I bet you didn't know you were posing such a challenge, Angela! :)

Regards,
-k2 in CO

Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous

That's what those doors accordian or folding doors that I suggested in my first post and mentioned again ARE LOL designed for home use at up to 8' in height (the second express one line) and smaller applications/shorter height and distance in the stocked line (spectrum) are! PLEASE take a peak at the site I referenced. These are the modern version of the metal spring framed fire-resistant canvas covered jobs that you're referring to (and previously they were asbestos filled as well! yuck) as its her private home, and this area is closed off only occasionaly I didn't think the sound was as much of an issue, and since not a more permanent wall, the fire-retardancy and the like aren't an issue, and since we're not AIR/NOISE restricting fire-retardancy isn't an issue. I'd imagine any more substantial rating would require additional escape hatches from the zone, and didn't wish to envoke that hole host of code issues inthe scenerio as she had specifically noted this isn't really a BEDROOM area just an ocassional use, and to invoke a BEDROOM situation brings a host of additional issues code-wise (i.e. 2 fire exits, fire retardancy/fire blocks/draft blocks, etc.) please peruse that site i mentioned you'll see what I'm talking about. it was LTLHOMEPRODUCTS.COM click on express line and the q's & A's.

OK, I'm always a bit behind the curve. :) Hopefully she'll have enough info by now to figure it out.

I think we're wearing Pekoecat out with all this discussion. I think if it were me, I'd probably just give up and build something myself using 2x4s and paneling, LOL!

Regards,
-k2 in CO

Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous

what you wrote has my interest but i don't understand. what did you use for the actual wall? where can i buy the materials and what materials i'm i buying? help!!!!

OK I like your idea but very new to this site. How do I watch the video or whatever to see what you are talking about...

Help ???