What's inside
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A tambour credenza hides its contents behind flexible doors made from narrow wooden slats joined to a fabric backing. The doors slide into curved tracks at the cabinet ends, so they roll out of sight without needing room to swing open. This build uses a plywood cabinet, solid-wood tambour slats, and shop-made tracks. It suits an intermediate woodworker: the case is straightforward, but the tracks and slat spacing reward careful setup.
Contents
Set the size and layout
The plan below makes a credenza about 60 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 30 inches high, including a 1-inch top. Adjust the width to suit your space, but keep the depth generous enough for the curved doors to travel behind the cabinet opening. Each tambour needs a storage pocket at least as deep as the door’s height; for a 20-inch-high opening, allow roughly 21 inches of track travel, including the curve.
Use a cabinet opening around 56 inches wide by 20 inches high, divided by a center partition into two bays. Two doors are easier to handle and less prone to sag than one extra-wide door. Leave at least 1/8 inch of clearance at each door edge and 1/16 inch above and below. Confirm these dimensions against your actual track layout before cutting the doors.
Materials and tools
Use 3/4-inch cabinet-grade plywood for the sides, bottom, dividers, and fixed back. A 1/2-inch plywood back is stiff and useful for squaring the case; a cheaper 1/4-inch back works if it fits a groove and you add a solid hanging or stretcher rail. Choose straight, stable hardwood for the top and tambour slats. Cherry, maple, and poplar all work; poplar is a sensible paint-grade choice.
For the slats, start with stock about 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/4 inches wide. A drum sander can help bring a batch of slats to even thickness, but a planer or careful hand-sanding setup is adequate if the pieces are consistent. You’ll also need flexible canvas or tambour fabric, wood glue, screws, and a router or table saw for the tracks.
Build a square cabinet case
Cut the sides to 29 inches, the bottom and fixed back rail to fit between them, and the center partition to match the inside height. Assemble with glue and screws or pocket screws, keeping the front edges flush. Fit the center partition so it divides the opening evenly, then add a fixed shelf or lower stretcher if the case needs more stiffness. Check diagonals: if they differ by more than 1/8 inch, clamp the case square before the glue sets.
Install the back in a rabbet or groove rather than simply nailing a thin sheet to the rear. A 1/2-inch back is a good choice for a freestanding piece; 1/4-inch plywood is fine when the cabinet is well braced and the back is captured on all four sides. Add a 3/4-inch front rail above the opening to resist racking and give the top a solid attachment point.
Make and test the curved tracks
Each door needs a matching pair of tracks, one at the top and one at the bottom of its bay. Cut grooves about 3/8 inch wide and 3/8 inch deep into the cabinet’s side and center partition, or make separate track strips and attach them to those surfaces. The door should run with roughly 1/16 inch of side-to-side play, not bind tightly in the groove.
Make the curved section from a full-size template. A bend with a radius of about 4 to 5 inches is a practical starting point for 1/4-inch slats, but the right radius depends on slat thickness and joint spacing. Cut both tracks from the same template, then test them with a short scrap tambour before fitting the cabinet. Tight curves can split slats or make the door jam; loose, mismatched curves let it wander. Sand the track interiors smooth and seal them lightly, avoiding a thick finish that narrows the channel.
Assemble the tambour doors
Mill enough slats to cover the opening height, adding two extra for trimming. Keep their thickness and width consistent; even a 1/32-inch variation can create a lumpy door. Lay the slats face down on a flat surface with about 1/16 inch between them. Glue flexible canvas to the backs, keeping glue off the gaps so the joints can bend. Roll the assembled door gently after the glue cures and check for stiff spots.
Trim each door to its track width, allowing the clearance you established with the test pieces. Attach a hardwood pull rail to the leading edge and a stop block at the back of each track to prevent the door from disappearing inside the cabinet. If the fabric peels at the edges, the glue may be incompatible or the slats may have dust or finish on their backs; test the adhesive on offcuts before assembling the full door.
Choose the door method
| Method | Cost and effort | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas-backed slats | Low material cost; careful spacing required | Custom doors and one-off builds |
| Preassembled tambour mat | Higher cost; less setup time | Projects where predictable flexibility matters |
| Solid sliding doors | Simple to build; need clear space at the sides | Cabinets without room for tambour pockets |
A tambour door fabric roll saves time if you can find a suitable width and adhesive backing, but check the slat spacing and bend radius before buying. For a single credenza, homemade canvas-backed doors are often cheaper and easier to tailor. If you want to compare track hardware, search for tambour door track hardware; verify that the profile matches your door thickness rather than relying on product photos.
Fit, finish, and adjust
Dry-fit both doors and move them through their full travel before applying finish. They should slide with steady hand pressure and stay in their tracks when pulled from one side. If a door binds at the curve, check for uneven slats, squeezed track width, or a curve that is too tight. If it rattles, add a thin, removable shim behind the track strip rather than gluing the door into a narrower channel.
Ease exposed edges with 1/8-inch roundovers, then sand through 180 grit. Finish the case and top before installing the doors; keep finish out of the tracks. Oil or wipe-on varnish is easy to repair, while a sprayed film finish is more durable but requires masking the channels carefully. Let the finish cure fully, install the doors, and add stops so the pulls remain accessible. Test the credenza loaded with typical dishes or books: a top that sags more than about 1/8 inch across the span needs a thicker panel, a front stiffener, or a support beneath the center.