Making a Fabric-Covered Tack Board
Pros suggest backing materials, fabrics, and attachment methods for building a "tack-friendly" bulletin board. August 13, 2007
Question
I need to make a fabric covered tack board for a commercial application. What I have in mind are the tack boards that you see on modular office furniture. Does it matter what fabric being used? What is behind the fabric? Is it rolled cork board? How do you attach the fabric to the cork or backing material? The cabinet wall that this will be attached to will be curved.
Forum Responses
(Cabinet and Millwork Installation Forum)
From contributor A :
I use 2' x 4' dropped ceiling tiles with the back side to the fabric. Use a can of spray contact cement to hold the fabric to the board. Any fabric can work but the best are those that look like a fine burlap or speaker cloth. You don't want something that will show the pin holes after pulling the pins out. The tighter the weave the more the holes will show. The curved part I'm not sure how to handle.
From contributor B :
If 2 x 4 ceiling panels are not large enough try Homosote which comes in 1/2" x 4' x 8' panels. You might try wetting the panel on one or both sides and using a form of some kind. I believe this is a paper based product. To contributor A: Thanks for tip on using ceiling panels, great for small projects.
From contributor C :
I would recommend the Homosote. It is what the office furniture guys have used for years. We never used any adhesive - only laid the fabric, stapled the edges and
repeated the process for the other three sides. Hope this helps!!!
From contributor A :
You could also use any of the dense foam wall sheathings or the product I learned to simply call Celotex sheathing.
From the original questioner:
You guys on WOODWEB always come thru. Thanks a bunch. I need a little more information though. Will a pneumatic staple penetrate too deeply into the Homosote and pull through the fabric? I plan on using a 1/4" crown stapler. Should I use a manual stapler instead? When stretching the fabric, how taut is necessary? On a concave application, will the fabric have a tendency to bunch up and form ridges? Maybe I just need to give it whirl and try it out.
From contributor D :
I suggest you use a board called Micor 3000 instead of Homosote - it much more stable. You need an open weave fabric. Most upholstery shops should be able to provide the fabric and labor to cover your panel.
