February 12, 2004

A Wall for a Teacher

Tim,

This may be way off limits but I am a teacher and want to build a timeline wall in the hall of my school. I was wondering what material would be substantial enough but lightweight, etc. If this is way out in left field for you, then thanks for your time.

Otherwise, I would love any advice you could provide. I want to have a service that I could hang from the ceiling or wall that would look 3 dimensional (maybe), the children could paint events or adhere informational tags on. I sound a little unclear as I don't know what is available. Thanks for any help you could offer.

Regards,
Phyllis
- - -

Phyllis,

The ball is hit deep, Carter races to the warning track...he makes the catch! This is a complicated problem. There are serious safety issues involved here. Some things come to mind, but weight and fire hazards flash in front of my mind. I think you need to contact your local fire department fire prevention officer and the local building department official. The wall must meet all fire codes and it must not be a collapse hazard. Those are going to be two very large obstacles if you are looking for a temporary surface.

I am very inclined to think of just regular drywall that is screwed to metal studs. This sounds nuts, but I would not finish the drywall. With the screws exposed, the drywall can be quickly removed if it gets damaged. If it is time to paint a new scene, simple gray primer can be applied over the entire surface to create a new canvas. staple holes can be readily filled.

Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB

Posted by Tim Carter at February 12, 2004 09:06 AM