Coronavirus Protection Screen

As a lot of us will be (or already are) back at work soon here's a quick and easy to build coronavirus protection screen to help provide protection for both customer and staff. You'll need some 2x3 lengths of wood, an acrylic/perspex sheet, and some screws and glue.

Equipment that I used:

• miter saw
• table saw
• random orbital sander
• blowtorch
• drill
• knife
• jigsaw
• wire brush
• straight edge

2x3 lengths of timber:

• 2x 800mm (these are for the sides)
• 1x 750mm (the top piece)
• 2x 370mm (with ends cut at 45 Degrees) (these are for the feet)

1x6:

• One 1x6 lengths cut to 750mm (for the bottom of the panel)

Acrylic/perspex Sheet 752mm x 600mm

12 x Screws (5mmx100mm)

wood glue

Once all your timber is cut to the right lengths, give all their edges a light sand. Remember to cut out a gap in the 1x6 piece in the center, as this allows a small space to enable staff to carry out transactions by hand. Cut a space to a size and shape of your own preference, but I measured 250mm from each side inwards, and 60mm from the top, giving me a shape to cut out. I drilled out the corners and removed the piece with a jigsaw.

Next raise a table saw to 10mm and run it through the two 800mm lengths and the 750mm length. Then move the fence and run the 1x6 through to make a groove in the center. This groove is to seat the acrylic.

This can be quite tricky as perspex snaps so easily! I found it works best to clamp a straight edge to your work piece and make light scores over the sheet. Once i'd cut about half way though the 2mm thick sheet, I'd bent it up slightly and snapped it on the line. I then cut through the protective sheet on the other side and it should be near perfect!

Now this is a step you can skip or you could choose to finish the wood to your own preference. I chose to Shou Sugi Ban (charring the woods surface) as I really like the effect.

To do this I simply took a blow torch and lightly torched the woods entire surface, leaving it to cool afterwards for a few minutes then removed the soot and loose debris with a wire bush. I find this effect leaves a nice unique texture, and can be a natural water repellent, and gives the wood a great rustic colour.

Once all the debris and excess soot was completely brushed away, I coated it in boiled linseed oil.

Danish oil, teak oil, or any finishing substance you like can be used, but this was all I had left in my workshop while making this.

Now all the pieces of wood are dry its time to put them together.

Take the 800mm sides and the 750mm top and glue and screw them together.

Remove some of the protective backing on the acrylic. Stand the frame up and slide that down the rebates into place then add the bottom and drill pilot holes and screw. Be very careful and slow.

So after you've lined up the feet and screwed them into place, you can have the satisfaction of tearing away the acrylics protective layer!