Shoji screen question

[Robert Engel]

How do you glue the rice paper on?

[Phillip Mitchell]

Here are a few excerpts from Making Shoji by Toshio Odate. You may note that it’s not actually rice paper and instead is sourced from the bark of the mulberry tree traditionally.

He mentions using “starch glue or wall paper paste.”

I’m sure Brian will chime in at some point as he has more experience with this in the modern era than most, if not all of us who frequent this site.

Toshio Odate’s books are a real treat for anyone who appreciates Japanese woodworking, design and culture.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, Brian will be chiming in...I let him know about the thread, but he's engaged for a bit. He really is the resident expert on this!

[Brian Holcombe]

Preferred approach is to use rice glue. I apply it to the kumiko, roll on the paper. Press it down to ensure good contact then wait for it to dry. After which I trim the excess paper off with my knife. If the materiel is not taunt, then I will spray it with a mist of water and it will tighten up.

[Bradley Gray]

For the shoji I have made, I used plastic coated rice paper (washable) and attached it with some awesome double faced tape.

I got the coated rice paper and the tape from eshoji.com

[Robert Engel]

Preferred approach is to use rice glue. I apply it to the kumiko, roll on the paper. Press it down to ensure good contact then wait for it to dry. After which I trim the excess paper off with my knife. If the materiel is not taunt, then I will spray it with a mist of water and it will tighten up.

Could you give a specific reference to the paper and glue you like?

I have looked at the Nori paste glue offered by eshoji.com as well as Amazon.

[Brian Holcombe]

Anything on eshoji will be fine as long as you coordinate glue/tape to the paper. If you are wondering, you can always write Emi (eshoji) and she’ll recommend specifics.

I generally buy what my clients desire for a given project and use whichever glue works best for it.