Step 1: Measure and mark your panels
On your sheet of thin 4ft x 8ft (2400mm x 1200mm) hardboard, measure and mark out your panels so you will know where to cut.

We decided we wanted five panels for our room divider, so we divided the sheet up evenly into five 19" x 48" (480mm x 1200mm) pieces.

We designed this particular room divider specifically to tidily close off a laundry area in a shower room. Remember, though, you can use as few as three panels and you can also buy different size sheets to make taller panels.

Mark your chosen increments across the top, bottom and middle of the sheet. By measuring and marking it three times, you can use these three marks to align your ruler/stick and draw an accurate, straight cutting line.

Now you need to mark the curves for the top of each panel. Rule a line vertically through the center of each marked-out panel. On this line you need to mark a spot about a quarter the distance of the panel's height, down from the top.

Tie a pencil to a piece of string. With one hand, hold the pencil at the top edge of the panel on the center line, and then pull the string tight towards the mark you have made earlier. Now, hold down the string firmly at that spot and move the pencil to mark the curve. You should see a perfect curve emerging.

Experiment by drawing a light line first and adjusting the spot where you hold the string, so you can work out at what point it gives you a perfect curve. Once you are happy, transfer those same exact measurements onto your remaining marked-out panels.