How to make an arch in a doorway - the choice of material
For creating arched structure any materials can be used: brick, stone, wood, metal and plastic. The former are heavy and the latter are costly. The most popular and acceptable option is to install a drywall arch. It is a lightweight, environmentally friendly and practical building material.
This design has several advantages:
- strength;
- reliability;
- simplicity.
Its installation is not accompanied by large-scale work with increased noise and high consumption. building material. It would not be superfluous to note the affordable cost of all building elements used in the installation of drywall arches and a huge assortment in every hardware store.
How to make an arch in a doorway - preparing the doorway
Having chosen the type of arch to be installed, you can proceed to the preparation of the opening. First you need to get rid of the installed structure, instead of which you want to build an arch. Remove the door and dismantle door frame. For this purpose, you can use scrap and grinder. If the dimensions of the opening do not satisfy you, correct the situation. You can cut out part of the wall, or you can build a smaller structure by reducing the distance in the opening. The surface must be free of chips, dust and pieces of concrete. To protect against fungus and mold, treat the wall with antiseptic impregnation.
How to make an arch in a doorway - frame installation
The main frame of the arch is made from the guide profile. Pre-prepared strips must be attached parallel to each other on both sides and to the top of the opening. Drill holes in the ceilings with which you will fix the profile with dowels. Please note that you need to install the main frame with a retreat deep into the opening. The retreat should be equal to the thickness of the drywall sheet and putty. Thus, the surface of the door arch will have one plane with ceilings.
To make the arcuate part of the frame, you will have to perform a “simple” manipulation: cut the side shelves of the profile and bend to the state of the arc. The cuts are made with a grinder or scissors at a distance of 50 millimeters from each other. We attach the resulting arcs with self-tapping screws to the main guides. Do-it-yourself drywall arch must be strong enough. To do this, you need to install stiffeners from the carrier profile.
How to make an arch in a doorway - an arched fragment of an arch
Using a tape measure, measure the length and width of the arc. Take a knife and cut out a piece of drywall that matches the dimensions. Now, to bend drywall, you can use 2 methods:
- Wet it. Suitable for creating a slight bend.
- We make cuts every 10 centimeters. Use a building level so that the cuts come out strictly perpendicular to the side edge.
Drywall must be turned upside down. Gently give it the desired shape. Be careful and drywall will quickly take shape. Start fixing from the top of the arch with self-tapping screws. Step by step, a drywall sheet will take on the intended shape.
How to make an arch in a doorway - decoration
The formed and puttied arch needs additional design:
- Painting. Inner part painted with light colors.
- Wallpapering over the arch. This is a simple and affordable way.
- Polyurethane stucco finish. Skills will not be superfluous, but everything is quite simple, because all the elements are assembled and glued in stages. The assembly starts from the top of the arch. The side elements are adjusted to the required height.
- Gypsum stucco decoration. The method is similar to the previous one, however, doing the work yourself, you risk making poor-quality seams and ruining the look.
- masonry decorative stone. This work is best left to professionals.
Arched doorways give the design of the house a peculiar architectural charm. Arches are designed to visually increase the space of the room. Do the work with your own hands or turn to specialists - everyone decides for himself.
How to make an arch with your own hands? This question worries many who dared to make the design of the interior opening on their own.
Completed door arch with his own hands will make you proud of yourself, thereby allowing you to bring something original, unique to the interior of a room or bedroom. Despite the fact that many beginners are tormented by vague doubts, in fact there is nothing terrible in this work, the main thing is desire. If you have one, our detailed work plan will help you!
What is an arch and its varieties
The arch is an ancient architectural element that is increasingly being used as an interior decorative element entrance or interior door, or rather a doorway. The arch is a universal opening in the wall, which is able to give "volume" to a small room, and at the same time, zone an apartment of a small square.
Taking into account the wishes of the owners of the home, thanks to the arches, designers can turn various ideas into reality by giving the doorway different kind. Today modern materials allow you to give the arches a different geometric shape, as well as to form intricate vaults. Most often, for the manufacture of arches and their cladding, they use:
- Brick.
- Wooden beam.
- plywood.
- Tiles.
- GKL, etc.
The structure of the arch is a support for partitions and walls. But, since in high-rise buildings the doorways are not load-bearing, the only requirement that is put forward for them is to withstand their own weight (with a finishing finishing material). If the wall is load-bearing, the material must be selected according to external loads.
Any version of the arch, which is mounted instead of a door, performs an exclusively decorative function. The frame of the structure can even be made of a light profile for fiberboard or chipboard, and a wooden beam can also be used. Only important point- reliable fixation of the partition so that the decor does not fall off and does not deform after a few days.
As we noted, the design of the house can be beautifully supplemented with an arch, because there is a huge variety of its forms. They can be made in a classic or romantic style. Modern is also often used. No less popular is the elliptical shape, trapezoid, "portal" and many others.
The first example is made as a regular semi-arch, in the form of a semicircle. In the last photo you can see a square interior opening, called the "portal". This design method is performed with strict observance of rectangular outlines. All other samples are intermediate variations between the two basic forms.
But, these are not all options. You can also experiment with side supports, use curved posts, etc. You can finish the shape and decorate it in different styles, the main thing is that the passage harmoniously fits into the home interior. In some apartments, the classics and a round, correctly bent vault look great, in others - portals, it all depends on the taste preferences of the owners. Pay attention to the advice of experienced finishers:
- Classic arches are best done in apartments with high ceilings, at least 3 m.
- In panel-type high-rise buildings, it is better to frame the doorway in modern style.
- It is preferable to decorate wide doorways from the corridor to the hall in a romantic style, for which wide racks are selected.
- The finishing of the “portal” opening goes well with the interior of the room, which uses clear lines. "Portal" is ideal for houses that are made of clapboard, logs or timber. This combination is very elegant and harmonious.
What materials can be used to form arches?
To make an arched vault, you need to stock up on the following material:
- Drywall sheets.
- Plywood.
It is worth noting that it is best to sheathe the frame with drywall sheets, because in the future it can be decorated with various decorative materials. But, if you need to create a more sophisticated shape, choose plywood sheets, as it bends better. The preparation of the arched frame is formed from:
- Metal profile.
- Wood beams.
But, for the construction of the arch, you can also take concrete, aerated concrete and brick, which are decorated with a finishing material. Despite the fact that such structures are solid, it is forbidden to build them in high-rise buildings due to their large weight. It is also forbidden to make a metal door frame, which, moreover, will cost a pretty penny. And how to make an arch in an apartment with your own hands from metal? After all, this is a very laborious process that requires the use of specialized devices. That is why drywall is the most acceptable material for finishing apartments.
How to make an interior arch. Step by step instructions (video)
How to make an arch out of wood?
Do-it-yourself wooden arch, more precisely wooden frame, formed without much effort. But, in addition to wood blocks, sheets of plywood will also come in handy. The first thing to do is to measure the width of the passage, subtract the thickness of the materials, after which we get the optimal thickness wooden beams. Then an arc is drawn on plywood, which is cut out with a jigsaw.
Subsequent installation is carried out with self-tapping screws (5 cm), which fix the bars to plywood. The arch in the doorway is also fixed with self-tapping screws, which are screwed in at a distance of 15cm. The final stage is the fixation of the 2nd plywood wall and its subsequent sheathing with drywall sheets. Note that you need to fix drywall sheets with special self-tapping screws for working on drywall.
We mount an arch from plywood
How to make an arch with your own hands from wood without using natural material? Today it is not difficult, because the tree can be replaced with plywood. To correctly calculate the number necessary materials, including fittings, the first thing experienced finishers do is create a sketch.
To work with plywood, you will need such a handy tool:
- Jigsaw (or hacksaw).
- Drill.
- Screwdriver.
- Sandpaper.
- Finishing accessories.
Since plywood is a fairly unique material that allows you to create original and unusual shapes, you need to work with it, following the step-by-step instructions:
- Measure the doorway and note how big the arch will be.
- Then you need to cut the strip and carefully process it.
- The resulting strip is slightly moistened and left for a while.
- After the manipulations done, the plywood will be pliable and will easily take the necessary shape.
- The prepared bar is bent in the right way and immediately inserted into the required doorway, carefully fixed and spacers are installed in the corners.
Formation of an arch from plywood. After the canvas is installed, you need to wait a bit until the sheet is completely dry and takes its final view. At the next stage, you can act in two scenarios:
- Form inserts from wooden bars and sew up the surface with drywall.
- take advantage mounting foam by filling in the voids.
Plasterboard arch installation
Working with drywall, like with plywood, is very similar and does not cause difficulties, but it is cheap. If you have the opportunity to build walls and form an arch at the same time, this way you can finish the job as quickly as possible. Before forming an arch, you need to gradually prepare the surface, namely:
- Dismantle the old door panel, decorative trims, platbands and other fittings.
- Close up all the damage on the walls to avoid trouble in the future.
- Get tools.
- Draw up a detailed work plan and sketch.
You can install a drywall arch in different ways, then we will describe each method in more detail. The first option is the most popular:
- Take 2 sheets of drywall, one of which is cut in half.
- A U-shaped frame is formed in the doors using a metal profile.
- One segment is fixed on the frame, having previously marked it into 2 equal parts and marking the center.
- A hole is drilled in the rail from the edge and in the center. The distance between them should be equal to the middle of the arc of the formed arch. To do this, determine what distance will be observed between the edges of the semicircle.
- Then a curved line is applied, with the help of which the hole in the middle of the rail is connected to the center of the segment of the drywall sheet, which is fixed on the frame. Immediately it is worth checking whether the height of such an opening is suitable.
- Then the sheet is removed and the excess is cut off, after which it is again fixed to the frame.
- The second sheet of drywall is installed on the opposite side. Taking the corner and the first segment (like a stencil), transfer the dimensions of the arc. Next, cutting the arc and fixing it is repeated in the same way.
- After the work done, a void is obtained in which the frame is mounted. To do this, the profile is cut and bent. The resulting structure is fixed to the racks and drywall. It is also worth installing jumpers for reliability and structural strength.
- Next, the necessary strip is cut out, bent, and deep cuts are made from the inside. It is necessary to fix without haste, with gentle movements.
- That's it, the arch is formed. The only thing left to do is to paste over the wallpaper or paint it in the desired colors.
The second way is much more difficult. The masonry is formed using the following technology:
- Pieces of drywall are fixed from the corners on both sides with a mixture of PVA glue and water.
- Drywall is cut so that each next fragment is smaller than the previous one.
- Work continues until the smallest fragment is installed.
- Self-tapping screws or anchors are used as additional fixation.
This is just a preparatory process. Further it will be even more difficult. The next step will require plaster and putty. Large expansions and other defects are sealed with plaster, and a smooth arc is created with a putty mortar. This is a rather painstaking work that requires a firm and experienced hand of the master, so it is better for a beginner to immediately purchase template blanks.
Step-by-step instruction
If you decide to install the arch in the hallway, in the kitchen or on the balcony, follow the recommendations below:
- Dismantle old door and platbands.
- Expand the doorway to the desired size.
- Trim the walls and close up any defects.
- If the design is backlit, run the wiring.
- Take all measurements in different places to minimize errors.
- At uneven walls choose the depth of the arch in the thickest place.
- Do not be too lazy to make a life-size sketch (this will allow not only to install the arch as accurately as possible, but also to pre-evaluate how the arch will look like).
- You need to start work on installing the supporting frame in the following sequence:
- Along the perimeter of the doorway, create the main contour from the profile and fix it on the wall.
- Fix the frame system.
- Set the vertical guides indented from the plane of the interior surface by the thickness of the drywall and add 2 mm to the data (the margin is made for plaster).
- The plaster surface must be rolled out to maximum evenness.
- To create a semicircle from the profile, cuts are made on it in increments of 5-7 cm.
- When an ideal curve is formed from the profile, it is installed in the right place and fixed to the frame.
- For greater strength, the arc must be fixed with several hangers to the horizontal upper guide.
- Then install the crossbars in increments of 40-60cm.
- The result should be a structure of metal profiles in the form of an arch for further plating.
Finishing
When the arched frame is ready and sheathed, finishing work can begin. To do this, you need to glue the edges and joints of materials with specialized paper tape or fiberglass mesh. You will also need to apply putty, at least 3 layers, and sand the structure. After you are convinced of the reliability of the formed structure, you can proceed by following some of the recommendations below.
To do everything Finishing work, you need to purchase acrylic putty, which is designed for internal works. But, mind you, it is better to act with a special mass for drywall. Before use, the putty mass is thoroughly stirred until smooth.
When starting work, put on gloves and other personal protective equipment! The putty is applied in linear motion with a rectangular spatula. In addition to filling all the irregularities and joints of materials with putty, it must also be applied to the caps of self-tapping screws so that their edging does not show through. Similar actions are carried out until the surface becomes perfect.
After puttying, you can start gluing the joint and edges to remove all kinds of irregularities and give the material strength. To do this, you can take a fiberglass mesh or paper tape, it all depends on your preference (both options are good). Cut off a fragment of the grid and place it on the joint (in the very center), pressing it with your fingers into the still not dried putty. Check that the tape is securely fixed and that there are no wrinkles.
After all the joints are processed with a mesh, you can cover the curved parts of the arch with it. You need to do the work in a similar way. When the mesh forms folds during the processing of arcuate sections, they can be leveled by cutting the canvas with a sharp knife.
After drying, the putty will become snow-white. This will be a signal that you need to take sandpaper and go smooth the surface. But, work carefully, do not remove too much putty so as not to expose the mesh. For this work, use a respirator, because during the grinding of the surface there will be a lot of dust, which is very harmful to human lungs.
When all 3 layers of putty are applied and the surface is cleaned, you need to wait about 12 hours for the structure to dry completely. Work again with fine grit sandpaper to achieve a perfect surface. That's all, you can decorate the surface.
Arch decoration
It doesn’t matter at all what material you used to install the arch, because even a do-it-yourself brick arch needs final decoration. To decorate the door arched vault, you can use the following techniques:
- Painting to match the walls.
- Sheathing with wood blocks (as an option, laminate, siding, etc. are often used for this).
- Wallpapering.
- Use artificial stone based on gypsum.
- Decorate the structure with mirrors or mosaics (for mosaics, you can use small pebbles, corks, glass, etc.).
- Use foam molding or surface painting.
Important! Try not to overdo it, so as not to clutter up the passage and mix incongruous. It is worth noting that sometimes ordinary painting is enough to give elegance.
As you can see, there are a lot of options for finishing decoration, for which you can use not only natural materials. It all depends on the idea of the designer and the wishes of the owners, as well as the general style of the room. The classic additional interior can be supplemented with stucco molding, fabrics, so that everything harmoniously blends together. The decoration of the columns looks no less concise if clinker is glued on them.
Ready-made arched kits
If you are not sure about own forces, and training video lessons from the Internet are not entirely clear to you, you can make your life much easier by buying a ready-made kit for forming an arch. Similar kits can be made from different materials, have different design, color, design and texture, which will allow each person to find the most suitable option. The most suitable option is a set of fiberboard or MDF. Such materials are very similar to wood, but are less difficult to process and install. The ready-made standard set of interior arches is included.
Once upon a time, only a professional could make an arch. This was before the advent of drywall. Now a beginner can make an arch from drywall. You don't need a special tool for this, the technology itself is simple and straightforward - just follow our instructions.
Where to begin
The most common arches of simple shapes are parts of a circle or an oval. They are best suited for most traditional interior styles, where regular shapes and symmetry are welcome. In addition, they are the easiest to make with your own hands.
1. Classic rounded arch. 2. Modern. 3. Romance. 4. Ellipse. 5. Trapeze. 6. Semiarca
But first you need to decide whether the height of the vault will be sufficient. And if for a niche in the wall the dimensions do not play a special role, then for the passage between the rooms the ratio of the width of the arch and the distance from the floor to the point of junction of the arch with the wall of the opening means a lot.
The wider the opening in which the arch is formed, the greater the bending radius will be required so that the shape of the arch is proportionate
Usually they are guided by a simple ratio of a standard interior door - 80-100 cm wide by 200 cm high. That is, a rectangle of such dimensions should be inscribed in a “pure form” in the plane of the opening, taking into account the arch. Following this rule, you can determine that the width of the opening:
- 100 cm corresponds to the height of the lower points of the arch about two meters;
- 200 cm - about 180 cm;
- 300 cm - about 160 cm.
It follows from this that if the arch is made where the standard interior door, then the height of the opening will have to be increased.
The easiest way is to arrange an arch in a new place during redevelopment, when interior partitions are re-installed. And here we must already remember the recommended distance from the top point of the arch to the ceiling - usually it is 40-60 cm. Often the height of the ceilings does not allow the arch to be “fitted” in accordance with this rule, and this point is raised a little higher. But even in this case, you should not reduce the clearance to the ceiling level of less than 30 cm.
Once the indicative values for the junction points with the opening and for the height of the vault are set, the arch in the opening can be modeled from improvised means and make sure that it corresponds to the general plan.
It is convenient to use a special plastic corner for arches, which will ultimately be used when finishing the opening.
One of simple ways Modeling is the use of a long strip of flexible material as a template, such as a plastic baseboard with hard edges. The plinth is applied with edges at the lower points of the arched opening, bent to the height of the arch, if necessary, change the shape of the arch by adjusting the degree of bending. They mark the junction points of the arch with the opening and put the corresponding marks on the plinth.
Drywall blanks
For the walls of the arch, you need to cut out two rectangles from the plasterboard. The dimensions of the blank are the width of the opening and the distance from the junction point of the arch in the opening to the ceiling of the opening itself (or to the ceiling for new partitions).
Then, on one of the blanks, with the help of a plinth, the shape of the arch is modeled. To do this, aligning one of the marks on the plinth with the corner of the workpiece, it is bent until the second mark is aligned in the corner of the workpiece opposite in width. Draw an arc on the workpiece with a pencil and cut out the first wall. And already it will serve as a template for cutting the second wall.
To get a sector along the radius, it is better to use an awl, a nail and a pencil tied with a thread or rope. The length of the thread from the pencil to the nail will determine the radius of the sector.
L is the width of the opening, H is the height of the arch, R is the radius of the sector, D is the stock of material equal to the thickness of the finish of the ends of the opening
If an ellipse is needed, then two nails are fixed on the blank under the arch along the long side, stepping back the same distance from both sides by about 10-15 cm. A thread is tied to the nails so that it sags freely, and when pulled along the edge of the sheet, reaches its edge . The pencil is wound up by the thread and the shape of the arch is outlined.
For the vault of the arch, you can use a strip of ceiling plasterboard (it is thinner, only 9.5 mm), but the remainder of the standard sheet is also suitable, since with a small strip width it is easy to give it the necessary shape. The size of the blank for the vault is equal in length to the distance between the marks on the plinth, and in width to the thickness of the wall in the opening. The narrow sides of the workpiece are cut at the ends along one side of the corner so that the vault fits snugly at the ends of the walls of the opening.
Arch frame formation
The supporting frame for the walls is usually made from a metal rack profile. Depending on the materials of the partition and its thickness, the width of the profile may vary.
So if the arch is mounted in an opening where the walls are made of gypsum plasterboard, then the same CW rack profiles are used that are in the supporting structure. In this case, the profiles are fixed in the opening with metal screws.
For walls made of bricks, building blocks (gas or foam concrete, gypsum), monolithic concrete the width of the rack profile is selected individually. It is often easier to use a double frame (one for each wall of the arch) from a narrow CW profile with a 50 mm back than to select a wide profile for a single frame. For fastening to the wall, dowels are used, and for each material they select their own type of fastener. If the frame is mounted from a narrow profile, the holes for the dowel are drilled at an angle so that the edge of the opening does not crumble.
For side posts, the profiles must have a length equal to the distance from the opening overlap to the junction points with the arch. Since the arch “fits” in the opening to the partition at an angle of less than 90 °, the lower corners of the profile are cut so that they do not protrude beyond the edge of the arch walls.
If the frame is mounted in a plasterboard partition, then it is clearly visible how it should be fixed so that the arch is flush with the wall surface.
For partitions made of other materials, when attaching the frame, it is necessary to retreat from the edge of the wall by a distance equal to the thickness of the plasterboard plus the thickness of the finish (and this is at least 1-2 mm per putty layer for wallpapering or painting).
If the wall has a layer decorative plaster or lined wall panels, then the fastening of the frame should pass to the main material of the wall so that the walls of the arch are in the same plane with the surface of the partition itself, and not its decorative finishes. This rule is performed on each side of the arch.
Arch installation
The walls of the arch are fixed with self-tapping screws with a distance between the attachment points of 15 to 25 cm, but not less than three points on each side. The distance from the corner to each extreme attachment point should be within 5-10 cm, and the attachment line should be at a distance of 15-20 mm from the edge of the arch wall.
If the arch has built-in lighting, then the wires should be laid in advance, leaving leads or loops at least 15 cm long
After both walls are fixed, two strips of an arched profile are screwed to them from the inside through drywall to fasten the arch. If there is no arched profile, then it is made from a CD profile, symmetrically cutting wedges on the sides at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other.
To bend the strip of the workpiece in an arc, it is moistened with a sponge on both sides before installation. Then, on one side, it is rolled with a needle roller (another way is to prick with an awl over the entire surface by 1/3 of the thickness of the sheet) and moisten again only on the perforated side. They put it on the floor at an angle to it and the wall. When the workpiece begins to bend under its own weight, it is screwed into place to the arched profiles.
Finishing work
The final stage begins when the vault dries:
- the surface of drywall is primed;
- seams and joints with the wall are reinforced with sickle, and the ribs of the vault are reinforced with a plastic perforated corner;
- putty, rubbing attachment points, seams and joints;
- "bring out" the corners at the ribs;
- dry and grind.
The arch is ready. You can start decorating.
The arch as an element of the architecture of the building is intended to divide the room into zones without using a door. Recent years have been marked by the active use of these structural elements. Such an elegant device can ennoble and decorate any home, save living space, which is especially important for small rooms. Often they can be seen in hallways, in kitchens and between other rooms. How to make an arch at home? To do this, it is necessary to study the features of the installation work.
Such an overlap can be purchased ready-made or made by yourself. The form of such vaults is also different: from classical versions to modernist models. In the process of their production, various building materials are taken: brick, stone, metal, wood, PVC, fiberboard, chipboard, plasterboard, plywood. The most popular are drywall sheets. They are plastic and easy to install.
Preparatory work
To understand how to make an arch, it is important to carry out the installation in turn. First, the indicated space is measured: its width and height are determined.
When starting to build an arc, it is worth considering the fact that the door plane will decrease by 10-15 cm. These indicators relate to height. Later, this space can be lined with decorative inserts made of ordinary foam.
Its width is measured and divided by two. These figures will be necessary in order for the traditional semicircle to turn out to be even and symmetrical.
These data are equated to the internal distance corresponding to the opposite sides of the space. At the beginning of the work, you should decide on the shape of the structure.
Traditionally, samples of a semicircular type or GKL sheets are installed, which will be discussed below. How to make an arch correctly, just below. To begin with, you should focus on the verticality of the surface, otherwise the design will look ugly and one-sided.
If necessary, the inner plane should be leveled with plaster or putty, focusing on the installed beacons.
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Required attributes for work
The following list of devices will allow you to install on your own:
- Guide view profile.
- Rack profile.
- Dowel with a screw for fastening a profile frame for concrete, brick walls.
- Self-tapping screws for wooden surfaces and fastening sheets GKL.
- GKL sheets.
- Self-tapping screws with a press washer.
- Roller with needles.
- Special corner with perforations.
- Latex putty for plasterboard.
- Electric jigsaw.
- Stationery knife.
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Installing the front components of the arch
You can get an answer to the question of how to make an arch, starting with cutting out the facade structural elements. The main problem during this period is that you need to get two identical elements, regardless of the material from which the vault is made. Marking and cutting for each of them are carried out according to the same scheme.
An even semicircle can be made different ways. For example, by using any devices. As such samples, you can take a strong and elastic twine and a simple pencil.
- The rope is tied to the rod.
- The center of the circle is marked. To correctly determine the radius, you need to remember the number that turned out in the process of previous measurements.
- So, if the width indicators are 1 m, then the desired figure will correspond to 50 cm.
- From one of the edges of the sheet, 60 cm is deposited and a line is drawn. The distance from the top of the opening to the top of the future arch corresponds to 10-15 cm.
- GKL is cut, focusing on the width of the door plane. So, in this version, it is equal to 100 cm.
- Then, on the designated straight line, a border corresponding to 50 cm is marked on each side. These indicators will indicate the boundaries of the hemisphere.
- With the help of a pencil and twine, 0.5 m of the length of the rope is indicated and the last marks of the hemisphere are drawn. It turned out an analogue of a homemade compass. As a result of the use of such a device, a circle with smooth edges is formed.
- According to the markings with a jigsaw or a clerical knife, a semicircle is cut. Its width corresponds to 1 m, and its height is 60 cm.
The profile for the opening of the arch is cut to obtain the necessary bend.
The arch is made in a different way using a long and flexible element. For this you can take plastic panel, flexible plinth.
- A rectangular base is cut out with a size of 100 × 60 (65) cm. Following from each side, 50 cm are measured and 2 lines are drawn. The place of their intersection is indicated by a dot.
- The drywall sheet is bent on both sides according to the width of the future opening. It turns out a semicircle. The volume part corresponds to the points indicated earlier, the ends should be in contact with the ends of the rectangular base in the lower part.
- The finished vault is drawn and cut out.
The second method of making arches requires the involvement of an additional person. Taking accurate measurements alone will not be easy.
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The construction of the frame on the arch
You can make this important element in the house by preparing a metal profile. Marking guides with an orientation to the width of the opening. Here, these figures correspond to 1000 mm. They are fixed on any side. They are fixed to concrete and brick with dowel-screws; for wooden surfaces, special self-tapping screws are used.
In order for the structure to be in the same plane with the wall, the frame should be fixed inside the opening by 12 mm.
As soon as the GKL sheets are fixed and putty is applied, the base will become even.
Fastening is carried out on either side of both side parts of the frame. The length of such elements corresponds to 600 mm.
The bottom of the profile is cut at an angle. Fixing the details of the arch to the frame with self-tapping screws for metal bases.
One way to increase living space is to remove doors. But it is not always possible or willing to destroy the walls. Then the former doorway is made out in the form of an arch. Another use case arched openings- divide a long corridor into zones, breaking too simple geometry. When repairing on their own, drywall arches are most often made: they are the easiest to do with your own hands.
Types of arches
Interior or corridor arches may have different shape. They differ mainly in the shape of the upper part and sometimes in the way they are connected to the vertical parts. Their main types are shown in the photo.
This group is missing one of the most popular in Lately- semi-arch. They have a rounded corner on one side only, on the other it remains straight. Hence the name - semi-arc. It looks good in modern interiors: minimalism, hi-tech, maybe in art deco.
The classic is different correct form top. This is strictly a semicircle, the radius of which is equal to half the width of the doorway. This view looks good with an opening height of at least 2.5 m. It fits well into any interior, but looks best in a long corridor, or instead front door to the kitchen.
The arched opening in the Modern style is distinguished by a small radius of curvature and a sharp transition at the junction with the vertical components of the opening. It looks good if the walls and ceiling have more or less simple design. Looks great on the site of the former balcony door, good at the entrance to the office.
The arch of the “Romance” style is rather just rounded corners (mostly masters call it that). It looks good with a large width and not the greatest height.
The "romantic" shape is good with a large width and small height
The shape of the "ellipse" is very close to the "romantic". It differs only in greater curvature in the middle part. Also suitable for low and wide openings. It just looks a little softer.
A trapezoid is a non-standard design consisting of broken lines. It is hard to play up in the interior, therefore it is used infrequently: for some non-standard designs.
One of the design options is a trapezoid
It is very similar to a regular opening, but it is, in fact, it is, only without door leaf. For greater originality, it is often accompanied by wooden carved elements in the form of columns on the sides. Good for this kind classic interiors, as well as ethnic style - Greek or Roman, depending on the type of columns.
For decoration in modern styles use another prim - next to the main arch, they have smaller portals. This technique allows you to "beat" a simple form.
Another version of the arch "portal"
Before you start making an arch, you need to decide on its parameters. select the type, and then the options: where it will start from, and what the radius of curvature will be. It can be a really sharp bend, or it can just be some rounding of the corners.
To understand how your chosen shape will look, you can cut a template out of cardboard and attach it to the doorway. Rate the effect. If everything suits you, you can make a blank according to this template. But only one - for one of the sides of the opening. The second must be done in place, otherwise it will turn out crooked.
Step-by-step instructions with photos: the fastest way
Do-it-yourself drywall arches are made in different ways. This takes the minimum amount of time. Having decided on the form, we proceed to installation. On the prepared opening - cleaned of peeling plaster and relatively leveled, we fix the frame according to the size of the future arch. It is made from a profile for drywall or a dry wooden block. right size. Sometimes, if the wall is narrow, you can only pick up wood.
To begin with, we cut out a rectangle from drywall according to the size of the future arch, find its middle, mark it, and then temporarily screw it into place. We retreat from the edge of 12.5 mm - the thickness of the drywall sheet. If the adjacent walls are already plastered, add a couple more millimeters to the putty so that the surface can be leveled.
Now we take a piece of a profile or a hard corner, set aside half the width of the opening from one edge. At this place in the corner we make a hole, insert a carnation into it. We stick this nail into the middle of the doorway marked by us earlier on the sheet. It turns out a kind of compass, with which it is easy to draw a perfect line.
Arc delineator
By changing the height of the mount, you can get a more or less high arch. If you need a flatter curve, increase the length of the "compass".
Having removed the sheet, we cut out the arc along the outlined contour. This can be done with a special drywall file, a metal saw with a fine tooth for a smoother edge, a jigsaw (there will be a lot of dust). If the cut is not very even, we level it with sandpaper fixed on a grater. With this device we achieve a perfectly even curve of the shape we need. The cut out fragment of the arch - the side wall - is again fixed in place.
If everything is smooth, there are no distortions or irregularities, on the other side of the opening we attach the same drywall sheet as a few steps earlier - a rectangle or a square - depending on the shape. It must be fixed strictly vertically. Now transfer the shape of the arch to it. We take a square, at a right angle and with one side we press against the drywall, on which we transfer the arch, with the other side - to the arch. Having set the square perpendicularly, we mark a point with a pencil. We make such points along the entire arc. The more often they are made, the easier it will be to draw a line and the match will be more accurate - there will be less grinding.
Why is it so difficult and not just to make a copy of the first sheet? Because few openings are symmetrical. As a result, it is very problematic to install the second sheet so that the lines of the arch coincide.
Having noted all the points, we remove the sheet, draw a line, cut it out along it. We mount in place. Now again we take a trowel with sandpaper and now we level both edges until they completely match. One point - the trowel should be wider than the opening so that both walls of the arch are captured in one pass.
We measure the length of the arc, cut out a piece of the profile of the same length, make notches on the walls every 3-4 cm. This tape will need to be fixed along the arch of the arch from one side and the other.
We fasten it on self-tapping screws, carefully, pressing the profile and holding it with a bar, and not with our fingers: it is elementary to get into the fingers with a self-tapping screw. By the way, you need to work with a cut profile with gloves. If not, you will cut your hands for sure.
By the way, the back of the profile can be set along the edge - it’s easier to work, and then the joint will still have to be sealed. Screw the strip to the other side in the same way.
This is a bottom view - profiles are attached to the sides
There is a second way to attach the profile - to put it on a quick-setting universal glue, such as liquid nails. This method is acceptable if the width of the opening is small. With a large thickness of the arch, the adhesive may not withstand the mass of drywall, which will be attached from below.
The next step is to attach the jumpers. First, the depth of the arch is lost, 1-1.5 cm is subtracted from it. This will be the length of the jumpers. Cut pieces of a profile of this length.
Jumpers are cut from the same profile
In the places where the jumpers are attached, the “petals” are cut off, the prepared fragment is installed and fixed. It should not rest against the walls, it is located approximately 5 mm from the back. Jumpers are needed to make the design more rigid, otherwise it “walks” when pressed.
Next, from the drywall, you need to cut a rectangle that will cover the structure from below. Its width is determined simply - from the outer edge of one sheet of plasterboard, to the outer edge of the second sheet. The length is measured with a flexible tape (it can be tailor-made) or a tape measure with an assistant. We fasten this sheet with screws to the arch frame. The sheet has to be bent, and how to do this, read a little lower - towards the end of the article.
Arched opening made of drywall: the second method (photo report)
This method is good if the thickness of the partition is small: try attaching the profiles if the gap between them is several centimeters, and then attach the jumpers. It all starts the same way: the first wall of the arch is cut out, fastened and transferred to the second sheet.
After the width of the gap between the two sheets, wooden crossbars are cut out, which are attached along the edge of the arch to self-tapping screws.
The cut-out strip of drywall is fixed, starting from one side. To make it more convenient, you can fix it with clamps, since the thickness of the wall is small. When attaching the strip, you can focus on the screws with which the bars were screwed. That way you'll hit the crossbar for sure.
Then it remains only to fix a special perforated corner and smooth out imperfections.
A corner is attached along the vault of the arch, everything is puttied
It is also more convenient to level the dried putty along the arch of the arch with the entire plane of sandpaper fixed on a grater. It is unpleasant that dust falls into the eyes, so it is almost impossible to work without glasses.
How to make an arch instead of a door: the third method - typesetting
Another way to make drywall arches with your own hands is stacking. The vault is broken into segments and assembled from pieces that create close to the required curvature.
They are attached to putty, diluted with a mixture of PVA and water. Such a batch dries quickly, so first we cut the plates and try them on. It can be folded on the table, only the vault will turn upside down, but it will allow you to evaluate how correctly the plates are assembled.
Then the plates begin to be attached to the opening, for reliability, periodically reinforcing with self-tapping screws. Washers are placed under the heads - so as not to push through the cardboard. Remove excess putty immediately. If it gets stuck, it's impossible to tear it off. The finished surface is primed to improve adhesion (adhesion), and then puttied, leveling the arch. To make it easier to display, you can use a template attached on both sides.
Making sharp bends using this technology is not easy, and for rounded corners and semi-arches it is a great way to do without profiles.
How to bend drywall
One important detail: standard wall drywall does not bend well. For curved surfaces, a thin one was specially invented - 6 and 6 mm thick. This bent part is easier to make from it. With a slight curvature, such a thin sheet can be bent easily and without tricks. If there is no desire to buy thin GVL, there are two ways to bend the standard one.
First- take a needle roller and roll the cut segment well on one side. You need to roll with effort so that the plaster breaks. Then the leaf is wetted with water and left for two to three hours. After such procedures, it should bend well. Take it, fix it on one side, and gradually pressing it against the arch frame, bend it, screwing it gradually along the edges with self-tapping screws. The method is not bad, only with a lack of experience and insufficient processing of gypsum, the sheet may burst. You will either have to mask the gap later, or start over.
Second way to bend drywall: on one side, make notches with a knife about every 4-5 cm. The notches should cut the paper. Such a strip is also gradually fixed, breaking the gypsum as necessary. It bursts along the incision lines from a light pressure.
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