An easy way to increase the space of a small apartment and house is to clean. It is not always possible to move or dismantle walls, and the event is quite costly and time-consuming. opening with removed door it does not look very aesthetically pleasing, so it needs to be redesigned in some way.

The most popular way to do this is to decorate the arch. With the help of this element, it is possible to separate long corridor into separate zones: this eliminates the simplified geometry.

Such architectural element can be arranged in any part of the home - in, or in the living room. It will add individuality and originality to the house, make it different from standard apartments.

It is quite possible to make an arch with your own hands.

This will require certain tools, materials and detailed description process.

Tools:

• pencil, tape measure,;
• metal scissors;
• bucket;
• sharp knife;
• trowel;
• respirator, gloves and goggles.

You can build it wherever you like, in any area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe home. But in order for such an element to fit perfectly into the design, you need doorway not less than 2.5 meters. It will look great in any interior, but is most suitable as alternatives kitchen door or for long corridor.

most of the arches significantly reduce the doorway, which in some cases is a significant disadvantage. You can check in advance exactly how the selected type of arch will fit into the existing doorway. To do this, a blank is cut out of cardboard or paper, which is attached above the door.

When the metal profiles are firmly fixed on the wall surface, proceed to the installation of sheets.

It will be more convenient to use electric with torque. If the thickness of the material is 12.5 mm, self-tapping screws 3.5 x35 will be required, and for sheets of 9.5 mm, smaller screws will suffice.

In the same way, the reverse side of the arched frame is finished with drywall.

When screwing the screws with a screwdriver, you should make sure that their caps are in the same plane with the surface of the material. If they are wrapped deeper, then the resulting recesses will need to be covered up.

For reliable fixation on the frame of drywall parts, self-tapping screws must be placed at least every 15 cm.

Further, to enhance the rigidity of the structure, necessary curved profile fasten from metal along the edge of the arch. To do this, a segment of a metal profile is cut out according to the dimensions of the arc. Are used . Since the edges of the material are sharp, it is better to protect your hands with thick gloves.

How to bend a metal profile?

Only then will the arch appear before us in all its completeness. What is required? All joints and edges of drywall should be covered with fiberglass mesh or paper tape. Several layers are then applied.

The question of how to make a drywall arch with your own hands is of interest to every homeowner who wants to make changes to the living space on their own. If you familiarize yourself in detail with how to properly mount the arch with your own hands, then there should not be any difficulties.

View of the arch in the doorway

So that the process of installing a drywall arch does not cause difficulties, you should first select a photo on which the frame will be visible, as well as the features of its construction, the main part of the profile in ready-made. Such photos will help to act correctly and avoid errors during the installation process.

The success of the business primarily depends on what materials and what tools the frame and quality are made of. Therefore, due attention should be paid to the issue of tools for labor.

Drywall for the arch

Important Purchases

1. To realize the plan and make an arch in the apartment at the proper level, you will need:
2. or electric jigsaw.
3. Marking pencil.
4. Roulette for measurements.
5. Scissors that cut metal.
6. Self-tapping screws and dowels should also be stocked in sufficient quantities.
7. A tool such as a screwdriver is necessary for high-quality installation of the structure.
8. A knife that is used as a stationery.
9. Sandpaper is also needed to level the surfaces.
10. Plasterboard sheets of the required size.

Required Tools and work material

How to take measurements

Another important step in the process of installing drywall arches are measurements. It depends on them:

• The amount of materials needed to implement the idea.
• How much money will be needed to purchase raw materials, to install a plasterboard arch in the opening between rooms in a house or apartment.
• How correct the shape of the structure will be.
• Which frame under the plasterboard arch to install for maximum stability.

Measurements for installing a drywall arch are carried out as follows:

• First, the dimensions of the length and width of the vertical frame are determined.
• The next step is to measure the upper part of the arched opening.

The dimensions of the arches depending on the width doorways

• If the design is non-standard, then it is better to measure step by step, carefully measuring each segment, in which the arch will be placed in the future.

Step-by-step measurement of the place where to install the arch

cutting drywall

To make the required sheets for creating a drywall arch, they should be cut out, clearly adhering to the parameters of the previously made measurements. To get the perfect arch, you need to understand what materials can be used in the process of cutting strips of the required diameter.

Drywall cutting occurs according to the parameters of the design data

materials

To mark and cut strips required size you can use the following tools:

• Roulette, ruler, level. These tools will help make the layout of the GKL.

Construction marking tools

• Construction knife. Cutting a profile with such a tool requires some skills, so if a person has never done such work with his own hands, it is better to prefer another drywall cutting tool.
• A hacksaw is also used. How to do this, the video of a given topic will tell.
• Electric jigsaw. Having given preference to such a tool, everyone will understand how to use it himself. This device can be, which has non-standard rounded shapes. The jigsaw blade allows you to cut a model that will not require additional profile adjustments after the job is completed.

Drywall Cutting Tools

• Via electric drill it is possible to carry out even the most sophisticated works. With this tool you can create the most different designs for an arch in the space of a house or apartment. With the help of the device, non-standard shapes are cut out, with which the interior design will become extraordinary.
• A planer will be needed to give a complete look. You can perform work at the stage when the structure is in the opening.

Read also

Installation of the arch frame for drywall

Methods for cutting drywall

There are several types of cutting drywall sheets, allowing everyone to install with their own hands, in the hallway, living room, picking up necessary way personally for yourself:

Standard drywall cutting is done in a straight line
curly cutting is used when cutting non-standard shapes

The names themselves speak for themselves. Nevertheless, it is worth understanding the features and nuances of each of the cutting methods.

Standard cutting

If an arch is planned to be installed in the former doorway regular style, without additional bends and geometric shapes, then you can use the standard cutting method. This type of preparation of sheets for the implementation of the procedure for arranging an arched structure is performed in a certain order. Step-by-step instruction of actions, the following:

• Marking a sheet with a pencil or other writing object.

• Then a long ruler is applied to the drywall sheet, and along it it is necessary to cut the drywall plate with the selected tool.

• If you get any flaws, you can treat the surface with sandpaper or. It all depends on how noticeable the bumps are.

This method can cut rectangular or square pieces of drywall.

Curly cutting

Interior arches can have intricate and unusual shapes and sizes. To do the job beautifully, you need to know the details and nuances of the process of cutting drywall sheets. In order to avoid errors, it is better to have in front of you a photo of the design that will be installed in the doorway.

For correct cutting drywall constructions will also need step-by-step instruction. She is next:

First, as with standard cutting, they start with markings.

It is necessary to make markings for the drywall thread

The next step is choosing a tool for the job. Most often for figured cutting of drywall use:

• Electric drill with a cylindrical nozzle. This device makes round holes. At the same time, you don’t even have to markup, because a special nozzle will help to make a circle that is perfect in shape. And it doesn’t matter at all whether the owner of the house has done similar procedures before or not, experience is not necessary for such activities.

• An electric jigsaw will help cut out elements of various shapes, not only round ones. Any geometric solutions will be translated into reality, so very soon a wonderful design made of lightweight material will appear in the doorway, that is, in its former place.

• Hacksaw for drywall materials. This tool will help you cut any geometric figures and small parts from drywall. Using a hacksaw, special attention must be paid to marking the drywall sheet and drawing the contours of the future product or sheet that will be attached to the frame.

• Knife and hammer. These tools can be used in the absence of professional instruments.

After the desired sheet is cut out, irregularities are removed on it.

Installation of a metal frame

When all the profile cutting procedures are completed, they begin to attach the sheets to the frame. This issue should be approached responsibly, because it depends on what will be appearance arches upon completion of work.

The frame is one of the most important parts. From how well the design is made when fixing the profile, regardless of how much the material costs and what is the price of the tools purchased for installation, the most important thing is correctness and clarity in work. In order to carry out the necessary manipulations, in a coordinated manner, one should correctly measure the height and length in the opening where the arch is planned.

This is what it looks like metal carcass arches

It is also very important, when a frame is made for a drywall arch in a corridor, hallway, kitchen or rooms, to take into account the weight of the structure. Thanks to this, it is possible to clearly determine which beams are needed in terms of complexity and strength.

The following details must be taken into account:

• They are reinforced with or with screws, the length of which is selected based on the thickness of the wall and the frame itself.

Metal frame fastening

• If an uneven arch with bends is planned, it is enough to make cuts on metal beams. After that, they can be bent and create the desired shape.

10710 0 0

How to make a drywall arch - 5 steps for making an arched doorway

By doing overhaul in his apartment, for sure, every homeowner has a desire to radically change the interior design that has bothered for many years in better side. From my own experience, I can say that just a banal plywood wallpaper or painting the ceiling and walls is unlikely to radically change the environment.

As an original addition to the visual cosmetic repairs, I propose to completely remove the interior doors, and instead leave an open arched doorway of an asymmetric or classic semicircular shape. To help the reader cope with this simple job, later in this article I will talk about how to make a drywall arch with my own hands for a short time without significant financial outlay.

The choice of the shape of the arched opening

The integration of a semicircular or figured arch into an existing doorway does not imply a violation of the integrity of the interior walls, and does not require redevelopment of the apartment, therefore it does not have any effect on the load-bearing capacity building structures and the whole house as a whole.

At the same time, such a solution will allow you to get rid of annoying rectangular doors, help to visually increase the usable area of ​​\u200b\u200bhousing, and get an updated visual perception of the surrounding space.

Starting with the next section, step-by-step instructions for making arches will be described here, but first I want to offer several options for the size and shape of the arch for an interior doorway:

1. The classic symmetrical arch with a semicircular vault is considered a universal option.. It is quite simple to manufacture, and is well suited for opening any narrow single-leaf interior door;

1. The arched opening in the Art Nouveau style has a similar shape, but it has a large arc radius, since it is based not on a circle, but on an oval or ellipse. Due to the low height of the vault, this shape is well suited for wide openings from double doors in the living room, in the hall or hallway;
2. Gothic interior plasterboard arches have the same design, but differ from the two previous options the presence of a sharp top in an oval or semicircular vault;
3. A semi-arch of an irregular asymmetric shape can have almost any arch configuration, and is most often used for narrow doorways in the kitchen or in the hallway. This option is considered the most economical, since its manufacture will require the least amount of materials;

1. The openwork arch is complex structure, in which, in addition to the entrance opening itself, there are decorative through or blind openings small size intended solely for decoration. This option is usually installed in the doorway in place of double or four-leaf entrance doors to the living room or bedroom;
2. A multi-level arch most often has an original author's design, which is developed strictly individually, in accordance with the conceptual style of the apartment and the personal preferences of the homeowners. Most often, this option is distinguished by smooth curved lines and the presence of curly decorative elements, which can be located on different levels relative to each other.

When choosing an arch shape for self-manufacturing, you should be guided not only by your imagination or beautiful pictures from interior design magazines. To get a high-quality end result, for the first time, I advise you to choose an option that will match your practical skills and financial capabilities.

Stage 1. Preparation and marking of the doorway

First of all, you need to draw a preliminary sketch of the doorway on paper or on a computer, on which the shape of the future arch should be clearly drawn. For relax further work, in addition to the general sketch, I recommend depicting the projection of the finished arch in three planes, indicating all the necessary dimensions.

You need to take measurements from a clean doorway in the light, therefore, to begin with, you will have to perform simple preparatory work:

1. Before you make an arch from drywall yourself, you must completely dismantle the old interior door, together with decorative platbands and wooden box;

1. If, after removing the platbands and the box, significant potholes, large chips, cracks or other construction defects are found on the end surface of the wall or door slopes, they must be leveled and puttied cement-sand mortar or putty building mix for interior work;
2. If the doorway after the construction of the house has an irregular shape, crooked slopes or indirect littered internal corners, they also need to be leveled with a cement-sand mortar;

1. After the putty mortar has dried, it is necessary to measure the width of the doorway in two places: one measurement is made at the very top, and the second is 500-600 mm lower;
2. At the beginning of the rounding of the arch of the future arch, put a mark on the end of the wall, and measure the distance from it to the horizontal upper plane of the opening. This size will be considered its height;
3. Before making an oblique arch, the marks on the right and left sides must be placed at different distances from the top of the opening, because in this case, the height of the arch on the right and left sides will not be the same;
4. On the vertical side ends of the wall, and on the horizontal upper slope, at a distance of 13-14 mm from the edge of the wall, two parallel lines must be drawn on each side. They will serve as marks for installing a metal frame.

All drywall sheets are produced according to a single standard, according to which they can have a thickness of 9 mm or 13 mm. For sheathing the frontal planes of the door arch, I advise using sheets with a thickness of 13 mm, so all markings for installing the supporting frame must be performed based on this value.

Stage 2. Installation of the supporting frame

The supporting frame for interior plasterboard construction is usually made of galvanized metal profile or wooden bars with a cross section of at least 50x50 mm. Considering that our drywall arch will have rounding and radius shapes, a metal profile is best suited for its manufacture, although wooden blocks can be dispensed with in straight sections.

For single-leaf doorways with thin interior walls, I recommend using a galvanized CD-type frame profile, which has a height of 27 mm, a width of 62 mm, and a whip length of 3000 mm. If the arch will have a width of more than 1500 mm, then for its manufacture it is better to use a more powerful rack profile of the “CW” type, the dimensions of which are 40x75x3000 mm.

1. Regardless of the option chosen, the manufacture of arches must begin with the installation of upper horizontal guides. To do this, two profiles must be cut off from a whole whip, the length of which must be equal to the width of the doorway;

1. Next, you need to cut four more profiles, the length of which should be equal to the height of the arch. They must be fixed vertically, one on each side of the end of the doorway;
2. Each vertical profile should be fixed on the inside of the drawn vertical marking line. After installation, you need to check that the distance between the front plane of each profile and the frontal plane of the wall is strictly equal to 13-14 mm;
3. For attaching straight profiles to concrete or brick wall it is best to use plastic dowels 6x30 mm in size and galvanized self-tapping screws with a wide hat 4.2x25 mm in size;
4. To make a curly arch, I advise you to prepare a template in advance. It can be cut from a large sheet of rigid packaging corrugated cardboard, an unnecessary piece of fiberboard or thin;

1. The width of the template should be equal to the width of the doorway, and the upper part should exactly repeat the semicircle, semi-oval, or other curly configuration of the vault of the future arch;
2. To make the frame of the radius part of the arch with your own hands, you need to take two identical pieces of drywall profile. They must be cut with a small margin in length.(300-500 mm more than the length of the arc on the template), and after bending and final fitting, precisely cut to the desired size;
3. The straightness and rigidity of the plasterboard metal profile is ensured by two longitudinal side ribs. In order to bend the lower profiles along the desired radius, and give them the correct arcuate shape, many radial cuts must be made on the side ribs to the very base;

1. Profiles with cut side ribs must be bent to a given radius, and then cut to length exactly to the size of the doorway. It is convenient to do this by attaching them to the template, while you need to make sure that both profiles have exactly the same bending configuration;
2. After that, each curved profile must be fixed at two points to the lowest part of the vertical guides that are installed at the end of the doorway;
3. To combine the entire frame into a single integral structure, the radius profiles can be interconnected with short transverse jumpers. In addition, it is necessary to install several vertical jumpers between the upper horizontal and lower arcuate profile;
4. To connect the profiles to each other, three types of fasteners are used: short self-tapping screws for metal with a hat in a sweat, steel rivets, or a special punching tool that punches a hole in the walls of two profiles, and then wraps the punched metal in different directions.

In shops building materials you can find a ready-made metal profile for curved drywall structures. It is a conventional frame profile with cutouts and notches on the side stiffeners, due to which it can easily bend along the desired radius or take any curvilinear shape.
Its price slightly exceeds the cost of a straight frame profile, so if there is such an opportunity, it is better to buy such a profile for the manufacture of a radius arch.

Stage 3. Cutting and preparing drywall

The appearance and aesthetic properties of the finished arch will largely depend on how well the radius parts of the front plasterboard panels are cut. To cut a symmetrical semi-circle, semi-oval, or non-symmetrical arc, I recommend using one of three methods. Regardless of the method chosen, the first thing to do on a sheet of drywall is to draw a rectangle.

Its width should correspond to the width of the opening, and its height should be equal to the height of the future arch.

1. If we make a drywall arch of a symmetrical semicircular shape, then for drawing regular semicircle you will need to make a simple impromptu compass.

• To do this, you need to find the center of the bottom side of the drawn rectangle, and tighten a small self-tapping screw at this point;
• Tie a thin nylon thread to the self-tapping screw, and tie a pencil or a thin marker to the other end of the thread;
• The distance from the center of the self-tapping screw to the writing unit of the marker should be equal to half the width of the arch minus 14 mm;
• After making sure that the length of the thread strictly corresponds to the calculated size, you need to attach the marker to the bottom line on one side of the rectangle;
• After that, pull the thread slightly, and draw the marker in an arc to the bottom line on the other side of the rectangle. As a result, a symmetrical semicircular arch will be drawn on the drywall sheet.

1. To draw a symmetrical semi-oval or part of an ellipse correct form, it is most convenient to use a flexible elastic guide. It can be a long metal ruler, a thin wooden rail, a narrow plastic profile or water pipe:

• On both sides of the drawn rectangle, on the bottom side, you need to put marks at a distance of 14 mm from each edge;
• Attach one end of the guide to one mark, bend it along the desired radius, and also attach the second end to the other mark;
• In this position, it must be fixed motionless, so I recommend doing this work with one, and even better with two assistants;
• While two people hold the guide on both sides, a third person must make sure that it describes a symmetrical regular arc, and draw a line along it from one edge to the other of the bottom side of the rectangle.

1. For those who are interested in how to make a semi-arc of arbitrary irregular shape in order to draw an asymmetrical curvilinear line on a drywall sheet, I advise you to use the existing template.

• As in the previous case, one mark must be placed on the underside of the drawn rectangle at a distance of 14 mm from its edges;
• Attach the arched side of the template to the set marks, and draw a curved line along it with a thin marker.

Gypsum board can be cut with a sharp construction knife, however, for a neat cut along the radius line, it is best to use an electric jigsaw and a wood file with a slight set of teeth. In order to prevent the edge of the sheet from chipping, before cutting any part out of drywall, I advise you to stick a wide strip of paper masking tape on the cut line.

Stage 4. Assembly of the arched structure

After both front panels are cut, they need to be combined with each other, and check how they fit together. Ideally they should be exactly the same., therefore, if there is any discrepancy between them, then it is better to immediately eliminate it with a knife, a coarse file or a coarse-grained emery cloth. After leveling the front panels, you can start sewing the supporting frame with drywall.

1. Each front panel must be installed at the same level in its place in the doorway, and fixed along the entire perimeter and in the middle to the metal profile using self-tapping screws in the recess, in increments of 100-120 mm;
2. When installing, make sure that the front plane of each panel is flush with the plane of the wall. If the front panel is slightly recessed, then there is nothing to worry about, it can then be leveled with putty. The main thing is that she does not come forward anywhere, beyond the dimensions of the doorway;

1. Further instructions will help you make a curly arch from a drywall strip, in one of two ways. In both cases, first you need to cut off a strip of drywall. Its length must necessarily be 100-200 mm longer than maximum length arches of the arch, and the width should be equal to the distance between the front panels;
2. In the first case, the strip must be laid on a flat surface, bottom side up., and roll with a certain force with a spiked roller so that the needles pierce upper layer thick cardboard. If there is no such roller, you can evenly apply many small, barely noticeable notches to the lower plane with a sharp knife;
3. The perforated side of the drywall should be moistened with plenty of water using foam sponge, and lean against a vertical wall at an angle of 50-45 °. Under the action of water, the gypsum filler will begin to soften, and the strip will gradually take on a curved shape;

1. After some time (20-25 minutes), when the water is absorbed, the strip must be carefully placed on the floor, moisten the top layer again with water, then lean against the wall again and leave it alone for another 40-60 minutes;
2. After the strip becomes sufficiently plastic, it must be carefully attached with self-tapping screws to the sweat on both sides to the arc-shaped metal profiles;
3. You need to start fastening from the middle, and gradually move towards the edges, mirroring the screws, then from the right, then from the left side of the arch. To prevent the formation of creases and edges, the pitch between the screws should be no more than 80 mm;
4. The second method makes it easy to bend the drywall dry, but in this case, small chopped edges form on the surface of the strip, which will later need to be additionally puttied;

1. Before installation, the strip must be laid on a flat hard surface with the front side down, and on reverse side with a sharp knife, make deep transverse cuts to about the middle of the drywall thickness;
2. In order to achieve uniform bending, the notches must be located strictly perpendicular to the center line of the strip, strictly parallel to each other, and at the same distance between them;
3. The finished strip must be applied to the arch of the arch with cuts upwards, and, just as in the first case, starting from the middle, fasten it to the arcuate profiles with the help of self-tapping screws.

Though wet way bending drywall, at first glance it may seem more complicated, I recommend using it, because in this case a uniform arc without creases, a regular rounded shape, which requires almost no further refinement, is immediately obtained.

Stage 5. Preparation for finishing

Immediately after door arch it will be made of drywall with your own hands, it may seem ridiculous and scary, but you should not be upset, because after the completion of the preparatory and finishing work, it will take on a completely different appearance.

1. First of all, it is necessary to cut off with a sharp knife all the protruding corners and irregularities at the ends of the drywall parts, and then process them with coarse-grained emery cloth, fixed in a special holder or on a flat wooden block;

1. In those places where drywall parts are joined together at a right angle, it is necessary to fix perforated metal or plastic corners on small self-tapping screws. They cover all the bumps and cracks, allow you to get the perfect right angle, and also provide additional strength of the corner joint;
2. At the junctions of two adjacent parts that are in the same plane, as well as at the junctions of the front panels with the plane of the main wall, you need to stick fiberglass reinforcing mesh, which is also called sickle in another way;

1. All self-tapping screws, joints, corners and cracks must be puttied in such a way that no reinforcing mesh, no corners, no joints, no fixing screws are visible on the surface. I advise you to use an acrylic drywall putty for this, which is sold completely ready for use;
2. After the first layer of putty has hardened, the arch must be sanded with a medium-grained emery cloth. At this stage, some irregularities or other defects will definitely appear, so after preliminary grinding it will have to be puttied again;
3. After the final drying of the second layer of putty, the surface must be sanded with a finer sandpaper, and after making sure that there are no defects, cover with one layer of a penetrating primer for drywall.

If you bent drywall in a dry way, then to eliminate broken edges, the upper curved vault of the arch will need to be covered with a continuous layer starting putty for drywall. After drying, it will need to be sanded, and topped with another layer of finishing putty.

Conclusion

In this article, I fully talked about how to make a drywall arch in a doorway with my own hands, and deliberately did not mention a word about finishing. The thing is that the appearance and design of the arch should generally correspond to the concept of interior design. Therefore, the materials and method of decorative finishes, the owner of the home must choose for himself, based on his own tastes and personal preferences. To consolidate the knowledge gained, I suggest watching the video in this article, and if readers have questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comment form.

October 1, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

If you have planned the transformation of your home, then do not rush to break the walls, knead the mortar and bring in the bricks. These hard and dirty work can be successfully replaced by the construction of plasterboard structures. Currently, drywall or plasterboard is the most popular material for interior decoration. Thanks to him, you can make antique columns or pilasters, two and three-tier ceilings, decorate an opening in the form of an arch, and much more. In this article, we will talk about how to make a drywall arch with your own hands. The information presented in it will help you understand what the task is and how to implement it.

For many years drywall has been used for finishing works in the minimum time. Its demand among consumers is explained by a number of positive properties:

High level of noise absorption.

• Thermal neutrality.
• Environmental friendliness.
• No unpleasant odor.
• Ability to maintain optimal humidity conditions.

Note! GKL is based on a gypsum mixture with additives, and with outside parties it is pasted over with high-strength paper.

Before you make an arch, you should draw a drawing of it, as well as an estimate of materials. It is also important to choose the right type of GKL. The material is produced under different brands depending on its size and purpose:

1. GKL with a thickness of 12.5 mm, a width of 1200 mm and a length of 2000 mm is the standard version of drywall, which is in the greatest demand.
2. GKL 6–8 mm thick is used for the manufacture of curved structures, for example, arches complex shape.
3. VGKL is an abbreviation for moisture-resistant drywall used in rooms with high humidity e.g. in the bathroom and kitchen.
4. GKLO is the designation of refractory drywall.
5. GKLVO is a moisture resistant / fireproof drywall.

Before you start the process of building an arch from GKL, decide on its design. It depends on how the door arch and the sequence of technical work will ultimately look.

Arches are of the following types:

1. Symmetrical domes are classics of the genre. They are easy to make, and such designs will fit into absolutely any interior, regardless of the style of its implementation.
2. Asymmetrical with off center. This is an economy option. Such arches are universal and will also find their place in any interior concept.
3. Gothic arches are made in the form of spiers that converge in the central parts of the structures at a small plane angle.
4. Multilevel - their construction requires skills in working with GKL.
5. Openwork - their feature is the presence through holes walking along the line of the doorway.

Note! Before deciding on a design, make sure your doorway is at least two meters high. arched structure will lower the opening by some distance and therefore it is important that it is high enough initially.

First, take measurements of the width and height of the doorway. As mentioned above, its height must be at least 2 m. The width of the arch will be equal to the width of the opening. Measure it and cut it in half. This figure will help you to make a perfect semicircle in the future.

Note! The walls must be strictly vertical. This can be checked using building level. Otherwise, the arch will look ridiculous. If necessary, you can level the bumps with putty or plaster.

Before starting work, you should collect all the necessary equipment. From the materials you will need:

• GKL with a thickness of 6.5 mm and 12 mm.
• Guide U-shaped profiles: for straight elements, a rack profile 60 × 27 mm, for an arch contour - a guide profile 28 × 27 mm.
• Short self-tapping screws for metal and special ones designed for fixing plasterboards.
• Wood screws and nylon dowels for installing the frame on the walls.
• To strengthen the edge of the arch - arched reinforced corners.

Note! The calculation of the amount of materials is carried out based on the size of the arch.

A set of tools should immediately be at hand when carrying out work, so prepare in advance:

• metal scissors;
• drill with a bat / screwdriver ;
• pencil and tape measure;
• sharp knife;
• building level;
• jigsaw;
• perforator with a drill.

This article will consider two types of frame and their installation - metal and wood. This will allow you to choose best option designs.

To make a wooden frame for a plasterboard arch, you should purchase wooden blocks and plywood. Then take measurements of the doorway, subtract the thickness of plywood and drywall from it. So, you will be able to determine the thickness of the wooden bars. After that, you will need to draw an arc of the future arch on the plywood.

It's easy to do. Mark the middle of the plywood sheet and the height of the arch. Screw a self-tapping screw into the lower center point of the plywood, tie a rope to it along the height of the arch, and tie a pencil to the end. Draw a line with a pencil. After, along this line, you can cut out the shape of the arch, using an electric jigsaw in this process.

Next, using self-tapping screws 5 cm long, fasten the bars on the plywood, which will play the role of the frame of the structure. After that, fix the arch in the doorway with long self-tapping screws. The frequency of screwing screws - every 15 cm.

Note! By the same principle, another part of the arch frame should be made. After that, the structure must be sheathed with GKL. In this case, drywall is fixed with self-tapping screws for plasterboard.

Metal carcass. step by step

Below is a step-by-step instruction for making a frame from guide profiles:

1. After measuring the opening, measure the same width of drywall. Cut it off. Draw a knife along the marked line 2-3 times, turn the sheet over and break it along the cut, cut off the excess. To make the edge even, apply a level / rule / profile to it when marking. Two identical sheets should be prepared.
2. Lay the sheet on the floor, make a mark in the center and draw a vertical line. A few centimeters above the bottom edge of the intended line, screw in the self-tapping screw. Now you need to prepare a cord equal to the height of the arch + loop allowances. Attach a pencil to one loop, and tie the other to a self-tapping screw. This way you will be able to draw the radius of the arch. It is better not to make a sharp bend, otherwise you may have problems installing the arched drywall.
3. Cut drywall along the radius. Then place another blank under the already cut sheet, circle the radius contour. Cut along the curve. This can be done with a jigsaw / hacksaw with a fine tooth.
4. Now you should cut off the guide profile. To do this, use scissors for metal. These profiles will serve as a frame for fixing the drywall in the opening.
5. The guides are attached 1.5 cm from the edge of the wall. This is due to the thickness of the GCR - 1.2 cm + a few millimeters arched corner. When mounting the frame, it would be good to use 6 mm nylon dowels and wood screws - 3.5 × 41 mm.
6. Make holes with a 6 mm drill bit every 30-40 cm. The depth of the holes is about 5 cm.
7. To speed up the workflow for screwing the guides, use a screwdriver / electric screwdriver.
8. Then screw on installed frame GKL. In this case, use self-tapping screws for metal having a size of 3.2 × 25 mm. The panel is fixed to the rails every 10–15 cm. In this case, the caps of the self-tapping screws should be slightly recessed into the drywall.
9. The interior arch is already becoming more obvious. Now you should measure the circumference of the arch, and then cut the profile according to the measurements. It is required for assembly. inner frame. However, it must first be bent in the shape of an arch.
10. To bend the guide profile, cuts should be made on its edges. The frequency of cuts is every 7 cm. After these steps, the profile will easily take the shape you need.
11. The curved profile must be screwed on the back side of the drywall edge along the radius of the arch with metal screws. You should end up with two identical guides on the inside of the arch.
12. Measure the distance between the guides. In accordance with these dimensions, cut out jumpers from the rack profile. The quantity is determined by the size of the arch. Jumpers should be fixed every 10-14 cm.
13. After fixing the jumpers, measure the width and circumference of the arched bend. In accordance with this measurement, you need to cut a strip of arched plasterboard.
14. Now it's time to shape the stripe. To do this, slightly wet it with water. Go over the sheet with a notched roller and curve the drywall. Do not abuse the flexibility of a wet workpiece, so as not to render it unusable.
15. It remains to fix the curved drywall to the arch with metal screws. The distance between the screws is 5–7 cm.

Photo instruction

The steps for making a drywall arch are provided in a photo collage:

On the example of a simple symmetrical domed arch, you got acquainted with the technology of its manufacture. But what if you want to show great originality and make, for example, a structure of complex shape in the hall? To do this, you need to take into account some nuances. After reading the instructions below, you can make an arch of any shape.

• Before you think over the design of the arch, decide on the place of its installation. It will be in the corridor, in the kitchen, etc. It is important here that the arch does not deprive the house / apartment of functionality, but, on the contrary, contributes to it, gives a good mood. Now we will consider a decorative structure that is only partly an arch.
• Use a building level / plumb line to beat off the line on the wall. A wall / arch will be located along it. Install the profile along this line to the wall and ceiling. Then screw a suitable drywall sheet onto the resulting L-shaped frame.
• Draw a shape on it with a pencil. Cut along this line with a jigsaw.
• Install the second GKL in the same way. The distance from one sheet to another will depend on how thick you want to make the structure.
• A metal profile should be attached around the perimeter of the resulting shape. How to bend it was described in the previous subsection. To make the design reliable, screw the profile onto a sufficient number of metal screws.
• Now you need to sheathe the figure with a strip arched drywall. Cut the strip to the desired length. You already know how to shape this arch element from the previous subsection.

The principle of constructing a curly arch / wall is the same as the technology for manufacturing a symmetrical structure. Apply a little imagination, follow the technology described in the article and you will be able to do everything yourself.

Agree, the arch, sheathed with drywall, does not have an aesthetically attractive appearance. Therefore, it's time to start finishing the arch. First, glue all the drywall joints with fiberglass mesh. Then, in linear movements, apply several layers of putty on it and sand the surface with sandpaper of different grain sizes. You don't need any special knowledge to complete this task.

Note! To be sure, once again check the quality of the structure - its symmetry (if we are talking about a symmetrical arch), reliability and rigidity. If everything is in order, then it's time to putty the surface of the arched structure.

To do this, purchase an acrylic-based putty for interior work at a hardware store. The seams should be treated with a more durable composition. So, you can prevent the possibility of cracks at the joints. You can mix the putty until smooth with an electric drill with a special mixer nozzle. Before mixing the dry mix, read the instructions for it from the manufacturer.

Note! To make the surface smooth, without defects, make sure that there are no pieces of plaster and scraps of paper left on the arch. Treat the caps of the self-tapping screws with putty.

All small defects on drywall, such as holes and dents, fill with putty. Smooth out the unevenness, and remove the remnants of the leveling mixture with a spatula. The surface you leveled should be flush with the rest of the arch and wall. These mistakes will be very difficult to correct later. Therefore, the issue of correcting defects should be taken seriously.

When all the seams and caps of the screws have been puttied and sanded, apply a thin layer of finishing putty to the arch. After it dries, go over the surface with fine-grained sandpaper. All bends of the arch should be perfectly even, and the lines should be smooth.

You have decided to make a renovation, maximizing the living space, but you cannot demolish the load-bearing partitions. The device of arches is one of the solutions to this problem. Using a material such as drywall, you will successfully complete the work yourself in a short time.

Types and features of door arches

Before proceeding with the manufacture of the arch, you need to choose which configuration best suits the decoration, furniture and purpose of your room.

arch configurations

There are seven main types of arches that differ in the upper outlines and the shape of the angles of contact with the side vertical wall:

1. "Classic" - used for high openings in any interiors and is an arc with a radius of half the width of the opening.

   Classic arches are most often installed in long corridors or at the entrance to the kitchen.

2. "Modern" - is used for wide open openings and is distinguished by a gentle bend of the arc, the line of transition to the vertical is sharp and broken.
   

   Arches of the "Modern" type are used in rooms with a classic finish, they are installed after dismantling the window and balcony block or as an entrance to the office

3. "Romance" - the top is horizontal, the corners are rounded, the opening is wide and low.

   Arches of the "Romance" type are made in wide and low openings

4. "Elliptical" - characterized by a slight gentle bend of the top.

   The elliptical arch unites rooms where there are no height restrictions, and looks softer than "Romance"

5. "Trapezium" - according to the trapezoidal shape of the corners of the junction of the top to the side slopes.

   Trapeze configuration fits well with classic finishes

6. "Portal" - outlines in the form of an elongated rectangle.

   The Portal configuration is a long rectangle connecting rooms of low height, usually with wood paneling.

7. "Semi-arch" - one side is completely vertical, the other is made in the form of a semicircle. Often used by designers modern interiors: minimalism, hi-tech, art deco.

   The semi-arch configuration is a variation of the classic arch for low spaces.

We select a suitable configuration and evaluate it visually by cutting out and fixing the paper outline of the arch in the opening. After that, we remove it and save it for cutting.

Choosing from a variety of beautiful pictures, try to evaluate whether you can make such an arch yourself and whether your choice matches the available finances.

Preparing to make an arch

Before performing work, it is necessary to choose the right materials and tools depending on the size of the opening, the type of wall or partition and its thickness.

Material selection

To make an arch, you may need:

1. Plasterboard lining. According to the mounted frame, the arch is sheathed with plasterboard 9.5 mm thick, which provides strength, the ability to easily bend and cut out the desired shape. For work, use sheets of 1200x2500 or 1200x3000 mm in size with the following markings:
   
2. Frame. It is most often carried out from a galvanized ceiling, bearing (PN 60x27 mm) and corner (PU 27 mm) profile 2400 or 2800 mm long. There is a special arched profile that easily accepts any bend. Profiles are used for installation in all walls, except for wooden or thin partition walls, where it is preferable to use wooden bars or rails. For openings of small width, plywood can be used.

   For the manufacture of the frame, a profile for various purposes is used

3. Fasteners:
   
4. Materials for preparation for fine finishing after drywall patching. Reinforcement of joints, preventing cracking and giving strength, is performed with special pasting paper, fiberglass mesh or perforated corner. The final finishing, the elimination of seams and cracks is carried out with acrylic or gypsum putty, cleaning is performed with fine, medium and large sandpaper.
   

   For reinforcing corners and large recesses at the joints, fiberglass mesh and a perforated corner are used.

Tools required for work

According to the work being done, tools are prepared:

Opening preparation

We carry out the following preparatory work:

Video: opening opening

Do-it-yourself arch installation

We will consider the installation technology using the example of a classic type arch. Initially, we will cut drywall:

Carefully cut out the front of the skin along the drawn line with a knife or jigsaw. Then mark it and cut out the second part.

A high-quality and even cut is obtained using a jigsaw. Other tools can damage the edges. To prevent damage to the edges, before starting cutting, we stick a wide paper tape on the cutting line.

Installation of a frame from a profile

The opening most often has a geometrically irregular shape. We apply a level line on the walls of the opening, from it we mark the bottom of the frame elements and front linings to ensure alignment of the upper lining of the arch.

The method of work production is determined by the prepared profile:

1. We mount the ceiling profile, framing the top of the opening on both sides, retreating from the plane of the walls inward by the thickness of the drywall. We measure the length of the side profiles according to the cut-out front plasterboard lining.

   We mount the profile on the top of the opening

2. By the size of the length of the arc of the front lining, we cut off two pieces of the profile corner.
3. We take one of them, make parallel cuts with metal scissors to the corner of the shelf in 3–5 cm.

   We put incisions on one shelf of the corner, which will make it easy to bend the profile

4. Carefully arching, with the notched side we fasten the segment of the corner with a step of 120 mm with self-tapping screws to the arcuate edge of the drywall front part.

   Carefully bend the profile and fasten it to the cut out drywall arc

5. We only bend the second segment of the corner along it.
6. We sew the front part with a screwed corner, fastening it with self-tapping screws to the perimeter frame with a step of 120 mm.

   The front part is attached to the frame with self-tapping screws.

7. Cut jumpers from ceiling profile length equal to the thickness of the opening minus 15 millimeters, and install them every 200–250 mm.
8. At the ends of the jumpers with metal scissors, we cut off 20 mm from the rack-mount part of the profile, leaving the bottom flat part. We fasten the jumpers to the screwed corner, retreating 5 mm from the edge attached to the drywall.

   Jumpers from the profile are prepared for installation by cutting off the side rack part

9. On the second end of the jumper, we fasten the remaining curved corner with a whole shelf and mount the second front lining.

   We mount the jumpers, fix the second corner to them and fasten the second front part

Video: flexible profile for GKL

Arch profile frame

According to its characteristics, the arched profile is more plastic and stronger than the corner. It is used for fastening curved elements:

Installation of a wooden frame

With a wooden frame there are constant changes - unlike a metal frame, it reacts to seasonal deformations of the building, changes in humidity and temperature. If you sew drywall onto a wooden frame directly, over time, cracks will appear at the joints caused by deformations at the attachment points. To overcome this drawback, plywood is used as an intermediate material, which gives the structure additional rigidity, and drywall is already mounted on it. The frame is attached directly to the front of the plywood arch. The work is done in the following order:

1. We calculate the dimensions of the sheathing according to the formula 2 plasterboard thicknesses +2 plywood thicknesses.
2. From the thickness of the opening we subtract the resulting figure, we get the width of the frame bar. If it turned out more than 120 mm, which corresponds to the average width of the board, we make a frame from a double bar 40x40 with the insertion of bosses. To do this, we connect the cut bars in two with bosses every 150 mm.
3. On the cut out front surfaces of drywall, we make the same figures from plywood 3-4 mm thick.
4. We fasten them with self-tapping screws to the bars - first to the framing rectangular parts, and then to the stiffening ribs parallel to the sides - vertically, every 120 mm.

   We attach wooden bars to the front lining of the plywood arch

5. We mount plywood lining with a wooden frame at the top of the opening, deeper than the wall plane by the thickness of the plasterboard.

   We mount the frame sewn onto plywood with bosses in the opening

6. We sheathe the opposite side with the second plywood lining.
7. We check the ratio of the curved sides with a level, a building square, trim or clean it with sandpaper.

   We fasten the second front lining from plywood onto the frame

Laying communications

If the design project provides for the installation of fixtures, we lay the cable along the mounted structures to the installation site of each light source and fix it so that the end of the cable hangs over the lower plane.

The cable is attached to structures, the ends are brought out beyond the plane of the filing

After sewing on the strip and its fine finish, holes are cut out with a crown and lamps are installed.

Holes of the required diameter are cut out in the lower strip of the arch, into which lamps will subsequently be installed

Drywall installation

We sheathe the finished frames with drywall:

• made of an arched profile - on both sides according to the finished frame;
• from wooden blocks - over plywood. If there is no cut out arc in the prepared rectangles, we do it in place, focusing on the lower edge of the plywood;
• Facial linings are installed on the metal frame during its assembly.

Then we check the correspondence of the curved cutouts to each other with a level or a building corner, align them by running a grater with a fixed medium-grained sandpaper several times simultaneously along the bottom of both sides.

After sewing up the front sides, we sew drywall on the bottom of the arc:

1. We make accurate measurements of the length of the curved part of the front surface.
2. We cut out a strip of plasterboard with a length of 100 mm more than the measured distance and a width corresponding to the distance between the front surfaces.
3. We put marks on the prepared strip at the locations of the jumpers and lamps.
4. We drill holes for the lamps.

We sheathe the arcuate bottom with this strip, doing the work in one of two ways:

1. “Dry” - we make parallel cuts every 50 mm for half the thickness of the sheet and fasten to the frame from the center of the arc with self-tapping screws in increments of 100 mm.

   We make cuts on one side of the lining, bend the strip and fix it

2. "Wet":
   • with a special roller with needles, we pass the side without marking several times. In the absence of a roller, randomly over the entire surface with a knife, we make shallow cuts 20–30 mm long every 15 mm;

     We apply punctures in a strip of drywall with a special roller

   • if possible, we make a U-shaped box of boards according to the size of the opening;
   • wet the treated side with a sponge with water;

     To obtain an accurate and even bend, the strip must be laid on a pre-assembled box.

   • after 40 minutes, we fasten the finally curved strip from the center of the arc onto self-tapping screws;
   • trim off excess length.

In the absence of a box, you can lean the strip against the wall with the wet side down, and after the start of the bend, re-moisten it.

The wet bending method is more difficult, but it gives a more even surface, on which it is only necessary to putty the screws.

Video: how to bend the bottom strip of the stitching

Making vaults by gluing

Work is possible on a partition of medium thickness:

Pre-finishing

Perforated corner is installed at the joints of drywall for reinforcement

We knead small portions of putty - acrylic or gypsum-based.

We apply it with a spatula to the junction of drywall with the main walls and smooth it out, comparing the surfaces. With a significant depth of irregularities, putty is applied 2-3 times, waiting for the applied layer to dry.

With a large depth of irregularities, the putty is applied in several layers

We putty hats of self-tapping screws, joints, glued paper, perforated corner.

Having closed the existing seams, potholes and strengthened the reinforcing materials, we leave the coating to dry.

After drying, carefully clean all the irregularities with medium-grained sandpaper, trying not to damage the reinforcing layer.

Rinse the surface with a damp sponge.

We apply a thin layer of finishing putty, eliminate irregularities.

After drying, smooth again with medium-grained sandpaper, wipe with a sponge.

After each layer of putty has dried, the surface is polished with medium-grained sandpaper.

We apply the last, third thin continuous layer, trying not to scratch the surface with a spatula.

Let dry for 12 hours.

We grind the surface.

In the absence of a reinforcing corner and paper, after applying the first layer of putty, we unwind a roll of fiberglass mesh of the required width, cut off the desired length, pressing it with a spatula, fix it on the corner, cut the wrinkles of the mesh on an arcuate surface and wind its ends on top of each other.

Glue the mesh to the corner on a layer of putty

If the bend was made dry, there will most likely be slight kinks from the notches.. In this case, for alignment, we additionally apply another continuous layer. acrylic putty. After drying, we grind and apply a finishing putty.

We also independently changed the door to an arch in our old-plan apartment. The first difficulty was that the entrance to the hall with double door 1600x3000 mm was located on the corner, close to the front door. A large open opening into a small room, where they enter in street shoes and clothes, did not suit. After lengthy disputes, we decided that we were making a semi-arch in a semicircle to entrance doors to build a blank wall into the corridor. Height - 2500 mm, arch radius - 1500 mm. The opening above the mark of 2500 mm and 1000 mm from the floor from the side of the arc is sewn up tightly, and in the rest of the space we make a glass colored stained-glass window. The old partition was made of double-shingled board and plastered, the thickness of the opening was only 90 mm. They framed the entire old opening with a planed rail 60x10mm on all sides, above 2540 mm they made a frame out of it for a blind wall lining. We bought an arched metal profile 3000 mm long. A quarter of a circle with a radius of 1500 mm was drawn on the old cardboard packaging from the refrigerator. A profile was bent along it and installed in place, securing it to upper frame under the lining of the wall. At a height of 1000 mm from the floor, a side frame was completed from the rail for the wall lining, fixed to the profile and the rail on the opening. According to the measurements of the frames and the drawn quarter of the circle, the upper and lower linings were cut out of drywall and fixed to the frames with self-tapping screws. We measured the remaining uncovered profile, and according to it and the drawing of the semicircle, we marked and cut out arc linings from drywall 60 mm high, aligned with the profile at the bottom of the arc. Pieces of 15 mm long were cut from a 60 mm rail, fixed to a bent profile after 150 mm. The side plasterboard linings were fixed to the profile. Then bought 6 corners for tiling and 3 plastic panels the same color under the beech. All openings and the bottom of the arc were paneled with the help of tile corners. Before that, they made a full putty and alignment of the plasterboard linings with the wall, pasting the joints with fiberglass mesh. In order for the putty to lay flat, I advise you to do a full drywall primer with an acrylic composition. Finishing touch- purchase of a beech-colored plastic holder rail for glass, sticking it on liquid nails and glazing. The only thing I regret is that after the exchange of the apartment, the hard drive on the computer burned out and there were no photos of the resulting miracle, which I am proud of.

fine finish

There are many design solutions fine finish. Take your time to look at them. When making the final choice, have complete confidence that you will be able to do the work yourself and master the financial issues. After that, boldly embody your fantasies. You will succeed.

Video: do-it-yourself drywall arch

Craft archway do-it-yourself is quite real. It is important to work carefully and know what you want to get as a result.