By removing swing doors, the owners increase the usable area. The device instead of them drywall arch - the easiest and most affordable option.

Types of arched structures - choose for your apartment

Drywall arches are created in a variety of shapes, differing mainly in the upper part. Many styles have been developed - from the simplest to the most complex. We will focus on those that even people without special skills can do. Having mastered the basics of creating arched openings, you can move on to more sophisticated designs.

One of the popular styles is classic with a strict top shape. This is a semicircle with a radius equal to half the width of the doorway. It looks good in an apartment of sufficient height when the doorway is at least 2.5 m. Suitable for any interior, but the best use is the entrance to the kitchen or a long corridor.

The portal, close to the classical style, only has a strict rectangular shape along the entire height. The option is ideal for wooden houses, apartments with clear horizontal and vertical lines. Right angles in this design look elegant. Often they give additional originality with carved wooden decorative elements.

The style of the classic semicircular arch is practically preserved in the elliptical one. Its vault is performed at different heights. Formula: the height of the vault is half the width, does not apply. Ideal for apartments with low ceilings.

An even more simplified vault is characteristic of the romantic style. The masters gave her the name "with rounded corners." The shape allows you to create designs of large width and relatively low. Ideal for decorating the passage to the balcony connected to the room.

The top of the Art Nouveau arch has a small radius of curvature, a sharp transition at the junction with the vertical parts. Looks good in rooms with a simple design. Often installed instead of a door to a balcony or office.

Trapezoidal shape attracts supporters of non-standard design. The asymmetrical interior arch also emphasizes the original taste of the owners. A popular form of recent times is the semi-arch. One side of it is semicircular, the other remains straight. Fits into modern styles of minimalism, hi-tech, art decor.

The shape and design should be consistent with the overall design. The width of the arch, the height of the room are taken into account. Before making the arch, we determine the parameters, especially those relating to the radius of curvature. Classic is suitable for apartments with ceilings from three meters. For arches in place of standard doorways, rounded corners are recommended. A wide opening is best designed in modern style.

Tip: in order to visually assess how the door arch will fit into the interior, we make a template and apply it to the doorway.

Preparation - project, materials, opening, installation of profiles

We start with a project that we draw to scale. We outline the location, the type of arch. We indicate the dimensions and all the distinguishing features. It is even better to make a template that will help for further work, especially for a novice master.

In the work you will need tools: a puncher with a drill, a screwdriver or a drill, a jigsaw, a drywall knife, a hammer. For measurements, you need a tape measure, a level. We fasten everything with self-tapping screws, if the opening is brick - with dowels. We purchase UD and CD profiles from materials. For a wooden frame, you will need pieces of timber. We buy drywall for ordinary rooms simple, for places with high humidity - moisture resistant.

Next, we prepare the doorway: we dismantle the canvas and the box. Depending on the intended size, you may need to expand the space. Plastering the sidewalls is not worth it: everything will be covered with sheets of drywall. We remove the exfoliated plaster, align the side parts. We do not achieve an ideally vertical state: it is important that the sidewalls are more or less even for reliable fastening of the profile rails.

If we plan the backlight, we bring the wiring in advance. On uneven walls, the depth of the arch is determined by the greatest thickness. All measurements are carried out in several places, so as not to be mistaken. The arched arch takes up to 15 cm, and the distance to the ceiling is required at least 20. Do not forget about this when calculating and marking the arch.

We cut two pieces of a metal profile along the width of the arch. Four more will be needed for the sidewalls. Their length is equal to the height minus the thickness of the profile rail. For installation on a concrete or brick wall, we make holes with a perforator, install dowels, fasten the profiles with self-tapping screws. For fastening to wooden walls, we do without dowels, we use self-tapping screws 50 mm long.

We retreat from the plane of the wall to a distance equal to the thickness of the drywall. For plaster, add another 2 mm. After 50 cm, we install reinforcing crossbars that reach from below to the place where the upper arcuate piece of drywall will join the sidewalls. To fix the arcuate element, you will need to install additional profiles, but at this stage we do not mount them. We have a base to which we will attach the skin.

Mounting an arch is the main way to create any structures

For some reason, for many, the arcuate part causes special difficulty. You can read a lot of instructions for its manufacture with calculations and formulas. Maybe math lovers use them, but in practice everything turns out much easier, you don’t need to remember the school course.

We take a piece of plasterboard, equal in width to the doorway, from which we will cut an arc. You will need a straight, better wooden rail, at one end of which we drive in a carnation. On the sheet we find the middle, draw a line. For a classic arch, from the second end of the rail, we also drive in a carnation at a length from the first, equal to half the width of the arch.

Along the centerline, we retreat from the top of the sheet so that the top nail is at its edge, and the bottom one is pressed into the drywall. We have a kind of circle. We take the planks by the top and draw a semicircle, leaving a trail from the top stud. We have outlined the dimensions of the upper part of the classic arch. If you need an oval one, move the lower point down along the axis, as much as you want to reduce the height, and outline the cut line.

Cut out the arc along the outlined outline. We do this with a drywall or metal file. You can use a jigsaw, but there is a lot of dust from it. An uneven cut, which may turn out, is leveled with sandpaper, ensuring that the curve comes out in perfect shape.

We perform further actions in the following sequence:

1. 1. Using self-tapping screws, we fasten a rectangle with a cut-out arc to the frame. On the opposite side, we temporarily screw the same one.
2. 2. We take a square, apply it to an unmarked sheet and draw points with a pencil that correspond to the cut out arc. We make them larger in order to draw the most accurate curve on them.
3. 3. We remove the cut of the sheet and draw a line along the points. We cut off the excess and set the second arc to a permanent place.

A copy of the first arc should not be made: asymmetry is not ruled out, so installing a second sheet with an absolute match of the contours is problematic.

We take a trowel so that its width is enough for two sheets, and align them. Then we set profiles between them. They need to be bent. We make cuts on the sidewalls with scissors, bend, adjust in place. We fix it with screws to drywall, holding the rail with a bar so as not to injure our fingers. We expose the back of the profile rail at the same level with the edge of the arcuate element.

Having attached both strips, we install jumpers between them. We cut the profile into pieces with a length that is 1 cm less than the depth of the arch. In the places where the jumpers are attached to the installed profile, we cut out the sidewalls from the inside and install the prepared fragments. Jumpers give the necessary rigidity.

Next, we mount the sidewalls on both sides. The arc also needs to be closed with drywall. To do this, you have to bend it. To the ignorant, this may seem impossible, because they are convinced that the standard GKL is both fragile and rigid - it does not want to bend, it breaks. How to give it the desired bend, speech ahead.

Drywall technology - how bends are made

For surfaces with curved lines, thin drywall is available. You can buy a sheet and set the required segment. But the logic turns on: why buy a whole one if you need a small piece, which is full of purchased sheets of standard thickness? In general, everything is correct: a thick sheet can also be bent.

Usually a simple and fast method is used. The cut-to-size workpiece is laid on a flat surface with the right side up. We take a square and after 10 cm across we draw lines with a pencil. We make cuts along them, approximately ⅔ of the thickness. The square is not mandatory, but desirable: along the parallel, the bend will turn out to be of better quality. For arches with large bends, this method is most suitable.

We turn the workpiece with cuts up, apply it to the arch. We fix the upper part with screws. From the center we gradually move to the end. We screw in the screws every 10 cm on both sides. The effort required is small, the sequence is mirrored. We do everything gradually, slowly, then the GKL will bend almost perfectly.

For those who do not like or do not know how to plaster, another method is recommended. Indeed, on drywall, curved according to the previous method, you will have to apply more than one layer of plaster. A very steep bend in the proposed method, which is called wet, is difficult to obtain, but possible. Its advantages are that the bent fragment remains intact, it is not necessary to mask the damage with plaster: a regular finishing layer is applied.

You will have to buy a roller with needles and make a template for bending. No special skills are required, but the process is lengthy, technological breaks must be observed. We do it as follows:

1. 1. Cut out semicircle templates from a fairly rigid material. We install them vertically and fasten them together.
2. 2. A sheet of drywall of the desired size is laid on a plane and rolled with a roller. Moisten with water, but not too much so that it seems slightly wet.
3. 3. After 10 minutes of exposure, put the workpiece on the template - the non-rolled side from the bottom. The workpiece itself begins to sag, we carefully help, without applying excessive effort.
4. 4. We wait about half an hour until moisture is felt to the touch. You don’t need to wait any longer, it can dry out and brittleness will return.

Plastering and design - we give the product a finished look

The frame sheathed with drywall is a semi-finished product, it was better not to start without a high-quality finish at the finish line. Many do not like this stage - it is better to cut, drill, fasten than to deal with mortar and sandpaper. Yes, the work is not easy, but necessary, since they undertook to do everything with their own hands.

First, apply a primer and let it dry. Those who ignore this step, wanting to save money and time, are wrong. It is the primer layer that allows the plaster to adhere securely to the surface and not be torn off over time. We use acrylic putty, but it is better to apply a special one for drywall joints to the seams. It is more durable, does not crack later.

We close up joints, possible defects on drywall and self-tapping screw heads. We try not to apply a lot of putty, otherwise you will have to remove it later. We pass with a spatula, taking away the excess. To hide irregularities, to give strength, to prevent cracking, we glue the joints with fiberglass mesh. We impose segments of the desired length on fresh putty. We make sure that there are no wrinkles. If it doesn't line up, it's best to tear it off and try again.

We glue the bend of the arch with a mesh. There are bound to be wrinkles here. To eliminate them, we cut the mesh in these places and glue it. Immediately apply the second layer on the grid. We wait until it dries: it will turn completely white. Smoothen the surfaces with sandpaper. Do not overdo it: the grid should not be exposed. If this happens in some places, it is undesirable, but not terrible.

We clean from dust and apply the next layer over the entire surface. Again, we wait until it dries, and we grind, but with paper with a finer grain size. The final layer is applied on a thoroughly cleaned surface. We are waiting for a long time for the putty to dry well. The next day we are engaged in grinding, using the finest sandpaper.

Sometimes it is enough to paint the arch to give it a finished and elegant look. But many want to achieve originality using the following techniques:

• sheathed with wood or plastic;
• paste over with wallpaper, veneer;
• use artificial stone trim;
• decorate with mirrors, mosaics;
• decorate with stucco, columns;
• arrange lighting.

You can use any option, the main thing is harmony with the general style.

Before the advent of drywall, only a professional could make an arch. Now a beginner can also do it, unless of course he follows the step-by-step instructions for making a drywall arch in photographs.

Step-by-step instructions for drywall arches.

At the first stage, we choose the shape of the arch - the most common ones consist of an oval or a circle. Such drywall arches are easier to make and will fit better into a symmetrical interior design consisting of regular shapes.

For a drywall arch made in interior aisles, its ratio of width and distance from the floor to the junction point of the arch with the wall of the opening is of great importance. For decorative arches, this is not so important. It is worth remembering that the wider the opening, the greater the bending radius of the structure.

When creating a drywall arch, it is useful to use the usual standard for the ratio of the width and height of an interior door, 80 - 100 cm by 200 cm. A rectangle of the same size must be entered into the opening plane, and from this it can be determined that the width of the opening:

• 100 cm corresponds to the height of the lower points of the arch of about 200 cm;
• 200 cm - about 180 cm;
• 300 cm - about 160 cm.

From this rule, we can conclude that by making a drywall arch in a standard interior opening, its height will need to be increased.

It is best to plan a drywall arch during redevelopment, when interior partitions are re-made. Remember that the standard distance from the top of the arch to the ceiling is 40 - 60 cm. But in most cases, the height of the ceilings will not allow you to maintain such a distance, so you need to keep at least 30 cm.

After all the calculations and before you make a drywall arch with your own hands, it is better to first model it from other objects. This way you can be sure that it matches your ideas.

by the most an effective way to model a drywall arch and make a pattern is to use a flexible strip, such as a plastic skirting board. To do this, its edges are attached to the lower edges of the arch and bent to the height of the arch, if necessary, they change shape by adjusting the bend of the arch. After that, mark the labels.

How to make a drywall arch with your own hands.

In order to make a drywall arch with your own hands, you need to prepare blanks. For the walls of the GKL, two rectangles are cut out. The size of the workpiece corresponds to the width and height of the opening, the height is calculated from the lower points of the arch to the end of the opening or ceiling.

On one of the blanks, using a pattern (described above), they model the shape of an arch and outline its arc with a pencil, and this blank will be a pattern for the second one.

In order to get a sector along the radius, a nail / awl and a pencil are used, they are connected with a thread or rope.

If the arch is made in the form of an ellipse, then two nails are installed along the long side of the workpiece, at a distance of 10–15 cm from both sides. the edges. The pencil is wound up by the thread and the shape of the arch is drawn.

For arch arches made of drywall, you can use both a strip of ceiling plasterboard and the remainder of a standard sheet.

Formation of the frame of the interior arch.

The formation of a frame for a plasterboard arch depends on the design of the interior partition. If they are also made of GKL, then they use the same rack CW profiles. They are fixed in the opening with metal screws.

If the arch is mounted in a brick or wall of building blocks (gas, foam, concrete), then the width of the profile is selected individually. But the easiest way is to use a double frame made of a narrow CW profile with a backrest width of 50 mm. For its fastening, fasteners are selected according to the material, mainly dowels. If dowels are used, then holes are pre-drilled at an angle so as not to crumble the cut.

On the sides of the arch I use a profile with a length equal to the distance from the bottom point of the arch to the top. Since at the lower point, the angle of the arch is less than 90 *, the lower corners of the profile must be cut so that they do not protrude beyond the edge of the arch wall.

If the arch frame is mounted in an interior partition made of plasterboard, then it is easy to fix it, the arch will be flush with the wall surface.

If another material is used in the partition, then before fixing the profile, it is necessary to step back a distance equal to the thickness of the drywall plus 1 - 2 mm thickness of the finish (wallpaper, painting).

If decorative plaster or facing wall panels are used in the design of the interior partition, then the frame of the plasterboard arch is attached to the main wall material, while the walls of the arch should be in the same plane with the partition itself.

How to install a drywall arch with your own hands.

The walls of the drywall arch are fixed with self-tapping screws at a distance of 15 to 25 cm, but not less than 3 points per side. The distance from the corner to the neighboring point should be no more than 5 - 10 cm, while the attachment line should be located 1.5 - 2 cm away from the edge.

At the next stage, two strips of an arched profile are screwed to the walls to fasten the arch arch. If there is no arched profile, then it is made from a CD profile, cutting wedges on the sides at a distance of 4 - 5 cm.

Before bending the strip with an arc, it must first be moistened with water with a sponge. After that, roll a needle roller on one side (or prick with an awl) and moisten the perforated side again. The workpiece is placed against the wall until it begins to sag under its own weight, after which it is screwed to the arch.

Completion of the plasterboard arch.

After everything is dry:

• The surface of the drywall arch is primed;
• With the help of sickle reinforce the seams and joints;
• The ribs are reinforced with a plastic perforated corner;
• Putty seams, joints, attachment points;
• Remove the corners of the ribs;
• Dry and grind.

After the drywall arches are ready, you can proceed to its finishing.

Pivot structures in the form of arched openings have already become familiar in the interiors of houses. With simple, straight-line models from plasterboard, with certain skills, many can handle it on their own, but it often becomes difficult to make a frame for a plasterboard arch.

An example of mounting a frame for a plasterboard arch The process of manufacturing such a product is more laborious, requires accuracy of calculation, patience, but the result will bring satisfaction from your work.

In addition to rectilinear forms of drywall, they make different types of arched structures.
Types of arches:

1. Classical, with the same arcuate equilateral bevels.
   
2. Asymmetric, roundings differ from each other in shape.
   
3. Semi-arch, beveled surface on only one side of the opening.
4. Gothic shape with a pointed shape in the middle of the arc.
5. Wavy from several arcuate elements.
6. Arch in oriental style, dome-shaped.






In addition, openings, wall structures vary in size. All of them are made according to the same principle, but the craftsmen use different techniques and techniques.

An example of the design of a doorway with a plasterboard arch







The choice of drywall and profiles

To make a frame for a drywall arch, an arched profile and drywall are produced in the manufacture of curved structures. The sheet is reinforced with fiberglass, unlike the wall GKL, it is easily bent, does not break.

The profile for the manufacture of curved structures is a perforated tape with notches and bending stiffeners, outward and inward.

It differs by:




The standard height of the side shelf is 27 mm. Sizes vary depending on the manufacturer.
from specially designed materials greatly facilitates the process. But not always in building markets, especially in peripheral areas, you can purchase an arched profile and plasterboard.


Masters adapted to make curved structures from wall metal racks, drywall. An alternative to the profile can be a wooden beam.

Materials and tools

Before proceeding with the manufacture of arched structures, it is necessary to determine the method of its manufacture. Will specialized materials be used (flexible plasterboard and profiles) or ordinary wall gypsum, profile. This will depend on the purchase of materials.

Scheme with the dimensions of the drywall arch frame
Materials:

1. (flexible, wall).
2. Profiles, wooden beam.
3. Fasteners.

Arch manufacturing sequence, methods

The sequence of actions in the construction of arched structures is the same, they differ in the methods used for assembly.

A drawing with the dimensions of a frame for an arch made of plasterboard

1. Determined with the size and shape of the future design.
2. Then they prepare an opening under it.
3. Make measurements of the length of the profile, prepare it.
4. Attach the guide profile to the opening.
5. GKL sheets are cut in the shape of an arch.
6. Screw the bent profile to the cut drywall.
7. Attach the prepared structure to the guides.
8. Then the sidewalls are sewn up with bending, pre-prepared sheets.
9. Process the ends of the arch.

Consider the methods of assembling arched structures.


How to make a drywall arch frame: installation process

Pay attention to the next point. With an opening height of up to 2 meters, it is not advisable to make an arch in it, as it makes it visually lower. A functional standard opening should be at least two meters.

We prepare the opening

Align and sew up with drywall, less often with wood or plywood. GKL sheets are glued to the walls, checking or with a building corner.


If the width of the opening allows, or the entire partition is made on, racks are set up and sewn up.

Guide profile installation

The next step is to fix the guide profile. More often used for this brand is PN (bearing profile) 50/40 (wall), self-tapping screws 3.2 x 45 (35) mm, for metal for plasterboard structures. Fasten along the upper perimeter of the opening on both sides. 1.2-1.3 cm recede from the edge (gypsum board width).


Before fixing the guides, it is necessary to mark the horizon points from which the construction of the arch structure will be repelled. The floors may not be perfectly flat, so it is not always possible to build on them when measuring. To do this, mark an equal distance from the floor and draw a horizontal line. From it mark the height of the fastening of the guide profiles.

Arched cutting

We decide on the shape of the future arch. Measure the width and height.

The design option and shape of the drywall arch You can immediately cut out a square, screw it to the guides and draw a structure on it, correct its shape and cut it out. But it’s more difficult to work on weight, it’s easier to assemble an arch on the floor or table.
For this:




No need to rush, since the GKL sheet is a rather fragile material, chips may appear on it with sharp jerks of a jigsaw or saw.

Mounting the profile to the workpiece from GKL

When an arched profile is used, measurements of the arched part of the arch are sufficient. Then cut the workpiece and attach with self-tapping screws (TV or TN length 25 mm). But often craftsmen make a profile for wall racks.

The assembled frame of the interior arch from GKL How to prepare a stand for the arch:




The corners at the ends of the profile are cut at an angle of approximately 45⁰. The design is thus ready for attachment to the arched opening.

Arch installation

All stages of installation work must be checked using a level and building corner.
Sequence of work:




In general, the main structure of the arched opening is ready, it remains to sew up the side concave surface with drywall. Watch the video for a detailed process of making a frame for a plasterboard arch.


We sew the lateral concave surface of the plasterboard

In the case of using an arched plasterboard, it is enough to cut a piece to size and attach it to the structure.
If wall, ceiling gypsum is used, then there are two ways to bend it dry and wet.

dry method

On a blank cut to size, transverse cuts are made with a construction knife, cutting through paper and lightly gypsum. Apply it to the side surface, breaking along the incisions. The step of the notches depends on the angle of flexion, on average from 4 to 8 cm.

Dry bending drywall method for arches

wet method

A blank from a GKL sheet is placed on a stool or in a form specially knocked down from the boards, which corresponds to the size of the arch. Frequent small notches are made on the inner surface or a spiked roller is used for this purpose. Wet the surface from the inside with a wet sponge, put a wet, damp cloth on top. After 15 - 20 minutes, the gypsum will begin to sag, and after 1.5-2 hours it will take the desired shape.


Then it is carefully removed or removed from the stand, applied to the side surface of the structure, and fixed. It is necessary to handle the material extremely delicately, it is better to carry out this stage of work with an assistant.

Today, in order to transform your house or apartment, you do not need to break walls, knead mortars and lay bricks. Difficult and dirty work successfully replaces drywall! Currently, it is the most convenient in installation, and therefore the most popular finishing material.

With it, you can easily make a multi-level ceiling, build a partition, decorate a doorway with columns or pilasters, and much, much more. But in our article we will focus on how to make a drywall arch with our own hands.

We will consider all stages as detailed as possible, with all possible details and nuances. We hope that the instructions presented in the article will help you understand the technology of building arches and repeat everything in practice.

Choosing an arch design

• Domed symmetrical arch- the classic version.

• Asymmetric - an arch with a displaced center. Perhaps one of the simplest and most economical designs, suitable for almost any interior.

• , in which the highest point is obtained due to the planes converging at a small angle.

• Openwork arch. The main difference between this design is the presence of through-type holes running along the line of the doorway.

• Designer or multi-level arch. In order to realize such a plan, you need to have a little imagination and skills in working with drywall. By the way, we will talk about how to make a complex arch a little later.

Stop your choice is on the design of the arches, which will harmoniously fit into the rest of the interior of the room.

Note! If the height of the doorway is 2 meters or less, then making a drywall arch in the corridor will be an irrational solution, as it will “eat up” an already small space. In this case, you can simply round off the upper corners in the doorway.

All about installation

If you wish, you can build an oblique arch, a French arch or any other, but in our article we will consider how a symmetrical domed plasterboard arch is made. So let's get started.

Required material and tools

• drywall sheets (when building arches, it is recommended to use special plasterboards, 6.5 mm thick - they are best suited for creating curved structures);
• rack metal profiles;
• plastic dowels;
• self-tapping screws for metal (3.5 mm by 25 mm and 4.2 mm by 13 mm);
• metal scissors;
• knife for cutting drywall or jigsaw;
• pliers;
• drill, screwdriver and perforator;
• needle roller;
• building level, tape measure, pencil;
• sickle ribbon;
• spatula and gypsum-based putty;
• sandpaper for polishing the putty layer;
• perforated corner for decorating the edges of the arch;
• primer;
• paint or wallpaper.

We are preparing an opening under the arch

Before you make a wall with a drywall arch, you need to thoroughly prepare the opening into which it will be mounted. To do this, you will have to dismantle the door frame in order to slightly increase the opening, since the arch will visually reduce its height. Next, we clean the surface from exfoliating materials, dirt and dust.

Lateral plasterboard elements of the arch

As a rule, a classic arched arch consists of three drywall elements: 2 identical side parts and 1 curved part. To make side parts, we do the following with our own hands: using a tape measure, we measure the width of the opening and calculate the radius of the future arch.

Then we tie on a nylon thread, the length of which is equal to this very radius, two loops. We insert an awl into one loop, and a pencil into the other. Now we stick the awl into the drywall sheet and, evenly pulling the thread, draw an arc with a pencil.

After that, with a jigsaw or an ordinary construction knife, we cut out the first side part of the arch along the drawn arc. We apply the cut out part to a new sheet of drywall, outline it with a pencil, cut it out and get the second side part of our arch. So, we partially answered the question of how to make drywall arches.

Installing the frame from the profile and fastening the side elements

How to make a drywall arch? Here it is important to take care of a reliable frame. Let's take a closer look at this step:

• First, on top of the opening, with the help of dowels, a metal profile guide is attached. After that, the same guides are fixed to the wall, from two sides - from the upper corner to the place where the rounding of the arch will end.

Important! The length of the side guides must be the same, otherwise the arch will turn out to be a curve.

• Then we make an arcuate profile from a conventional metal profile. To do this, you need to make cuts in it with scissors for metal and bend it, as in the photo. To make the frame as accurate as possible, we use the previously made side parts as a template. The profile is attached as follows: to the vertical guides - with dowels, and to the drywall - with self-tapping screws. Such arcuate parts will need 2 pieces.

• In order to make the frame more reliable, additional sections of the profile must be attached in the space between the two arcs.

• The next step is to fix the side arcuate parts of the arch on the frame using self-tapping screws. Now let's move on to the curved element.

Bending and installing a bent element

To accurately shape the lower end of the arch, it is necessary to cut off a flat strip of drywall of the appropriate length and width. When measuring length, it is better to use a flexible measuring meter. Also do not forget to add 10 cm to the length of the strip.

Ordinary water will help us to make a drywall end element in the form of an arc. Wet the underside of the strip, then pierce it with a spiked roller and leave for a while. After that, you can carefully place the curved element in the shape of an arch, fix it with adhesive tape and wait until it dries a little.

Attention! It is not necessary to wet the drywall too much, otherwise it will soften and crack.

A slightly damp strip can already be fastened with screws to the frame, along both sides. You need to start doing this from the middle of the arch. Now we are waiting for the drywall to dry completely (about 12 hours).

Answering the question of how to make an arch from drywall, you need to add that in addition to giving a bend to the arch in a wet way, you can also do this by cutting a layer of material. But this method is only suitable for creating small bends.

And it consists in the following:

• On one side of the drywall, a layer of paper and gypsum is carefully cut through (almost to the full depth).
• The future element of the arch is broken along the cuts made with a slight pressure. It is important here that the gypsum mixture remains on the intact layer of paper.
• The slots are sealed with putty (if necessary, before that they are glued with a flying sickle).
• The curved part is fastened with self-tapping screws to the frame. Please note that self-tapping screws should not be screwed in at the very edge of the drywall part in order to avoid its destruction. In addition, the caps of the self-tapping screws must be slightly sunk into the drywall.
• Those places that have been puttyed are cleaned with sandpaper until a perfectly smooth surface is obtained.
• Now the arch is ready for decorative cladding (for painting or wallpapering).

How to make an arch on a drywall wall? As you can see, it's very simple!

The process is quite painstaking, but not complicated and, moreover, very interesting. If you are concerned about the question of how to make a large arch, then we will immediately answer you - all using the same technology, only the dimensions change.

Finishing

After the complete drying of the constructed structure, it is time for its finishing.

Again, we will walk through this process step by step:

• First of all, we go through all the elements of the drywall arch with fine sandpaper. Thus, we remove all the bumps and as a result we get beautiful rounded protrusions.
• Then we seal the mounting seams with a special putty for the seams, not forgetting to glue the joints with a serpentine tape.
• Before you start puttying, it is necessary to fix the corner perforated profiles made of galvanized metal or plastic (they are needed so that the corners of the arch keep their shape). Such profiles are attached to the putty and then also covered with a layer of putty.
• We wait for the putty to dry completely, after which we clean all the bumps with the help of the same sandpaper.
• Now apply a layer of primer, wait until it dries.
• We putty the arch with a special finishing compound and grind it for the last time.
• All! The arch is ready for decoration.

Choosing a decorative finish

We figured out how drywall arches are made. However, mounting the arch is only half the battle.

And how beautifully ennoble the resulting design? After all, it is necessary to take into account not only originality and compliance with the entire interior, but also practicality.

The arch will be periodically subjected to contact with people passing through it or objects carried through it, which is fraught with damage.

Therefore, let's think together which decorative coating is most suitable for her.

• Wallpapering. Quite a frequent choice of those who are thinking about how to make a drywall door arch. Traditional cladding. But thanks to the unlimited range of wallpapers, a wide variety of colors, textures and patterns, such decoration can turn out to be very interesting and exclusive. As for practicality, it all depends on the material from which the wallpaper you have chosen is made. Non-woven vinyl wallpapers are considered the highest quality and most durable. Wallpaper with a three-dimensional pattern will look amazing.

• Painting with water-based paint. Perhaps the best option, from a practical point of view. The painted arch can be washed as much as you like, and it will be quite resistant to damage.

Note! The arch will require little paint, so we recommend that you do not skimp on expensive, high-quality paint. The price will pay off doubly - this will make your design even more reliable.

Alternatively, after applying the paint, you can decorate the arch with a beautiful painting along the entire arc - it is important to have imagination and some artistic skills here.

• Sheathing the entire opening with decorative fabrics is very extraordinary and noble. The most diverse material can be used: linen, satin, jute, brocade, jacquard, viscose and so on. All fabrics have their own special texture, pattern and color. But, I must say that this option is not suitable for every apartment, it all depends on the size and style of the interior.

• Stone finish. The most reliable and, at the same time, insanely beautiful way. However, it is also the most expensive, because the facing material will cost much more than the same paint or wallpaper. Yes, and you have to work hard here. But if we make a drywall arch with our own hands, then we are not afraid! Moreover, the service life of stone finishes is almost unlimited.

Installation of complex arches

Using the example of a simple domed symmetrical design, we looked at how to make drywall arches with our own hands. But sometimes the desire comes to create something truly special and unique!

However, often we simply do not have enough knowledge. After reading the instructions below, you will learn how to make a drywall arch of any shape yourself.

• Before you make a drywall arch, you need to decide where the structure will be located and what dimensions it will have. It is important that it does not interfere with the functionality of the apartment, pleases the eye and gives a good mood.
• With the location determined, you can proceed directly to the installation. Let's look at a wall decorative structure that is only partially an arch.
• Using a level or plumb line, we beat off a line on the wall along which the future arch wall will be located.
• Then, along this line, we mount a metal profile to the wall. And one more - to the ceiling.
• Now, on two profiles arranged in an L-shape, we fasten a suitable drywall sheet with self-tapping screws.
• Next, we arm ourselves with a pencil and draw the figure we need.

• We pass along the line drawn by us with a jigsaw or a construction knife.

• Then, in a similar way, we mount the second sheet of drywall at the distance you need from the first sheet (it all depends on how thick the structure you want to get).
• Along the perimeter of the just cut lines, it is necessary to fasten the metal profile. We prepare it in this way: every 5 cm we make cuts on it to get a flexible “snake” (“snakes” will need 2 pieces). We attach them along the cut perimeter of drywall sheets. Self-tapping screws should not be spared, otherwise the design will turn out to be unreliable.

• It remains only to sheathe our "snakes" with a strip of drywall. We cut the strips of the desired length and width. Then we slightly moisten one of their sides with water (how to make a drywall arch using the wet method, we explained above).
• The final stage of installation is fixing the strip to the ends of our structure. What happened in the end, you can see in the photo.

If you do not fully understand the construction technology of such structures, then we recommend that you watch a thematic video.

Epilogue

So we figured out how to make a drywall arch yourself. This design technique is an effective and inexpensive way to revive any interior, bring a little freshness and originality to it.

Therefore, do not be afraid to experiment in creating various forms. And in the next article we will talk about how to make a drywall arch over the bed.

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

When performing a major overhaul in your apartment, for sure, every homeowner has a desire to radically change the interior design that has bothered for many years for the better. 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 redecoration, 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 your own hands in a short time without significant financial costs.

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 bearing capacity of 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 arch, this form 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, however, differ from the two previous options by 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 a complex structure, in which, in addition to the entrance opening itself, there are small decorative through or blind openings designed exclusively 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 that can be located at different levels relative to each other.

When choosing the shape of an arch for self-production, 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. To facilitate 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, along with decorative trim and a 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 with a cement-sand mortar or putty mortar 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 fixing straight profiles to a concrete or brick wall, it is best to use plastic dowels 6x30 mm in size and galvanized self-tapping screws with a wide head 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 building materials stores, 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 to draw the correct 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. In order to draw a symmetrical semi-oval or part of an ellipse of the correct shape, 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 a 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-arch of arbitrary irregular shape in order to draw an asymmetrical curvilinear line on a sheet of drywall, 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 the maximum length of the arc 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 the top layer of 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 a foam sponge, and leaned 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, once again moisten the top layer 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 arcuate 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 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 the reverse side with a sharp knife, make deep transverse cuts approximately to 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.

Despite the fact that the wet method of bending drywall may seem more complicated at first glance, I recommend using it, because in this case you immediately get a uniform arc without creases, a regular rounded shape that requires almost no further refinement.

Stage 5. Preparation for finishing

Immediately after the do-it-yourself plasterboard door arch is made, it may seem ridiculous and scary, but do not be upset, because after completing 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 bent vault of the arch will need to be covered with a continuous layer of starting drywall putty. 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.