An easy way to increase the space of a small apartment or house is to remove it. It is not always possible to move or dismantle walls, and this event is quite costly and labor-intensive. An opening with the door removed does not look very aesthetically pleasing, so it needs to be designed in a new way.
The most popular way to do this is to design an arch. With the help of this element it is possible to separate long corridor into separate zones: this eliminates simplified geometry.
Such an architectural element can be installed in any part of the home - in, or in the living room. It will add individuality and originality to the house, making it different from standard apartments.
Make with my own hands the arch is quite real.
This will require certain tools, materials and detailed description process.
Tools:
- pencil, tape measure, ;
- metal scissors;
- bucket;
- sharp knife;
- grout float;
- respirator, gloves and goggles.
You can build it wherever you please, in any area of your home. But in order for such an element to fit perfectly into the design, you need doorway no lower than 2.5 meters. It will look great in any interior, but is most suitable as kitchen door alternatives or for long corridor.
Most arches significantly reduce the doorway, which in some cases is a significant drawback. You can check in advance exactly how the chosen type of arch will fit into the existing doorway. To do this, a blank is cut out of cardboard or paper and attached above the door.
When the metal profiles are firmly fixed to the wall surface, proceed to the installation of sheets.
It will be more convenient to use an electric one with torque. If the material thickness is 12.5 mm, 3.5 x 35 screws will be required, and for 9.5 mm sheets smaller screws will be sufficient.
Finished with plasterboard in the same way reverse side arched frame.
When screwing in the screws with a screwdriver, you should make sure that their heads are in the same plane with the surface of the material. If they are wrapped deeper, the resulting depressions will need to be covered.
To securely fix plasterboard parts to the frame, self-tapping screws must be placed at least every 15 cm.
Next, to enhance the rigidity of the structure, it is necessary to secure a curved metal profile along the edge of the arch. To do this, a piece of metal profile is cut to the size 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?
You need to make small cuts along its side edges, at a distance of about 10 cm from each other. With their help, it is easier to bend the profile as we require. The more you need to bend it, the more such notches will be required.
The profile, which has taken the shape of an arched arc, is fixed at its ends in the lower parts of the previously installed metal frame. Then the walls of the arch are carefully attached with self-tapping screws to a curved metal guide. This is an important part of the work that deserves close attention.
The frame is considered complete only after perpendicular short profile strips are installed, connecting the two walls of the arch. Such special jumpers are located at several points.
Installation for a plasterboard arch on a wooden frame
To work you will need wooden blocks And . How thick should the bars be? From the width of the opening to be finished, you need to subtract the width and to obtain the desired value. A curved line of an arched arc is outlined on the plywood, along which the workpiece is cut out with a jigsaw.
It (the plywood arch) must be reinforced, the role of which is played by wooden blocks fixed to the plywood with 50 mm self-tapping screws. Next, it should be secured in the opening with long self-tapping screws, with a step size of 15 cm. The second wall of the plywood arch is mounted in the same manner. After these measures, the plywood is covered with plasterboard using special screws.
When the frame is completed and the side arched walls are installed, you need to secure the lower section of the arch - the arched one. The length and width of the arc are measured, and a piece of drywall is cut out using the resulting dimensions. Next you need to bend it - what is the easiest way to do this? You can use the following trick.
On one side of the part, parallel cuts are made every 10 cm, for which the top paper layer is cut with a sharp knife. It is important that these cuts are located strictly perpendicular to the edges of the part, but parallel to each other.
If you want to bend the sheet just a little, then just slightly moisten it.
The resulting element is applied to the bottom of the arch with cuts up, gradually and carefully giving it the required shape. To avoid damaging the material, you should not use much force when bending drywall. It is important to align the edges of the plasterboard rectangle with the arcs of the arch. It is fixed with self-tapping screws, first at the top of the arch, then to its edges.
When the installation of the plasterboard arch is completed, you should move on to the smaller elements of the structure. Maybe somewhere the panel is not cut perfectly straight, there are nicks and tears. Using a sharp knife, the edge is carefully leveled. It is advisable to carry out all work in protective gloves.
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. Next, several layers are applied (at least three), and thorough sanding is carried out with sandpaper of different grain sizes. These procedures are not complicated; they can be done with your own hands.An acrylic composition will be required for interior work. But for seams it is better to use a different type of putty, more reliable and durable. This is necessary to prevent the formation of cracks and flaws at the joints. The putty is mixed well, only after that you can begin to apply it to the joints between the opening and the drywall. This is done with a special rectangular spatula. The screw caps are also covered with the compound.
All surface defects (holes, tears, dents) are filled with putty and leveled. The result should be a perfectly smooth surface, located on the same level as other parts of the arch and wall. Then it is much more difficult to correct such errors.
Next, to hide irregularities and prevent cracking, the joints and edges are glued over. You can use paper tape or fiberglass mesh for this - both materials work great. Then layers of putty are applied, which are sanded after complete drying. After applying the last, third layer, we wait about twelve hours for it to dry: it will become dazzling white. After finishing sanding with fine-grained sandpaper, a smooth and even surface is obtained, which is ready for subsequent painting.
Most interior designers consider interior arches to be an established classic of the genre, arched vaults doorways have long since seriously displaced the slightly angular rectangle of the classic door. Passages and openings between rooms remain original bridges, uniting islands of residential premises that are different in meaning and content with no less important kitchen, bathroom and toilet. If possible, why not make the interior openings no less beautiful and comfortable.
How practical are interior arches?
Often, anyone who wants to build interior arches doubts how practical and convenient such structures are in everyday use. The idea of building arched arched openings has existed for several hundred years; back in the 50s of the last century, many interior and corridor openings with arches of various configurations were built, until the fashion for economy and a utilitarian approach to the design of premises finally buried the wonderful idea.
The manufacture of interior arches will require certain financial and time costs in connection with the alteration of part of the doorway. But most often, owners decide to remodel, since the end result fully justifies the costs:
The appearance is significantly improved, even the simplest interior arch looks much more attractive and interesting than the official version of a rectangular door opening;
The space of an apartment or house visually becomes more spacious, even in small apartments with miniature kitchens and tiny corridors, the room becomes brighter;
Heat exchange and air movement between rooms improves by an order of magnitude. Fresh air doesn't leak through ventilation ducts, moves without interference and restrictions along the shortest path.
In most cases, owners decide to change the shape and size of the interior opening and install an arch above the doorway for the sake of improvement appearance internal space living rooms. Only after a few years it is discovered that installing an arch and modifying the interior opening makes it possible to improve the conditions for the distribution of heat throughout the house in winter and coolness in winter. summer heat. And most importantly, without laying an additional complex pipe system.
Types of arches
One of the most valuable qualities of an interior arch is the good adaptability of the updated doorway to any interior of rooms and corridors. Door arches are made in the form of frames from steel profiles and wooden slats, bricks and gypsum blocks. For exterior finishing the surfaces of the walls and ceiling adjacent to the arch and frame of the interior opening use plasterboard sheets, panels, polyurethane foam, plywood and fiberboard sheets.
For doorways and interior passages standard width, up to 90 cm inclusive, an arch with a support frame can be purchased at a specialized salon. Such standard arched vaults are most often cast from polypropylene or assembled by hand from wooden blanks.
Round arches
Most often, an arched vault over an interior doorway is associated with the classic round arch, which is most common in the architecture of stone buildings and structures. It is the round arch that is most often chosen for a doorway.
Artists-designers and developers of residential interiors use about a dozen basic configurations of round interior arches with supports on the doorway frame.
To get the ideal arc of an interior arch, the galvanized profile is divided into sectors, the side shelf is cut and the metal strip is bent according to a pre-planned template.
For your information! The round arch is very popular, primarily due to its simple installation technology.
IN classic version a round interior arch is made in the shape of a sector in ¾ of a circle or ½ of a circle; often the shape and curvature of its arc can be supplemented by side elements of any shape and configuration, but always symmetrical.
If it is necessary to add oriental motifs to the design of the interior arch, then the profile of the arched span is made in the form of two intersecting arcs. In this design, the interior arch takes on an almond-shaped profile.
An interior arch can be combined with supporting columns, most often with stucco elements or imitation of the Victorian era style.
If necessary, for example, if the size of the doorway is relatively small, the arch can be decorated without any columns or unnecessary decor. It is enough to emphasize the line of the arched arc and cover the transition plane into the walls with decorative overlays.
If the dimensions of the corridor allow, the design of the interior doorway can be designed in the form of one round arch. Instead of a standard rectangular door frame, only a small rounded outline remains, marking the boundary between the kitchen, living rooms and corridor.
Round arches are used in cases where an apartment or living space in a private house is built in the form of several small rooms. Full-size round arches very successfully visually unite the rooms into one studio apartment. To save behind the bedroom, kitchen or personal account private character, the interior opening with an arch is closed with double doors or a light sliding door.
Enough interesting solution shown in the photo below.
One design of an interior opening uses a round or annular arch and a rectangular box. A stylish doorway makes it possible to add several very necessary details to the interior of the room and open the adjacent room or corridor to light and air.
If the ceiling height is more than 2.5 m, and the dimensions of the interior passage are more than two meters, you can use the widespread technique of dividing the space into several sectors.
In this case, the design of the interior opening in the form of two small arches of a classical shape with an intermediate column provides best quality ventilation and light filling.
For low ceilings the round arch is divided into several elements or replaced with a rectangular doorway.
Rectangular arches
Arched structures, rectangular or square shape in their characteristics and functions they are no different from the classic round arch. A rectangular shape is used if the interior of the apartment contains a significant number of objects and parts with straight lines.
In the vast majority of cases, a rectangular shape for an interior arch is chosen in a situation where valuable types of wood, plastic and a monotonous rectilinear design are actively used in interior decoration.
For example, an interior doorway between the corridor and the living room can be designed in the form of wooden panels assembled into one arched structure. On the one hand, there is enough air and light, on the other hand, the boundary between two rooms that are completely different in meaning and function is clearly marked.
Rectangular arches are simpler and more technologically advanced to manufacture; installation does not require the use of special marking devices, as in the case of constructing semicircular and round arched structures.
Arches in the shape of an ellipse
It is not always possible to build a doorway with an arch in the form of a perfect semicircle or segment of a circle. There are certain restrictions on the distance from the ceiling to the top point of the arched arc; for apartment premises this distance should be at least 40 cm.
In such cases, the arch arch is made in the form of a horizontal semi-ellipse. The excess of the arched arc is smaller, and the entire structure of the fashionable interior opening fits freely within the dimensions of the rooms and the height of the ceilings of a standard apartment layout.
According to the scheme with a horizontal ellipse, you can build a fairly wide passage between adjoining rooms according to the diagram shown in the photo.
The ellipse is ideal as a profile for building an interior passage. For example, you can create an opening in the form of a vertical ellipse with truncated edges.
The passage itself turns out to be wide enough to use it, but due to the narrowing of the sides towards the top and bottom, the cross-section is smaller than that of a standard rectangular profile or a classically shaped arch. Therefore, in order to increase the amount of air and light through the interior opening, the passage contour is supplemented with side windows.
Trapezoidal arches
The design of an arch in the shape of a trapezoid can be considered a natural continuation of the rectangular design. Traditionally, door and interior openings with a trapezoidal top are used in attic rooms, especially if the ceiling of the room is made with side slopes.
The trapezoid shape provides increased stability of the upper cross beam opening, therefore such structures are widely used in houses made of timber and rounded logs.
The decorative qualities of a trapezoid are lower than those of interior openings with an arch in the shape of an ellipse or rectangle. However, there is a demand for a passage in the form of a trapezoid arch, especially in panel projects for suburban and country houses. In any case, an interior doorway with a trapezoid-shaped arch looks much more interesting than a boring rectangular design.
Figured arches
Manufacturing an arched vault of complex shape is in a good way show the talents of an interior designer, imagination and invention. The most in a simple way To build an original arch of a non-standard shape, all that remains is to add several curved lines and surfaces to the classic arched arc.
For example, if you add a couple of side arches to a simple symmetrical arch, you can get a fairly expressive line of an arched vault for an interior wall.
A small addition to the standard arch or semi-ellipse of several asymmetrical elements turns the arch into a stylish interior opening.
Figured arches, as a rule, are made according to complex curvilinear patterns, for example:
The process of designing and manufacturing a figured interior arch is quite complex for an amateur, so even the simplest multi-level openings, as a rule, require the knowledge and skills of a professional designer artist.
Interior arches made of plasterboard
In the process of planning a figured arch, you always have to look for suitable way assemblies and material from which it is easiest to assemble a fairly complex arched structure.
Most home arched interior openings are built from wood and drywall. Sheets of pressed gypsum are perfectly processed, cut, drilled, painted and puttied.
The base of the plasterboard arch is assembled in the form of a frame made of galvanized profile. A strong corner and a U-shaped profile made of thin sheet metal can be used as a supporting element of a strong frame or bent into an arc of any curvature.
The process of making an interior arch is as follows:
- The frame is assembled using rivets and attached to the walls and ceiling of the interior opening;
- The base is sewn up with sheets of plasterboard;
- Seams and cracks are filled with gypsum putty;
- Curved surfaces are sanded, painted and finished.
The arched interior opening is light, durable and of any complexity in structure and design.
Interior arches made of wood
Arched interior openings made of wood and its imitation firmly occupy second place in the popularity of designs. It is very difficult to technologically bend beams and slats made of valuable wood to the required radius, so almost all interior arched openings made of wood are built in a rectangular shape.
The exception is wooden arches self made, very beautiful, with carvings and elements of furniture decor. Often the arc is cut from solid massif wood and lined with veneer made from valuable wood species.
For your information! A handmade arch can be easily distinguished by microdefects in the surface and the characteristic texture of the veneer, while cheap interior arches made of polypropylene look perfectly smooth and one-color.
Arch finishing
Depending on the materials used to build the frame of the interior opening, the most suitable type of finishing is selected. Plasterboard structures must be primed and puttied, after which the surface of the arch can be covered with polyvinyl chloride film with a texture like wood, red brick or natural stone.
A simpler finishing method involved using decorative plaster or wall graphics. The corner joints of interior arches can be covered with polyurethane tiles to look like artificial stone.
Wooden arches are finished using furniture technology:
- The surface of the wood is primed, tinted and varnished;
- The finishing coating is applied to match the colors of the walls and ceilings of the rooms adjacent to the interior opening;
- The veneered surfaces of doorways with arches are always varnished, followed by polishing of the decorative layer of wood.
If finishing operations are carried out in accordance with polishing standards, the decorative layer of wood can last at least 20 years, while plasterboard finishing will last a maximum of 10-15 years.
Illuminated arch
Installing lanterns and lighting remains one of the most popular ways to enhance the decorative effect of an arch.
The lanterns can be installed along the contour of the arch, or placed in the upper part of the arched arc and covered with translucent polycarbonate.
Instead of spotlights, you can use LED strips, monochrome or color.
Interior of interior arches
The most difficult stage of planning an interior arch is the development general style, because the doorway must correspond to at least two rooms at the same time. For example, the passage from the living room to the kitchen is best decorated in light colors. White, creamy and beige shades They are considered universal, capable of being combined with almost any style of interior of the living room and kitchen.
Arch in the living room
All other interior arches leading from the living room to other rooms are designed in the style of the interior of the main space of the apartment.
Before planning the shape and dimensions of the arched structure, you will need to take into account the color and texture of the furniture in the living room and the pattern of the flooring.
The concept of designing an arch in a living room is extremely simple - interior openings should visually expand the size of the room, even if this requires removing half of the internal adjacent wall.
Arch in the hallway and corridor
A similar technique is used when planning arched openings in the hallway. The corridor area experiences the greatest load from dust and dirt brought into the apartment from the street or entrance.
Therefore, the entrance part of the apartment is planned in more muted colors; accordingly, arched structures are made with minimal absorption of space.
An exception may be interiors with extensive use of wooden panels, parquet and precious wood trim. In this case, a massive interior arch, decorated in mahogany, can serve as a kind of bridge from the more utilitarian and stuff-filled hallway of the room to the central part of the apartment or house.
Arch to the kitchen instead of a door
Today, interior openings between the kitchen and the living room firmly occupy first place in the list of the most popular solutions for redevelopment of old apartments. It just so happens that in the vast majority of old-built apartments, the living room is connected to the kitchen by a long and narrow corridor.
It is very inconvenient, so the hall is connected to the kitchen area by a wide and spacious opening with a round arch. In a budget option, an interior arch can be made from plasterboard sheets finished with decorative plaster.
A more complex and at the same time non-standard option for arranging an interior opening is shown in the photo below.
Instead of one passage in the adjacent wall, two symmetrical figured passages with round arches and an asymmetrical shape of the opening were built. High ceilings make it possible to create an arched part with a certain degree of widening. As a result, the central part of the wall remains used for the installation of a TV and furniture, and the side sectors are “donated” for the arrangement of the arch.
Arch in the children's room
In apartments with a small living area, using an interior arch solves the problem of dividing and delimiting space into the territory of adults and children.
If a room is allocated for several children, then with the help of an arch it is possible to resolve most disputes related to the division of the territory. Arched structures are used quite rarely for arranging a doorway.
Arch in the bedroom
For the rest room and bedroom, the color of the walls, the shape and style of the arch are chosen in strict accordance interior decoration and the interior of the room.
As a rule, double-leaf doors with an arched vault or small-sized interior arches with a monotonous design of the walls and ceiling space are used for the bedroom.
Conclusion
Arched structures have long won the hearts of apartment and house owners seeking to improve and improve the layout and interior of their homes. The interior arch remains one of the most affordable, simple and at the same time very effective ways make the interior of the rooms brighter and fresher. Moreover, the manufacturing process is not so complicated and intricate, and most of the work can be done with minimal costs. You only need a little skill as an artist-designer, the rest should be entrusted to design professionals.
An arched vault gives the room elegance, looks modern and stylish - they are classified depending on the shape, material, style.
Material
Style
Form
Interior arches are used to create the effect of a seamless space - this is a current trend modern design interior
Please note! Arched vaults are used in small apartments: they visually make the room more spacious and freer.
The most popular are plasterboard arches:
- The material allows you to realize any, even complex and asymmetrical, shape.
- Drywall can be handled by a person who does not have a narrow knowledge of construction - the material is easy to process.
- Drywall does not create additional load on the structure of the house.
- Such an arch can be decorated with all kinds of decorative elements: shelves, niches, spotlights.
- Drywall is an environmentally friendly, safe material. You can even use it in children's rooms.
- Compared to other materials for installing arches, plasterboard is the most affordable.
Attention ! To install an arched vault, you need to buy special drywall. It is characterized by its smaller thickness, the presence of special reinforcing fibers, high quality. For ease of installation, it is recommended to buy ready-made sets of arched frames. Lighting must be done at the stage of frame installation.
Stages of installation of arched plasterboard vaults
A popular design option for a doorway is an imitation arch. This design option can be used in the case of a high doorway. Pseudo-segments of the structure are attached to the edges of the opening and in the corners. The imitation is suitable for oriental-style rooms.
Please note! A common way to decorate arched openings is polyurethane stucco. The interior in classic, baroque, and empire styles will be decorated with such stylish decorative elements. The stucco molding is attached using special glue. The polyurethane decor is made in the form of overhead strips - moldings, protruding parts - sandriks, artificial columns.
The choice of arch option for a doorway depends on:
- Doorway parameters;
- Ceiling heights;
- The style in which the room is made.
Modern renovation requires large investments both to pay for materials and to directly complete the tasks. It’s no wonder that many people try to save money by performing various processes on their own; they only benefit from this. For example, an arch in an apartment with your own hands will cost much less, and the knowledge that all this was done by you will warm your soul.
By creating various architectural and design solutions, you not only create unique design elements, but also work with the ergonomics of the room itself. It is known that rounded corners are better perceived and add a visual element of comfort to any room. That is why this method was used in various ancient buildings. Rectangular plots today are simply an attempt to perform more economical solutions, since mass construction does not favor individual solutions.
What types of arches are there?
Before installing an arch in an apartment, it is worth understanding what such a solution actually is. As a rule, an arch is called any opening that does not have a door. This, of course, goes against the opinion of many users, for whom such a solution contains only a semicircular termination. In fact, there are quite a few types of arches:
If you decide to create a really cozy and high-quality design in your apartment, then you will most likely have to make an arch. The price for such work ranges from 2000 to 4000 rubles. It cannot be called too high, since various modern materials allow you to do such processes very quickly and. However, you can save money by doing everything yourself, of course, if you have the knowledge and ability to do such work.
How to make an arch in your apartment?
How to make an arch? First you need to decide on the type of construction so that it exactly matches the chosen design of the entire apartment. After this, you should start choosing materials.
One of the best components for creating such a structure will be a plasterboard sheet. It is very easy to process and to create a curved section you will not need any special devices. You can limit yourself to a hacksaw, or better yet, a jigsaw. Of course, there are other materials, but working with them requires a special approach and takes longer and is more difficult.
In order for all the work to be done correctly, you first need to mark out all the areas. Determine the radius of the rounding, the beginning of the curved section and the points where it will pass.
Then, along the predicted contour, a profile is attached for mounting the plasterboard sheet. Please note that when taking measurements, you need to take into account not only the shape, but also the thickness of the material being mounted, so that later you do not end up with areas protruding from the wall.
When the installation of the profile is completed, and, therefore, the frame on both sides of the opening is ready, it is necessary to cut out the necessary sections from the plasterboard sheet, which will create an arched transition. Finished pieces of material are fixed to the frame, and general view the structure will already be approximately visible.
The final phase of the rough assembly will be the fastening of the arc-shaped section between the arched transitions. The material will be the same drywall. By the way, if the bend is very sharp and there is a possibility that the sheet will crack, soak it in water, then its flexibility will increase.
Having secured this area, all work can be considered almost completed. All that remains is to secure the forming corners and seal all the seams, and then carry out finishing those materials that are best suited for the design of your room.
All such work is possible, or you can invite specialists for these purposes - this decision needs to be made by you personally, because there is no particular difficulty in such work, but it cannot be called very simple either.
Video on how to make an arch in an apartment with your own hands
Moreover, even small deviations from required sizes can cause various distortions, so if this is your first time making an arch in an apartment yourself, be prepared for the fact that the process may have to be repeated until a quality result is achieved.
If this method is difficult for you, you can make an arch from brick, aerated concrete blocks, and even use polyvinyl chloride film as in suspended ceilings. Use any technology that is more convenient for you or available in order to create the most attractive design in your apartment.
In ancient times, arches symbolized the firmament, the road of life, freedom, victory (triumphal arches among the Romans), protection (the arched form of city gates among the Slavs). And now designs of this type have not been forgotten, and most importantly, they are not difficult to make. So, a unique arch in the apartment and at the same time - with your own hands!
Create an arch of any shape
In standard-plan apartments, the arch performs both decorative and practical functions - it separates neighboring rooms, making them more spacious, original, and organic. It also highlights functional areas, creates an atmosphere of coziness and comfort in the interior.
If the decision to make an arch with your own hands is made, you will first have to solve a number of questions, the answers to which will affect the financial and time costs.
Should I make one arch or several? A successful design move is to make both the door and window opening arched. An interesting choice is the use of identically shaped door openings and wall niches. The column and arch look original together.
What size should I make the arch? Its parameters match the dimensions of the doorway or slightly exceed it. If the design is made on the entire wall, then we are talking about a vault, not an arch.
The choice of the shape of the arched structure depends on the design and style and is limited only by imagination. Choose from the main directions:
- round (semicircular) arch - a classic, common option;
- Arabian (Moorish, resembles a horseshoe);
- pointed - two arcs intersect in one corner;
- concave - convex arcs go inside the opening;
- keeled - a semicircle with a pointed corner at the top;
- elliptical - the upper part of such a structure is an ellipse;
- parabolic - the upper part is made in the form of a parabola.
These are not all the options, but if the goal is to make an arch with your own hands, then preference is given to the traditional semicircular shape.
Classic (round or semi-circular) arch The choice of material is not limited: everything is used - from plywood to brick, but plasterboard remains the “top” due to its relative cheapness and versatility (it allows you to make an arch of any complexity and shape in doorway), ease of finishing and speed of DIY installation.
The work involves arched plasterboard (AGD), due to the use of durable cardboard and reinforced fiberglass, this material can be easily bent without damage.
How to make a plasterboard arch in a doorway with your own hands?
The operating algorithm is as follows:
1. Preparing a cardboard mockup
The first stage in finishing the doorway is preparatory. It is associated with taking measurements and making a template for the future arch.
Experiment by drawing the outlines of the planned structure on the wall, this will allow you to clearly visualize the result.
The installed arch will visually reduce the opening by 20 centimeters, so if its size cannot be increased, it is better to abandon the idea of installing an arch. Otherwise, instead of a noble arched structure, you will end up with a “hole in a hole.”
Removing the door frame
So, the arch visually reduces the opening, conclusion - increase the size if the ceiling height allows. How to determine how much? Do this so that the height of the expanded opening exceeds the top point of the planned arch by five centimeters.
An important condition for ensuring good result– evenness and verticality of the walls. Otherwise, the arch will turn out skewed. Conclusion - the walls are pre-finished with plaster and allowed to dry.
After expanding the doorway, prepare the surface by smoothing out uneven areas, get rid of excess material, removing dust and dirt.
Doorways in load-bearing wall may not be altered without appropriate permits.
This is how a profile is cut Installation of an arched structure
Making a frame yourself is not that easy, but it is quite possible. For this, builders recommend using a U-type metal profile (the so-called pawn, or more precisely, a 27/28 guide profile).
The size of the guides is determined by the width of the arch, quantity – 2 pcs. Install the frame on both sides of the doorway, slightly deeper inside (after fastening the drywall and applying putty, it will be flush with the wall).
Starting from the top, attach the first profile, then be sure to mount the second parallel to the first. Then they are fixed on the sides, from the upper corner to the rounding point of the arch.
In order for the profile to bend effortlessly, cuts are made on it at an average interval of 6.5 cm, for which metal scissors are used.
You can give the profile the desired shape by bending it according to the layout. When the frame arc is ready, it is attached to the ceiling and walls.
An example of bending a metal profile according to the layout The profile frame is fastened to brick or concrete walls with dowels; self-tapping screws are also suitable for wooden ones.
Preparing drywall for installation in an arched frame structure
Draw the arched line of the arch using two identical sheets of drywall. If you don’t have a compass, use the means at hand - an awl (or self-tapping screw), thin rope and with a simple pencil or a ready-made flexible workpiece.
Make two identical halves along the marked line using a metal saw (a simple hacksaw or an electric jigsaw).
The process of cutting drywall along an arc line Bend drywall
To finish the lower end side of the arched arc, cut a strip of a given size and bend it. For deformation, it is recommended to place a weight on the sides of the strip. To simplify the procedure, drywall is moistened with water and the surface is pierced with a needle roller.
Next, the still wet deformed strip is attached, starting from the middle of the arch, fixing it with metal screws along both sides. In accordance with the work technology, the drywall is allowed to dry. The time allocated for this is 12 hours.
Bending drywall with a weight Processing
The final stage of the main work - finishing. All joints of the arch are finished with putty, glued with reinforcing tape and puttied. Next comes step-by-step sanding and priming.
Decorative finishing
The culmination of the process of making an arch with your own hands is its decoration.
Video to help craftsmen:
How to finish an arch
The even shape of the arched structure in the apartment is half the success; finishing is no less important. Finish finished arch You can use a decorative narrow stone. A budget option is to use plaster, wallpaper, paints and decorative plaster. The flight of fancy is not limited. Decorate the arches by installing lighting or stained glass.
