To unite the space of an apartment in an elegant way, many resort to such a simple method as removing the doors and building a graceful arched structure in their place. For these purposes, you can purchase typesetting elements in the distribution network or cut them yourself, and then put everything together in the doorway. That is, installing an arch in a doorway with your own hands is a simple matter.
Any person can do this kind of work, even without super professional qualities, the main thing is the desire. So let's get started.
Technology for arranging an arch structure
The algorithm for the process of arranging an arched structure is as follows:
- Choosing the shape of the future building.
- Make his sketch and drawing.
- Determine the necessary materials, fixtures and tools. Arches can be different in shape, size and decor. It is these parameters that are fundamental when choosing materials for them.
- Choose how to install the arch. This can be done either using a template (1:1 scale) from any material at hand, or using markings scrupulously made on the wall surface (withboth sides of the doorway).
- Dismantle the doorway and expand it to the required size.
- Building a frame.
- We sew it.
- Decorating.
General recommendations
Listen to them and you will succeed:
- We make measurements at several points of the doorway so as not to miss them.
- If the walls are uneven (and they most likely are), the thickness of the racks corresponds to the thickest place (this will be the depth of the arch).
- To significantly simplify the process of marking and cutting the sheathing material, we recommend making a template in full size. Then you will definitely avoid many mistakes, because you will have the opportunity to see the contours of the future structure with your own eyes.
Important! When calculating, do not forget to take into account the moment that as a result of installing the arch, the height of the doorway increases by an average of 10-15 cm. The distance from the top of the arched structure to the ceiling should not be less than 20 cm.
- Cutting drywall sheets is carried out only with an electric jigsaw. It is unacceptable to use a hacksaw, as the edges are torn and uneven.
- Fix the skin in increments of 5-6 cm with self-tapping screws.
- After the drywall is fixed on the frame, sand its edges.
- We protect the curved edge from chips with a special plastic corner with perforation.
- Interior arches made of fiberboard we equip according to technologyplasterboard constructions. You just need to remember how to install the arch in the kitchen. The fact is that fiberboard perfectly absorbs moisture from the air. Therefore, this material is not at all suitable for mounting an arch between a room and a kitchen.
Choosing material for the frame
How to install an arch in a doorway? We start everything with a frame, for the arrangement of which we use:
- metal profile;
- wooden bars (size 30 x 30 or 20 x 20);
- brick;
- concrete;
- aerated concrete blocks.
Most often, the frame is made of a lightweight metal profile for drywall or wood bars. Structures built from these elements perfectly withstand the weight of finishing materials. And you don't need more. The fact is that the walls between the rooms are not load-bearing, and therefore, they do not experience serious loads. Therefore, all of the listed materials will perfectly cope with the tasks and will not let you down. It is a completely different matter if the arched structure plays the role of a support, then its construction will require other materials with different strength characteristics.
In addition, installing an arch in a doorway with your own hands from drywall is very easy and inexpensive even for beginner builders who do not have much experience in repair work.
Advice! We strongly recommend that the frame be rigidly fastened to the wall. Otherwise, there is a high risk that after 2-3weeks, the decorative coating will warp and fall off. When installing an arch made of brick, aerated concrete or concrete, you should think a hundred times whether it is worth equipping such a frame, which is of considerable weight. Indeed, in this case, it will be necessary to calculate whether the floors below can withstand such a load.
Choosing material for sheathing
When constructing an interior arch in place of a doorway, you can safely use materials such as drywall, fiberboard or plywood for sheathing. Most often, GKP is preferred, since later it will greatly facilitate the process of finishing the entire structure due to the fact that drywall has excellent adhesion with a large number of finishing materials.
Besides this advantage, GKP has other advantages: light weight and ease of handling. But it is worth considering the use of such material as thin plywood, which is much easier to bend (and you will definitely need this when installing the arch). Think and decide for yourself which is better. Your financial capabilities also play an important role in making the final decision.
Without preparing the doorway, we can't move on
Installing the interior arch, we begin by dismantling the door leaf (if, of course, it is available). And then we do this:
- Expanding the opening to the planned design dimensions.
- We level the walls and beat off everything that may later or during the work fall off: concrete pieces, brick or plaster. This operation is extremely important for the subsequentreliable and strictly vertical (without any slopes to the right or left) fastening of the carrier profile.
Note! There is no need to plaster the walls at this stage of the work. They will still be under the frame, so no need to waste time.
- Bringing up the wiring. We do this if the plans include a backlit design.
- Fix the profile to the wall along the entire perimeter of the opening.
- We fix the top part of the frame structure on it (as a rule, it has a curved appearance).
- Fix the guides (vertical) in the opening, stepping back from the interior wall at a distance equal to the drywall sheet plus an additional 2 mm.
- We fasten parallel profiles (two on each side and on top).
Well, now the most important thing is to create a supporting frame
Important! We attach the guides to a wooden wall using self-tapping screws, and to a concrete (or brick) wall using dowel screws. Fastener pitch should not be more than 30 cm.
- To form a hemisphere at the top, we make cuts every 5-7 centimeters in the profile (in the side walls). This allows us to bend it the way we want. We make two pieces of such bent blanks (for each contour of the guides).
- We fasten the curved profile to the main part of the frame.
Advice! To ensure the necessary reliability of the arcs, we fix them to the topguide (horizontal), using hangers. Their number depends on such a parameter as the width of the doorway (usually two or three will be enough).
- We make the fastening of the crossbars that reinforce the structure. The step of their installation is 40-60 centimeters. Be sure to fix the crossbars on the guides of both circuits.
- As a result of all the work, we get a solid frame, which subsequently remains only to be sheathed and decorated.
- If the thickness of the arched columns is small, then a wide profile can be used for the arcs, and all cutting and bending work is carried out according to the recommendations described above. The exception is that it is not necessary to install the cross members.
- Install the arch in the doorway with your own hands, using wooden bars, we carry out using the same technology.
GCR installation
After the frame is assembled, we begin to sheathe it. Plasterboard sheets are considered an ideal option, in which reinforcement from non-woven fiberglass is carried out on both sides. But you can get by with simple drywall, previously moistened with water, fixed on a template and steamed with a hot iron. In order to achieve the desired shape, simply knead the material in the longitudinal direction.
How to install an arch in the kitchen with your own hands? Very simple: instead of ordinary drywall, we use waterproof.
Two ways to bend GKL
- Wet. Wet the back side of the drywall sheet with plenty of water.(you can use a needle roller), gradually bend it on the template, fix it and leave it to dry. The process is not fast, if you suddenly rush, you can touch the cardboard layer of the sheet, and this is unacceptable. Installation and fastening on the arched structure is carried out only after the gypsum has completely hardened.
- Dry. The principle is to apply cuts (parallel) on one side of the sheet, passing through the plaster layer and the outer part of the cardboard (do not touch the front side). Next, carefully begin to bend the sheet.
Priming, puttying and decorating
The work algorithm is as follows:
- Priming.
- Apply the first layer of putty on the surface.
- After it dries a little, we reinforce it using fiberglass mesh.
- Apply the next layer of putty.
- Strengthen and align the corners with a grid.
- After the putty has hardened, we grind the surfaces with sandpaper. We remove all irregularities, excesses, self-tapping caps.
- Let's start finishing: we finish with stone, paint, sheathe with wood or plastic. Here you can fully show the flight of your imagination.
In conclusion
Step-by-step instructions on how to install an arch in a doorway (photo above), performed consistently and without any errors, will allow you to realize your creative ideas. Yes, you will have to spend time and money on this, but believe me, it is worth it. The result mayexceed all your expectations. Moreover, you are unlikely to find a second such construction anywhere.
