EASY STEPS TO YOUR ARCHED DOORWAY

Arches are a strong architectural element, so it’s little wonder they’re popular once more. And, with the right materials and tools, you can easily replicate the look of an arched entrance.

Gather your supplies

• Jab saw

• Pry bar

• 12mm plywood

• Jigsaw

• Drill and bits

• Screws

• Plasterboard

• Utility knife

• T-square

• Tin snips

• Plastic corner bead

• Plasterboard nails

• Plasterboard joint tape

• Joint compound

• Broadknives

• 150- and 220-grit sandpaper or sanding block

• Acrylic primer and paint

• Paintbrush and roller

Here’s how

STEP 1 Take your existing doorway down to the studs using a jab saw and pry bar.

STEP 2 Trace an arch from an existing template onto paper or create your own. For each corner of the doorway opening, you will need to build an arch block. To do this, trace 2 arches onto plywood (use the corners so 2 edges meet in a right angle). Cut out with a jigsaw. Screw pieces of scrap plywood between the 2 arches so depth of arch equals the wall depth minus the plasterboard.

STEP 3 Push an arch block into 1 doorway corner and screw in place. Repeat with another arch block on

doorway’s opposite corner.

STEP 4 Cut a piece of plasterboard slightly larger than the arch and hold it against the arch, then trace. Repeat for each corner.

STEP 5 Cut out 4 plasterboard arches (2 for each corner) using a jigsaw.

STEP 6 At each corner, screw arched plasterboard into the wood arch.

STEP 7 For each curved corner, cut a strip of plasterboard the same width as the framing plus the plasterboard on each side, and long enough to reach slightly beyond the arch. Score the back of the plasterboard every 19mm using a T-square and utility knife. Bend scored plasterboard inside arches and screw into the frames. Screw plasterboard into remaining sections of doorway framing.

STEP 8 To finish corners where the perpendicular pieces of plasterboard meet, use tin snips to cut strips in plastic corner bead every 12-19mm. Nail corner bead in place along edges of plasterboard. You do not need to cut the corner bead where it meets the straight sections of the plasterboard.

STEP 9 Use tape and joint compound to set joints and to cover nail heads, following manufacturer’s directions. Sand smooth when thoroughly set. Prime and paint to finish.

FOR EACH CORNER OF YOUR DOORWAY OPENING, BUILD AN ARCH BLOCK. STEP 2

STEP 4

STEP 8

STEP 3

STEP 7

STEP 6

STEP 5