How to Make an Arched Doorway Out of a Squared

Arched doorways are often found in older homes.

In older homes and buildings, arched doorways are fairly common because the arches helped provide additional support to the structure. Developments in building technology and methods reduced or eliminated the need for arched doorways, leading to the rectangular doorways that many homes have now. If you're a fan of arched doorways, you can build an arch and attach it to your existing rectangular doorway.

Things You'll Need

• Utility knife
• Tape measure
• 2-by-4 boards
• Circular saw
• Safety goggles
• Hammer
• Nails
• 1/2-inch plywood boards
• Assistant
• 1-by-2 board
• Drill
• Drywall screws
• 1/4-inch drywall
• Spray bottle
• Flexible corner beads
• Stapler
• Staples
• Joint compound
• 12-inch putty knife
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Dry rag
• Primer
• Paintbrushes
• Paint

Instructions

1. Strip the drywall off of the inner edge of the doorway to get down to the bare wooden frame.

2. Cut a 2-by-4 board that matches the width of the header. The header is the beam across the top of the doorway.

3. Nail a 2-by-4 board to each end of the first board to form a "U." The two boards should be as long as the sides of the arch.

4. Nail a sheet of 1/2-inch plywood to each side of the 2-by-4 frame to be the face of the arch. When cutting the plywood, the top and sides of the faces must match the top and sides of the frame. The fourth side is the arched side. You can make the arch as shallow or as deep as you want, but it must be the same on both plywood boards.

5. Place the assembled arch frame into position in the doorway with the help of an assistant. Nail the archway to the door frame.

6. Measure the distance between the inner edges of the plywood boards along the bottom of the arch. Cut pieces of 1-by-2 board to fit this space, cutting enough boards so you can install them every 2 inches along the bottom of the arch.

7. Attach the 1-by-2 blocks to the bottom of the arch with drywall screws. Begin in one corner, and install a block every 2 inches until you reach the other corner. When using the drywall screws, drive them in deep enough that the head of the screw is just beneath the surface of the wood.

8. Cut a strip of 1/4-inch drywall to fit along the bottom of the arch, and dampen it with water in a spray bottle until you can bend it without cracking it.

9. Attach the drywall to the bottom of the arch with drywall screws, using two screws in every block. Get someone to assist you with this.

10. Cover the corner edges of the arch with flexible corner beads, attaching them with staples every 3 inches.

11. Apply joint compound to the assembled archway with a 12-inch putty knife. Smooth the joint compound with the putty knife as you apply it, and allow it to set for the length of time specified on the packaging.

12. Apply two more coats of joint compound to the archway, allowing each to dry for the specified time.

13. Sand the archway with fine-grit sandpaper until it's smooth, then wipe the dust away with a rag.

14. Cover the archway with a coat of primer, allowing it to dry for the time specified on the packaging.

15. Paint the archway to match the walls, and allow the paint to dry before adding a second coat.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear safety goggles when sawing the wood.

References

• The Family Handyman: How to Build a Drywall Arch
• DrywallInfo.com; How to Finish and Build a Drywall Arch Doorway; Michael Sakowski; 2005
• BuyEZRip.com: Building a Drywall Arch Opening
• Ask the Builder; Creating Arched Openings; Tim Carter