How to Design an Arch

Practice drawing arches on paper to get the feel of it first.

You don't need to be a mathematician to design an arch. They are easy to lay out with a pencil and stick. By using the end of the stick as a pivot point, swing the stick in an arch pattern transferring the arch to another piece of wood, concrete or floor. Make your stick adjustable to draw arches with any radius you like, by simply moving the pivot point of the stick forward or back.

Things You'll Need

• Stick 1/4-by-3/4 inch by 72 inches long
• Tape measure
• Cordless drill
• Drill bit, 3/16 inch
• Plywood, 24-by-48 inches by 96 inches long
• Nail
• Hammer
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Lay the stick out on a flat surface. Use the tape measure to mark the stick in 1-inch increments the length of the stick.

2. Drill through the stick in the center at each mark with the cordless drill and 1/16 inch bit.

3. Lay the stick down on a piece of plywood. Place a nail in one hole near the end of the stick and tap on the nail with a hammer to stick it into the plywood 1/8 inch.

4. Place the tip of a pencil into one of the holes on the opposite end of the stick from the nail.

5. Hold the pencil with your fingers and sweep the stick in an arch pattern drawing the arch design on the plywood with the pencil using the nail as a pivot.

6. Move the nail and or pencil up or down the set of holes to shorten the radius of the arch.

Tips & Warnings

• The measurements here are for examples. Make large arches using longer sticks, or smaller ones with smaller sticks. Experiment with different sizes.