In an effort to move away from generally accepted standards and give the interior elegance, the owners of apartments and country houses change the usual doors to arches. This is not a new, but to this day, popular designer highlight. An arch in the doorway is bought ready-made or made with your own hands. It comes in a variety of configurations, so it allows you to realize any idea.
Forms of arched openings
Interior door arches are selected not only on the basis of taste preferences, but also depending on certain parameters: ceiling height and opening width. Designs are made of drywall, wood, MDF, PVC. The easiest way to work with drywall, as it is the most flexible material.
Currently, there are a large number of different types of arches, which vary in shape. The most common are:
- Arches made in the classical style. Such structures have a regular semicircular shape and are suitable for a room with a height of more than three meters.
- Romance. The design of this form fits perfectly into the low opening from the living room or hall into the corridor. It is an arc, the rounded corners of which are interconnected in the center by a straight insert.
- Modern. This option is well suited for decorating a balcony or kitchen doorway. In this case, the corners of the structure can be either acute or rounded.
- A portal is a construction made in a p-shape. It is customary to install it in rooms where horizontal and vertical lines dominate. An arch device of this type is well suited for the design of houses made of logs or timber. The portal arch in the interroom opening can be of various configurations: wavy, polygonal. The choice is determined by the available materials and the imagination of the owner.
- The direct arch looks good in combination with such styles in the interior as high-tech and modern.
- Semi-arches are used for zoning of territories.
Arched openings also have various designs and on the basis of this are divided into several varieties:
- Radius. This is one of the most inexpensive technologies that combines with any style.
- Layered. This option is used to design a specific interior.
- Openwork arches. Such designs are not suitable only if the vertical surfaces are made in a non-standard form.
- Dome arches suitable for classic type constructions.
Having looked at your interior and choosing the right arch model, you can begin the phased work.
Self-made step-by-step instructions
In order not to spend extra money on finished products, you can do the finishing of the arched opening yourself. To do this, you must follow a clearly established scheme.
Making the necessary measurements
Any construction process requires accuracy, which is achieved with preliminary measurements. You need to start from the opening itself, so measure the width and height of it first. The span between the walls of the opening is equal to the width of the arch. In order to make the semicircle as accurate as possible, this indicator should be divided into two.
Before making an arch, you need to decide on its future configuration. If you are going to perform it in a classic style, then pre-align the walls. Otherwise, the design will look ugly. You can remove all defects from a vertical surface with putty or plaster using beacons.
Creating a support frame
To make the installation of the frame, you must perform a series of sequential actions:
- A contour of a metal profile is screwed along the lines of the opening with dowels. Vertical guides are installed indented from the surface of the interior wall. The size of the indent is equal to the thickness of the drywall sheet and the plaster layer (about 0.2 cm).
- We install in parallel to each other two such profiles on each side.
- Having finished working with profiles, we take up the installation of the first sheet of drywall. If its thickness is 1.25 cm, then it is recommended to fasten it with self-tapping screws 3.5x35. If the GCR thickness is not more than 0.95 cm, use smaller screws.
- Plasterboard the second side of the frame.
- Make a metal profile in the shape of an arc. To do this, cut the side walls of the profile with special scissors every 7 centimeters. As a result of these actions, it is easier for him to give the required form. For arched construction will require two such blanks.
- Install and fasten the arcuate profiles to the main part of the frame.
- In order for the arcs to be securely fixed, they are fixed with suspensions to a straight guide located on top. The number of suspensions depends on the width of the opening. Three pairs are usually enough.
- In increments of 0.4-0.6 m, attach reinforcing crossbars along the perimeter of the frame, fixing them on the guides of the two circuits.
- As a result of the above actions, a reliable metal structure in the form of an arch from the profile comes out. In the future, it will be sheathed with drywall or plywood.
If it is assumed that the columns of the arches will not be too large in thickness, then 2 arcs are permissible to change to a wide profile. Slicing and bending is done exactly the same. Only in this case does not require the installation of crossbars.
Sometimes, instead of a metal profile, wooden slats are used. The technology of mounting the frame does not change significantly.
Drywall Bending
After installing the frame are taken for bending GCR. Experts recommend using drywall designed specifically for arched structures. It easily takes the desired shape if the material is washed in the longitudinal direction.
If you decide to use regular drywall, then you have to tinker with it. The setting element is cut to the desired size in the form of a rectangle. They bend it in two ways: wet and dry.
Wet method takes a lot of time and does not endure haste. So that when bending the material does not crack, it is moistened with water and punctures are made. In this form, the drywall sheet is left to lie for some time, and then bend it on the template of the desired configuration.
The dry method refers to the application of cuts parallel to each other on the wrong side of the GCR. Propyl goes deep into the sheet, affecting the outer cardboard layer and gypsum. The cardboard layer on the front side remains intact.
With the dry method, the bending of the mounting element takes the correct shape. At the same time, it is important to know that cutting GKL is best done with a jigsaw rather than a hacksaw. Then the edges will not be torn.
Frame Roughing
If the bending was carried out by the wet method, then first of all it is necessary to wait until the drywall sheet is completely dry. Fixation of the material is carried out first with adhesive tape, and then with self-tapping screws. The minimum step between them should be from 5 to 6 centimeters.
After fixing the cladding, the edges of the drywall sheet are cleaned. And in order to prevent chipping of the curved edge, a perforated plastic corner is installed on it.
Putty Alignment
To make the surface even, you need to finish the arched structure. First, a primer is applied, and after it is dry putty. A glass fiber mesh is used to reinforce the second layer and strengthen corners..
The last third layer of putty is applied to the mesh. After about 10 hours, it dries, after which you can begin to clean the irregularities with sandpaper. With a job well done, the surface will be without roughness, unevenness, and self-tapping hats will not be visible in it.
Ways to decorate arches
Those who want to finish the arches on their own will have to work hard, cutting out each detail separately. However, many do not look for difficulties and choose a simple way - they acquire factory designs from prefabricated elements.
Ready and prefabricated linings
The factory-made overlay is of two types: wooden and foam.
Styrofoam elements
Foam arches are often preferred as an alternative to gypsum products. The advantages of such designs are as follows:
- Quick installation. The installation speed is much higher than arched structures made of plywood or gypsum plaster.
- Low price.
- Easy transportation. Polyfoam is a fairly lightweight material, so you do not need to hire movers to deliver the product to your home.
- Light weight. Arches of this kind can be installed even on very weak structures.
- A variety of forms.
The negative sides of the arched foam structure are: fragility, toxicity, fast flammability.
Wood elements
Wooden arched structures do not require advertising. They look rich and rarely do not fit into any interior style. However, it should be understood that the word "wooden" does not mean that all components are made of pine, oak or other wood massif.
Arched elements are also produced from inexpensive MDF, laminated particleboard, plywood veneered. The desired option is selected individually based on the taste and thickness of the wallet.
Installation of wooden structures is simple. In construction stores, arches are sold both assembled and disassembled. The first option is considered more reliable, since the work was performed by a specialist.
Decoration with decoration materials
Currently, there are many ways to beautifully and accurately finish the interior doorway. The decor is chosen so that it harmonizes in color, texture, material with the home decor. The most popular options are:
- Simple coloring. An arch will look elegant and complete if it is simply painted white, brown or to match the walls. This finish is often complemented by decorative elements, lighting.
- Wallpapering. This is the fastest, affordable and easy process. For these purposes, options from vinyl or non-woven are best suited.
- Finishing with wooden, plastic lining. The method guarantees not only a beautiful aesthetic appearance, but also ensures the durability of the structure, protecting it from moisture and mechanical damage.
- Decorative plaster. The surface of the arch is beautiful, embossed and durable. True, this finish sometimes needs to be restored, and it requires some care.
- A rock. An arch in a house made of natural or artificial stone is installed only with the help of a professional. The decoration captivates the eye, makes the interior unusual.
- Bung - This is quite expensive, but environmentally friendly material. It is easily susceptible to mechanical damage, therefore, to extend its service life, it is recommended to cover the cork with wax.
- Brick tile. This finish will last for many years. It does not attract dirt and does not require special care.
Whatever version of decoration of the arch structure you choose, the arch itself will be a highlight in the interior of your apartment or country house.