Equipping a home, a person seeks to create an original and comfortable interior. Isolation of rooms today has not become as popular as before. Modern interiors suggest a smooth transition from one room to another, while it is customary to use arched openings. They can have a variety of forms, combining rooms, but at the same time making them separate.
The main varieties of arches: from classic to avant-garde
Considering the types of arches, you should familiarize yourself with all the varieties of such structures, among them the following options should be highlighted:
- classic;
- romance;
- trapezoid;
- portal;
- Art Nouveau;
- ellipse;
- semiarca.
The first variety is the most common today, which can be successfully entered into any interior. As for romance, such arches have a rectangular shape, as well as rounded corners. Most often, arches in this style are installed if it is necessary to arrange a wide opening.
The trapezoid speaks for itself and represents a design made in the form of the figure of the same name. Looking at the types of arches, you will be able to understand that, among others, rectangular portals are the most common, which, when making corners, do not require additional labor. But it should be remembered that such an opening will not be appropriate in every interior.
Additional options
Something between the portal and the classics are modern arches, they have a rounded arch, which tends to a rectangle. The radius of the circle can be different, but more than half the width of the opening. This kind of arches looks good in rooms with low ceilings. The most common types of arches are those that were mentioned above.
But if you want to make the interior unusual, then you should choose an ellipse that has a large radius of curvature. An example of asymmetric arches will be the semi-arches. One part of it will repeat the portal, while the other will be a modern or a classic kind of arch. Experts do not recommend choosing classic designs if the room has low ceilings.
Realization of ideas: the choice of materials
All types of arches that were mentioned above can be made of different materials, among them:
- a rock;
- wood;
- drywall;
- brick.
One of the most malleable is drywall, and if moistened, the material will take any form. This allows you to fix the structure until dry. By converting drywall sheets, you can strengthen them to a pre-designed frame made of metal profiles.
The radius should have a certain rounding. In those places where the sheets were joined, they must be covered with putty, and at the next stage, the base is protected with finishing material. Working with drywall sheets is very simple. And if you have certain skills, you can create an arch yourself.
Luxury solutions: wooden arches
Quite often, wooden arched openings are compared with ordinary doorways, but the former differ from the latter only in wide platbands. Such interior openings are able to give an original look to any interior. Among the additional advantages, practicality should be emphasized, because the surface will be less susceptible to damage. Do not choose wood for the manufacture of the arch, if the room is quite frequent changes in temperature and humidity.
In this case, the wooden opening in the form of an arch can soon become covered with cracks. This probability can be eliminated by processing the material with special compounds. Modern wooden arches are more resistant to negative influences, because they are glued layers of lumber. This solution will be cheaper, but in quality it will not be inferior to arches made of solid wood.
Modern design solution: stone arch
If you are not interested in any of the above materials, you can choose a stone or brick. The outer surface in the latter case is faced with tiles that can imitate stone. This method is suitable if you have to decorate an existing opening.
If you plan to change the configuration of the opening or intend to carry out equally large-scale repair work, then part of the wall around the arch can not be covered with plaster, leaving a brick on the surface. An alternative solution is stone masonry.
Making drywall arches
Having examined the types of arches, photos of which you can find in the article, you can proceed to make your own arches. Most often, home craftsmen use drywall for this, since it is affordable and malleable in work. When the master does not have experience, experts advise him to make a classic radial arch.
For this, a certain set of materials and tools should be prepared, among them:
- drywall;
- arched corners;
- metal profiles;
- hacksaw for metal;
- self-tapping screws;
- electric jigsaw;
- putty.
When purchasing drywall, you will need to stock up on two sheets, each of which will be 1.2 m wide. The thickness should be equivalent to 12 mm. You will need a sheet of arched drywall, the thickness of which is 6.5 mm. In this case, drywall, which is designed to create arches, should be selected. This requirement is due to the fact that this material is well bent when wet. With it, you can achieve the desired shape.
Reinforced arched corners must be prepared in the amount of 2 pieces, while metal profiles in the amount of 5 pieces. Four of them should have dimensions 27X28 mm, they will go to the manufacture of guides. One will serve as a rack profile, and its dimensions will be 27X60 mm. This element is necessary for the frame structure under the arch.
For cutting metal you will need scissors, as well as a hacksaw. Take care of the stationery or construction knife. All types of drywall arches are made using self-tapping screws, dowels and screwdrivers, which are necessary for fastening to the frame wall. In addition, you will also need an electric drill, as well as a jigsaw, otherwise the drywall will have to be cut manually. For the final work, putty, spatula and paint should be prepared.
Preparatory work
Considering the types of drywall arches, it is recommended to evaluate the photos of already created structures first of all, because they will allow you to understand how the opening will look after completion of work. Before starting, it is recommended to practice on a small sheet of cardboard. This requirement applies to beginners who have not previously encountered manipulations where plasterboard sheets are involved.
At the next stage, you can begin to measure the width of the doorway. After that, the width is measured on one leaf sheet in a straight line. The desired piece is cut off. The second canvas is prepared in the same way. Cutting drywall should be done with a sharp clerical knife, however, experts often use a construction knife . To do this, a line is drawn on the wrong side, after which the sheet is rotated and cracked by an incision. The edges can be trimmed with a knife.
Markup
On cut canvases, it is necessary to mark the center of the axis. In order to get a semicircle, you can use a compass or protractor. You can also make compasses yourself, for this, a self-tapping screw and a cord attached to it are used. A pencil is fixed at the end of the rope. The length of the lace should correspond to half the width of the drywall sheet, this will allow you to get a perfect semicircle.
Methodology
Having carefully examined the types of door arches, you can understand which one is best to choose. At the next stage, for marking, you need to cut a semicircle, and you can use an electric jigsaw for this. According to the stencil, marking is performed and one more shape is cut out on another canvas. Using scissors for metal, it is necessary to prepare guide profiles. Drywall sheets will be strengthened on them.
As soon as the profiles are ready, they are fixed to the wall. Fixation should be carried out in increments of 20 mm from the edge of the opening. Use dowels for this. On this we can assume that the arched frame is ready. Private masters today use a variety of types of arches in the apartment, photos will allow you to understand which shape is better to choose. This example looks at a classic arch.
As soon as the frame is ready, drywall sheets can be laid on it, which are screwed with metal screws. The distance between them should be 150 mm. Caps of self-tapping screws need to be slightly heated. To form an internal arch frame, the next step is the installation of a guide profile. If the guide cannot be bent, it is necessary to make incisions using scissors for metal.
On the edges of drywall installed jumpers in the amount of 7 pieces. To strengthen the structure, they are installed on self-tapping screws, they will act as a coupler for sheets. Now you can close the arched opening. To do this, the length and width of the circumference of the future arch is measured, and a strip of the required dimensions is cut from the drywall. The final strip of the fabric is fixed with screws in increments of 5 cm. Next, the fabric is puttied, and after the layer has dried, you can proceed to the final processing.
Conclusion
Having studied on the basis of our article all available types of arches in the wall, you can understand which option is best suited for the interior of your apartment or home. Such designs can have a variety of configurations, and the final decision will depend on the aesthetic preferences of the owners. Other materials are sometimes used as alternative solutions, among them metal, chipboard and MDF should be highlighted, but in this case the arches are usually sold ready-made or can be made to order.