Skip to main content
FamilyEducation
FamilyEducation
Family Education

FE-Menu

  • Pregnancy
    • <blank>
      • Pregnancy Tracker
      • Trying to Conceive
      • Signs & Symptoms
      • Pregnancy Health
    • <blank>
      • Baby Names
      • High Risk Pregnancies
      • Preparing for Baby
    • <blank>
      • Concerns & Complications
      • Labor & Delivery
      • Postpartum
  • Baby Names
    • <blank>
      • Browse All Baby Names (A-Z)
      • Top Names for Boys
      • Top Names for Girls
      • Baby Name Generator
    • <blank>
      • Baby Name Lists & Ideas
      • First Names By Origin
      • Browse All Last Names (A-Z)
      • Last Names by Origin
  • Babies
    • <blank>
      • Caring For Your Baby
      • Baby's Health
      • Feeding Your Baby
    • <blank>
      • Your Baby and Sleep
      • Baby's Growth & Development
      • Baby Hygiene
    • <blank>
      • Baby Safety
      • Baby Products
    • <blank>
  • Toddlers
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Growth and Development
    • <blank>
      • Toddler Behavior and Discipline
    • <blank>
      • Your Toddler and Sleep
  • Kids
    • <blank>
      • Health
      • Childhood Development
      • Fitness & Nutrition
      • Childhood Safety
    • <blank>
      • Communicating with Your Kids
      • Childhood Behavior and Discipline
      • Fostering Responsibility
      • Instilling Values & Manners
    • <blank>
      • Childcare
      • Neurodiversity in Kids
      • Adopting Children
  • Teens
    • <blank>
      • Teen Health
      • Teen Puberty & Sex
    • <blank>
      • Behavior & Discipline
      • Teen Social Development
    • <blank>
      • Values & Responsibilities
  • Activities
    • <blank>
      • Printables
      • Indoor Activities
      • Learning Activities
      • Arts and Crafts
      • Performing Arts
      • Food Activities
      • Outdoor Activities
    • <blank>
      • Books
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Online
      • Quizzes
      • Games
      • Celebrities
    • <blank>
      • Parties
      • Travel
      • Toys
      • Holidays
      • Gifts
  • Learning
    • <blank>
      • By Grade
      • By Subject
      • College
      • Preschool
    • <blank>
      • Back to School
      • Study Skills
      • Learning Styles
    • <blank>
      • Homeschooling
      • Parental Involvement
      • Your Child's School
  • Family Life
    • <blank>
      • Mom Life
      • Dad Life
      • Family Relationships
      • Having a Healthy Marriage
      • Divorce
    • <blank>
      • Health & Fitness
      • COVID Resources
      • Managing Your Home
      • Moving Your Family
      • Pets
    • <blank>
      • Family Finances
      • Work
      • Families and Food
  • NewslettersNewsletters
    Newsletters

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Family Life
  3. Managing Your Home
  4. Home Improvements and Maintenance
  5. Build An Archway

Build an Archway

This guide describes how to build an archway for the entrance of a room in your home.
  • facebook share icon
  • pin
  • twitter share icon
  • email share icon
  • Print page icon

In this article, you will find:

  • Patterns
  • Demolition
  • Forms, positioning, and attachment
  • Drywall and finishing

Patterns

Build an Archway

Home fashions come and home fashions go, but ever since the Romans, arches have always been in style. Although drywall is flat as a frying pan, you can shape it into an arch—bend it to your will, if you will, using some tricks of the trade.

But first you must prepare an opening. Whether you're fixing an ugly arch or putting an arch in a doorway, the same techniques apply. If you're simply drywalling a wall that already has an arch, skip ahead to Step 6: Drywalling Over an Existing Arch.

Step 1: Making the Pattern

You have two choices in making a pattern: Either copy an existing arch, or make a new shape. In either case, make a half pattern, and then use it on both sides. That ensures that both sides are symmetrical.

Copying an Existing Arch

Clamp a large piece of cardboard, stapled to a wood stiffener, across the archway you'll duplicate. To hold the pattern level, measure up from the floor to find the starting point, and then trace the arch on the cardboard.

Drawing a New Pattern

Dave's Don'ts

Make every effort to minimize damage during demolition. Don't loosen, crack, or gouge any more wall than necessary. Work slowly. Cut around anything you remove so the wall surface breaks cleanly. You'll probably have some damage to repair, but less is definitely more.

If you don't have an arch to duplicate, draw the shape freehand or with homemade drawing tools, following these suggestions:

  • Draw long-radius curves with a homemade compass. Tie a pencil to a string, have a helper stand on the other end of the string, and draw an arc. (Although few arches are fully circular, the arcs of a circle are helpful drawing guides.)

  • Sketch lightly on cardboard until you find a curve you like.

  • Cut the rough pattern (use a jigsaw, if you have one), hold it in place, and eyeball the shape.

Next: Demolition

What's hot

  • Eye color genetic chart Family LifeWhat Color Will My Baby'…
  • 10 Signs of Divorce Family Life10 Signs Your Marriage is Over
  • woman standing on scale Family LifeWhat's a Normal BMI for…
  • Young girl eating a oatmeal with berries after a workout Family LifeCalorie Intake for Weight…
NewslettersNewsletters
Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.
Family Education
FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found here.

FE Footer

  • Newsletter Center
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Editorial Team
  • Expert Panel
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info (for CA Residents)
sandbox learning logo
Family Education is part of the Sandbox Learning family of educational reference sites for parents, teachers, and students. 

factmonster logoinfoplease logoTeacherVision logo

sandbbox logo
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.