How to make a semi-arch from plasterboard with your own hands - step-by-step instructions, making a figured semi-arch from plasterboard in a doorway, installing a frame for the arch, installing lighting, video. Semi-arch made of plasterboard: photos and step-by-step instructions for mast

Arches and semi-arches in the interior are an element that does not go out of fashion over time. This configuration has already become a classic, so during renovations many owners think about making a similar structure with their own hands.

A semi-arch is a curved covering of an opening in which one corner will be rounded. Kinds this design may have different ones, this is a quarter circle, and a circle with a large diameter, where one corner is slightly rounded. Literally any complex design can be made with your own hands.

The shape of the semi-arches is comparable to the shape of the arches, i.e. they will match in style.

The most common forms of semi-arches:

• Classic;
• Romantic style;
• Modern;
• Trapezoidal;
• Portal;
• Transom.

This means that the shape of the arch will form the basis for the formation of the configuration and semi-arch.

How to determine which shape is suitable for your semi-arch? It depends on several factors.

Criteria for choosing the shape of a semi-arch

There are at least five conditions that influence the choice of configuration for a future design.

Selection conditions:

• Footage of the room;
• Ceiling height;
• Interior style;
• Functionality of the premises;
• Purpose of the semi-arch.

For example, interior semi-arches cannot be made very wide, and there is no point in doing so. The modest size looks more convincing in the conditions of not the most spacious standard apartments.

But a semi-arch that zones one room (for example, a kitchen/dining room) can be wider. This needs to be done at least for ease of movement in a single space, divided into zones with your own hands.

How to make a semi-arch from plasterboard with your own hands (video)

Instructions and stages of work

Procedure:

• Preparation of tools and materials themselves. Profiles, drywall, sealing tape, primer and putty mixture, as well as Decoration Materials, fasteners
• Creating a template. Perfect option, almost a guarantee of getting the design that you had in mind. The idea for the template can be found on the Internet, but making it yourself is not at all difficult.
• Clearing the place. Clear the opening in which the semi-arch will be from the old finish, and also clean it thoroughly.
• Fixing profiles. Guide profiles are installed on both sides of the opening, departing from the edge at a distance equal to the thickness of the plasterboard.
• Installation of horizontal profile. The bottom edge of the profile must have the desired bend. The profiles are fastened with dowels, and the elements are fixed to each other using special fasteners for metal.
• Gluing profiles. Seal the profiles with a special sealing tape.
• Frame covering. Cut the drywall in advance so that you already have all the necessary elements for the sheathing. The fastening of the plates is done according to the drawing. You can cut drywall with a hacksaw, but the easiest way is to use a knife for cutting plasterboard.
• Sealing seams. To do this, be sure to prime the surface of the semi-arch, then putty it, and then you can start finishing.
• Finishing. As a rule, this is wallpaper, panels, tiles or artificial stone.

Since a semi-arch is not the simplest geometric design, it is better to make a drawing and a template; this will simplify your work and coordinate your actions.

How to decorate a semi-arch with your own hands

The easiest option is to install backlighting. LED strip or spotlights are often used.

More complex options you can spy on the Internet - this is artistic stucco molding around the perimeter of the semi-arch, and mosaic, and painting. If you have some skills, you can decorate the semi-arch yourself.

For example, using special stencils, acrylic paints paint the edging of the semi-arch. This, of course, looks very impressive - and your home will only benefit from the home decorating work you did yourself.

Semi-arch – beautiful element, capable of transforming a modest interior, making it more sophisticated. Even beginners home renovation will be able to create such a simple and stylish design in a short time.

When starting an apartment or house renovation, people strive to make their home as comfortable, stylish and elegant as possible. One of the most popular design ideas is the design of the doorway in the form of a semicircular arch. Having studied the technology, it is quite possible to make an arch from gypsum plasterboard with your own hands.

Using an arched structure, you can influence the design of the entire environment and set the tone for the arrangement of the entire interior.

Arched structures are used not only for the design of doorways, but also for zonal division of the corridor. In this article you will learn how to make an arch from gypsum plasterboard with your own hands.

Necessary tools and material

The tools you will need are a screwdriver, a tape measure, a construction square, a pencil, a spatula, a grater, a container, a knife, a sponge, a drill, a jigsaw, and metal scissors.

Draw the outline of the arch on the drywall. To draw the upper part of the arched structure, use a homemade compass from a self-tapping screw screwed into the drywall and a thread and a pencil tied to it.

The longer the thread is, the larger the arc radius will be. Here you have the opportunity to experiment until you get the arch shape you want.

The blade of the tool must cut through the material strictly according to the markings - the quality of the arch directly depends on this. Next, start creating the arched frame. It can be metal or wood. Both options have their advantages: aluminum profile characterized by evenness and lightness, and wood is distinguished by great strength.

If you have a concrete wall, then you first need to make holes using a drill, insert dowels into them and only then screw in the screws.

Then, after attaching all the profiles to the wall, begin installing the gypsum board. The sheets are installed using a screwdriver. The size of the screws depends on the thickness of the drywall.

Secure the curved aluminum profile along the edge of the gypsum board. This will increase the rigidity of the structure. First, attach both ends of the curved guide to metal frame and then screw it to it plasterboard sheets. You need to screw in the screws in increments of 0.1-0.15 m.

Mount perpendicular pieces of profile to connect the side walls of the arched structure to each other.

Secure the lower arc-shaped arch section. Using a tape measure, measure the length and width of the arc. Cut out the appropriate piece from the gypsum board. Attach it to the bottom of the arch, carefully bending it to give the desired shape.

The edges of the plasterboard rectangle should be flush with the walls of the arch. Secure the section with self-tapping screws on both sides of the arc. Start from the center of the arch.

Inspect the resulting structure and eliminate minor defects. Proceed to finishing. Cover the edges of the gypsum board with fiberglass mesh or paper tape.

Apply putty (at least 3 layers). Sand thoroughly with a float. The arch is ready. All that remains is to paint it.

Types of arches

Exist different types plasterboard arches. They usually differ in the configuration of the top, and in some cases, in the method of connection to the vertical segments.

The photo of plasterboard arches shows that they are usually divided into six types:

• Classic.
• Modern.
• Romance.
• Ellipse.
• Trapezoid.
• Portal.

The semi-arch is also distinguished separately.

Making and installing an arched structure yourself is not that difficult. You just need to study the technology and choose suitable design plasterboard arches. We wish you success.

Photo of a plasterboard arch

Drywall is ideal for implementing a wide variety of design ideas– from elementary structures to very complex and unique solutions. The semi-arch is one example of such an application, which is used for decorative design interior and doorways or wall niches. A plasterboard semi-arch is rarely used in window framing, although if you are an ardent fan of the architectural masterpieces of the great Antonio Gaudi, then why not.

In what cases is a plasterboard semi-arch installed?

Already from the name it becomes clear that this design is a truncated arch - its top coincides with one of the supports, thus, only one corner in the opening is rounded or beveled.

The choice of this form is due to the technical impossibility of implementing a different solution, for example, for narrow or low openings, or an attempt to transform the space through visual effects. Another reason is related to the owner’s desire to clearly emphasize the individuality and modernity of his home, to get away from dull and boring standard geometric shapes, evoking feelings discomfort.

A plasterboard semi-arch can be used to design openings connecting rooms and for functional zoning of space. It will serve as a decoration for wall niches, both with decorative functions(concealment engineering communications and ledges building structures), and those having an independent applied purpose (stand for vases and flowers, part of a bedroom boudoir, a place for a TV or an aquarium, a fireplace, and so on).

The semi-arch is used to design openings, as well as zoning space

Design options

The appearance of a plasterboard semi-arch is distinguished by a wealth of potential styles and configurations, limited only by the author’s imagination.

The classic half-arch has a perfectly round curve, while the romantic style looks like an almost straight line with a slight rounding at the end. An oval arch in the Art Nouveau style will look appropriate in a room of small height and combine perfectly with intricate decorative elements, stained glass or panels. Half-arches, abstract or intricate curly shape, trapezoidal, with a barely noticeable rounding and a sharp bend ending at the floor level - it’s impossible to list all possible samples.

Columns can serve as real or simulated supports. Often, through niches equipped with shelves are made on the side of the main opening, resulting in a beautiful semi-arched shelving unit.

The choice of a particular option is influenced by:

• area and height of the ceilings of the room;
• dimensions of the opening being designed;
• interior style;
• functional purpose of the room and semi-arch.

When making a choice, you should not only evaluate aesthetics and design, but also take into account ease of movement. Half arches separating two different rooms, as a rule, narrow, and dividing the space into functional areas, for example, separating the kitchen from the dining room, are much wider.

Work order

A do-it-yourself plasterboard semi-arch can be easily constructed with a little experience and some skills in working with it. building material. The asymmetrical shape allows you to hide some deviations from the calculations, which would be impossible in the case of a full-fledged arch. Installation is also simple compared to multi-level curved structures, so the task does not pose any particular problems.

A semi-arch allows you to hide not only all external defects, but also hides deviations from calculations, which is not possible with a regular arch

General scheme

The technological scheme for constructing a semi-arch is in many ways similar to installing a plasterboard partition and includes the following main steps:

• frame assembly;
• covering the frame with plasterboard;
• sealing and reinforcing seams, strengthening the ends and creating perfectly smooth edges using an L-shaped perforated profile;
• surface puttying;
• finishing.

Some features are related only to the installation of the frame and the bending of drywall; we will dwell on them in more detail.

Secrets of frame installation

Straight-line guides are installed along the perimeter of the future semi-arch. The lower ends of the vertical rack profiles are cut obliquely in accordance with the shape of the semi-arch. Lastly, the so-called snake is mounted - a curved guide profile, to which the curved plasterboard surface will subsequently be attached.

A curved profile for your semi-arch can be made to order, but this is usually a rather long and complicated process, which is why many people prefer to make it themselves

A curved profile can be made on a special machine in a production environment by placing an order at the factory to suit your dimensions. Since this is a troublesome task, most often they make the snake themselves. To bend the profile using metal scissors, U-shaped or V-shaped cuts are made on the side shelves every 30 - 50 mm. The profile can be bent in any direction. To add rigidity to the profile, strips of a similar shape, cut from a sheet of galvanized steel, are attached to the profile using a cutter.

Advice. To eliminate possible inconsistencies, it is recommended to install the snake not on the frame, but directly on the drywall along the edge of the bend before or even after attaching it to the frame.

If there is a large distance between the side surfaces of the semi-arch, both snakes are connected by transverse jumpers to stiffen the frame.

Types of drywall used, bending methods and fastening features

Most questions regarding how to make a semi-arch from plasterboard arise when bending the sheet.

Although you can use regular drywall when constructing a semi-arch, it is better to take a special arched one, which is thinner and, accordingly, has better flexibility, allowing it to easily take a curved shape. The thickness of the arched plasterboard produced by KNAUF is 6.5 mm.

To create a semi-arch, you can use any drywall, but to make the process easier, we advise you to take an arched one, it is thinner and more flexible

There are three ways to bend drywall:

1. Dry method. Suitable for arched plasterboard or structures with slight curvature. Bending is carried out by direct fastening to the frame. Installation is carried out from one edge of the sheet to the other, sequentially and carefully fixing the drywall with self-tapping screws. To avoid breakthrough of the sheet, which tends to bend under the influence of internal stress, by the fastener heads, self-tapping screws are installed through the washer. Two to three days later, after the shape of the sheet has stabilized and the stress has subsided, the washers can be removed.
2. With hydration. Used for sharp sheet bends. The method is based on the remarkable ability of drywall to become plastic when moisture is collected and to restore its previous properties after drying, while simultaneously maintaining its given shape and strength characteristics. Initially, use a special needle roller to roll the sheet from the concave side, then place it with the pinched side up on profile supports and moisten it with a roller, sponge, sprayer or brush for about 10 minutes, until the water stops being absorbed. Moisture should not get to the other side of the sheet, otherwise the cardboard may tear when folded. Lay the drywall on a special template that copies the bend of the frame, and bend it, slowly and carefully pressing the edge of the sheet through the profile or bar to avoid breaking. Minimum bending radius: for plasterboard with a thickness of 12.5 mm - 1000 mm, for 9.5 mm - 500 mm, for 6.5 mm - 300 mm. Secure the ends of the sheet with clamps and leave to dry for a day or two. If several parts need to be made, the drywall can be removed after 7–8 hours by securing the ends of the sheet with tape.
3. Milling. Advantage this method in front of the previous two is that with its help a plasterboard blank can be bent not only in length, but also in width. The sheet is cut in parallel lines from the convex side at a given distance (usually 5–10 cm) and broken along the cut, strictly ensuring that the cardboard shell on the opposite side of the sheet remains intact. Then they place the sheet on the template with the cuts facing up, prime and putty the places of the cuts and the rest of the surface reinforced with fiberglass mesh. Keep on the template until the putty dries.

Important. The curved sheet of drywall is mounted last, so that its junction with the side planes of the semi-arch is located not from below, but from the side. This simplifies bringing the curved surface to a perfectly flat state during subsequent puttying.

Additional decoration

During the installation process, you can install lighting to the semi-arch with the installation of spotlights or LED strip, which will emphasize the contours of the structure and add comfort to the room. Another touch in the design will be stucco, mosaic or painted panels.

It often turns out that you don’t need a door to the room, and you also don’t want to leave a rectangular doorway at the entrance to the room for a trivial reason, it’s not nice . There are several worthy solutions to this problem, for example an arch or semi-arch with spot lighting which will subsequently be regulated by a dimmer (lighting controller). Actually, the latter will be discussed.

Based on what you see and read here, the work is essentially identical, only the material and time will be spent twice as much. It's up to you to choose what you like the most!

Draw the radius of the semi-arch.

Like any other repair job, it starts with markings. We mark the indentations for the profile, taking into account 12mm for the plasterboard sheet. It’s even better to mark it so that the “plaster” sticks out in relation to total area walls on both sides by an insignificant difference of a couple of millimeters. This technique will then allow the wall to converge flawlessly and level onto the manufactured decorative product.

Any plasterboard structure, be it an arch or an ordinary one, cannot do without metal profiles. And making a semi-arch is no exception here.

We screw the plasterboard blanks on both sides of the walls.

Secure the dowel with 6 nails to a 40mm metal profile along the entire junction of the semi-arch with the opening. I forgot to remind you that before all of the above, it is necessary to install an electrician for spot lighting. Even more simply put, you need to run two wires into the junction box and connect them in such a way that by shorting the wires in one place, electricity flows to another wire (that is, to an incandescent lamp). I think everyone studied at school, you’ll figure it out.

So, the profile has been targeted. Now we cut a piece of drywall the width of the doorway and screw it to the place where the semi-arch has a curved radius. Pay attention to the photos.

The profile jumpers must be installed in such a way that they do not interfere with the installation of spotlights in the future.

You need to come up with an improvised compass to outline the radius, which is also the main silhouette of the semi-arch. You can use a piece of rope at the end, tying a pencil; pieces of a perforated corner are also suitable for this (its holes are perfect for fixing a pencil on different sizes circles), I simply took and screwed a piece of soft wire with a self-tapping screw onto the drywall at the intended center and, holding a pencil with my hand, drew a semicircle from edge to edge.

Remove the sheet and place it on two stools. The task is to cut everything exactly according to the silhouette, the smoother the better. Therefore, I do not recommend it as usual; it is better to use a jigsaw or a special saw for these purposes. Try to cut carefully, under no circumstances should you break the workpiece, otherwise you will have to draw everything again and try number two. If you’re not sure you can handle it alone, it’s better to call an assistant than to ruin the material and have to go back to the warehouse for a new one.

The frame structure must be rigidly and securely attached to the base.

The blank that was just cut out is turned over and placed on top of another piece of “plaster”, you can put only with reverse side. We trace it like a template and again saw the second part of the sides of the semi-arch. I forgot to say that the entire structure in relation to the walls of the opening must be marked at least 6 cm, this distance is required for the width of two profiles in a row (each having 3 cm), and you also need to hide somewhere.

We fasten both sawn-off pieces on both sides of the opening with metal screws. Be sure to use a screwdriver with a Phillips bit, there is no other way. Next, we assemble the remaining parts of the frame from the profile.

pay attention to homemade device, absolutely more reliable than a simple direct suspension, I recommend it!

The difficulty of this work lies in the curved shape plasterboard construction. But in fact, I don’t see anything complicated here; it’s enough to know the technology for making bends on plasterboard and not use crooked hands. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with this process.

Do not rush to drill holes for lamps , it is much more effective and reasonable to do them later after or, for example.

Now with the help construction stapler we install arched ones. Try very hard, the smoother they lie, the more attractive and natural your work will look.

In principle, the main thing is done, all that remains is to align all sides gypsum plaster and putty with finishing putty. A small correction and advice, if you want to decorate your arch with glass or other mosaics, then in the place where it will be better to level the area for its installation tile adhesive, the solution needs to be diluted a little “thin”, it’s easier and it turns out better.

How to glue a plastic arched corner, anyway at the end of the entire repair you will have to glue it by closing the corners. Be aware that there are special plastic corners on sale for arches; they are designed in such a way that without special effort perfectly bend around any curves conceived in the design.

Letyaga Gennady Petrovich

GCR is widely used for finishing works indoors. Due to the ability to bend the sheet under a certain influence, structures are obtained various shapes, for example, a semi-arch made of plasterboard.

To successfully and efficiently complete the task, certain devices and components will be required, but first you need to draw up a design diagram based on measurements and calculate the required amount of materials with a small margin.

To work you need:

1. GKL slabs with a thickness of 9 to 12.5 mm. If you plan to create a structure with numerous bends and tiered layers, then for rounded areas it is advisable to choose a special arched plasterboard 6.5 mm thick.
2. Frame details. The sheathing can be constructed from metal profile or wooden beam. The first option is more preferable, since it can also be subjected to simple processing to obtain the desired shape. In order not to bend the elements yourself, an arched profile is purchased.
3. Lighting: cable, LED lamps.
4. Facing. To create a single surface, you will need putty, a primer and a perforated metal corner, as an alternative to which you can use a reinforcing mesh.
5. Drywall self-tapping screws for metal or wood profiles.

To install a plasterboard arch, the same set of materials is used as for installing conventional boxes, but, among other things, a flexible or arched profile is required here

List of tools:

• To process plasterboard and create a frame, you will need a construction knife, an electric jigsaw, hand saw, drill, screwdriver, metal scissors, bits (crowns), bits, files and drills.
• To mark surfaces and parts you will need a tape measure, square, meter ruler, pencils or marker.
• For subsequent cladding - a container, a set of spatulas, a grater, Sander or hand block, brushes.

An arch made of gypsum plasterboard does not require unnecessarily expensive and complex tools; a standard set is sufficient

A needle roller may also be required to bend the elements. It is taken into account that devices are selected depending on the selected technology.

Frame installation

Creating the sheathing:

An arched profile is installed simply and quickly, but it is quite expensive, so many craftsmen prefer to make arches based on PN profiles with notches, while wooden structures are used extremely rarely

It looks much more impressive in the form of a semi-arch if the structure is wide, high and provides free passage. But this may require expansion of the available space, which needs to be agreed upon.

On a note! If the opening is ready, then the profiles are mounted with a small recess from the edge, equal to the thickness of the gypsum board slab.

Preparing drywall

Further procedures are also done by hand and are divided into two stages.

Drawing a semi-arch

The most correct process can be carried out using a template made of fiberboard or HDF.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. To reduce costs, the structure can be divided into two parts. Measurements are taken point by point from the straight section to the middle of the frame, where a mark is made with a marker. The obtained data is transferred to scraps of drywall, from which parts are cut out.
2. The second part is created using a template: for this, a fragment of fiberboard is fixed according to the mark from the center to the edge. The height of the fixed part must coincide with the end of the bend.
3. An arc pattern is created along the inside.
4. The element is removed and cut out required form and transferred to a sheet of drywall. With help electric jigsaw excess is cut off.
5. The second part is also created using the template.

To create straight sectors of the arch body, a standard sheet with a thickness of 12.5 mm is used

You can draw a semi-arch on drywall by large quantity measurements, but this method is quite complicated, because the design may have a smoother or sharper bend, which is not always possible to calculate.

On a note! If backlighting is expected, then a cable is laid and areas for drilling are outlined.

Sheet bending

This procedure is necessary to obtain the lower contour of the future semi-arch. You can bend a gypsum plasterboard different ways, which are selected depending on the specific situation. For convenience, the opening space is also divided into two parts: the straight section is made whole, and the bending section is processed.

1. Cutting using a knife or cutter. This option allows you to get almost any degree. By the right size a piece of drywall is cut out, its reverse part is divided into parallel lines in increments of 1 to 5 cm perpendicular to the length. Using a knife, grooves are cut in the shape of a V, reaching the front of the cardboard without damaging it. An alternative is processing with a milling cutter to a depth equal to the thickness of the sheet minus 1–2 mm.
2. Curling using a needle roller and water. This procedure is most often performed according to a template, but if you are careful, you can bend the part immediately along the contour. To do this, the reverse part is repeatedly rolled with a tool until it acquires a perforated appearance and is wetted. But water is applied without excess, so as not to damage the structure of the sheet. 15 minutes after treatment, the plasterboard slab can be bent to the desired shape.

You can bend gypsum board using the dry method much faster, but more high quality gives wet method bending, because after drying performance characteristics leaves become the same

If you have no experience in carrying out such work, it is recommended to experiment with scraps.

Installation of gypsum boards

Assembling the structure is not difficult:

1. A base is mounted on the frame, creating the outline of a semi-arch. Fastening is carried out using self-tapping screws, which are recessed flush with the surface. Marks are made to help determine the location of the lamps.
2. Next, according to the dimensions taken from the resulting structure, the part is cut out and bent.
3. Based on the chosen method, a radius is created and the element is secured with screws.
4. Holes are cut for light sources.

Wiring for built-in lighting is done before covering the gypsum board structure, and, as a rule, the wires must be tightened into plastic or metal corrugation

The result should be a semi-arch, which will only require putty work.

Finishing

For final cladding, a dry or ready-made mixture is used. Procedure:

1. Primer treatment is carried out. Particular attention is paid to cut edges.
2. The composition is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. The grooves at the joints are covered first.
4. A perforated corner or reinforcing mesh is applied along the edges, the elements are firmly fixed using a stapler.
5. To create a uniform and even surface, putty is applied.

The technique for cladding arches is no different from standard gypsum board putty

In the future, the semi-arch can be painted or finished with various moldings and overlays.