MTips

How to Woodwork the Parts of an Arch
By Shawndra Russell
How to Woodwork the Parts of an Archthumbnail Archways can beautify your home.

Archways can add value and style to your home. They consist of plywood and 2-inch-by-4-inch boards and typically appear in hallways, doors and windows. Whatever the opening, archway construction methods are the same as long as no inherent structural bearings relate to where the construction will occur. The only things that change are the dimensions of the lumber and plywood. Here’s how to construct an archway in a corridor.

To Woodwork the Parts of an Arch You’ll Need:

• Tape measure
• 2-inch-by-4-inch boards
• 2 sheets of 1/4″ plywood
• Framing nails
• Skill saw
• Jigsaw
• Framing square
• Chalk line
• Framing hammer or nail gun
• Stud finder

To Woodwork the Parts of an Arch Instructions:

• Measure the width of the hallway using a tape measure. This will be the overall length of the arch.
• Mark and cut the plywood. Stretch the tape measure from one end of the plywood along the bottom edge and mark it using the measurement from Step 1. Pulling the tape measure from the same side, make another mark along the opposite edge on the plywood. Snap a chalk line connecting the two marks. Use the skill saw to cut the plywood along the chalk line. Make sure the cut is straight and the corners of the plywood are square. Repeat this step on another sheet of plywood to create two identical pieces.
• Draw the elliptical shape of the arch on one of the pieces of plywood that was cut in Step 2. Make sure that the shape is drawn starting at the bottom edge of the piece of plywood.
• Cut out the arch using the jigsaw. This will create one side of the archway, as well as the template to use for the other half of the archway.
• Stack the piece of plywood that was just cut on top of the other sheet of plywood. Make sure that the edges are all flush with each other. Trace the arched shape onto the bottom piece of plywood. Cut the arch out with the jigsaw.
• Make a mark at least four inches above the center point of the arch. This will be the top of the arch. Use the chalk line and skill saw to cut the excess plywood. Repeat this process for the second piece of plywood so they are identical.
• Cut pieces of 2-inch-by-4-inch boards to the width you want for the archway. Keep in mind that the plywood you will nail to each side of these studs will add another 1/2 inch to the width, and the drywall will add more width as well. To allow for these materials, simply subtract the added width of the plywood and drywall from the length of the studs. After you cut the studs, mark a straight line across the ceiling that denotes where the front of the archway will be. It should be perpendicular to the corridor walls. Attach those pieces of 2-inch-by-4-inch boards every 16 inches along the ceiling where the arch will go. The ends of the studs should be perfectly flush with each other. Nail one stud flush where the ceiling meets the corridor walls.
• Nail one of the pieces of plywood with the arch cut out to the studs you have secured to the ceiling. Secure with two framing nails at each of the studs attached to the ceiling. Repeat the process with the other piece of plywood, attaching it to the opposite end of the studs nailed to the ceiling.
• Infill the bottom of the archway with pieces of 2-inch-by-4-inch studs every 16 inches, with the widest part of the stud facing the ground. This will create a better surface to which to attach the drywall. Ensure the studs are flush with the plywood before nailing. Drive two nails in both ends of the studs. The archway is now ready for drywall or other interior finishes.

• Before attempting to secure the archway, ensure that there is an adequate nailing surface in the ceiling and walls and that the area is free of all water and electrical lines. A stud finder is handy to detect solid nailing surfaces.

• Always use the proper safety equipment when operating power tools. Protective eyewear will help prevent accidents.