Frame And Sheetrock An Arch

Originally Posted by Nick H

I always make arches using ply. It makes for a much stronger job. Some of those preformed jobs are really quick but you give it a whack with a sofa and its gonna end in tears.

Originally Posted by KBKConstruction

Say what

Originally Posted by JustaFramer

I'd tell yah but your a Steelers Fan. Wait so is Adam.

Ok since I can't hold a grudge against my bud Adam. I'll just tell the world.


To first layout a arch you must cut 2 pieces of plywood of equal size of the area you want to cover. I.E. say 42.5" is the width of the opening. Now determine the length of the legs by how shallow or deep you want your radius. Deep longer the legs. Ok so lets say we want 12" legs. So cut the ply 42.5" x 14"

Now you want to snap a line and mark center on the ply so half of 42.5" is 21 1/4". Match up the center line on the ply with the snap line. On the center line measure down from the top 1.5" mark. Also mark from the top down one side or both 13.5" (12" +1.5") I also like to spike a nail here for the next step. Now with 2 tape measures take one and pull from the 1.5" line down the snapline. Hook the other one on the leg where the nail is spiked and match the numbers.

Now spike a nail, hook, scribe and cut. Cut and nail 2x4's to the thickness of header.
I use this method for production cutting of simple barrel archs. Complex McD type Archs (true) require more than one Apex to accomplish.

Also note that arch depth will be determined wholly on required min. head height. And all numbers used here are variable.

Originally Posted by JustaFramer

Funny no one told you the easy way to frame a arch. PM me I will give you simple instructions on how to frame a arch. I won't divulge that info in drublic.

Hey Adam I'll hook you up if you want to know.

Framers Unite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Motombo

I need a simple set of instructions to build eyebrow arches between two columns at a residential entry. I can send pics if this will help. One of the arch lengths is 11' 8" between the columns, the other is slightly under 10'. I'm going to start on framing the columns this morning then determine the hight of the ellipse.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by JRSeifert

My Dad and I use JustAFramer's method all the time. Last year we had to do a decorative rough cedar arched frieze board over a double garage door. It was a pretty shallow offset, which means you're dealing with a large circle, so we knew we'd need some space. We set up at the back wall of the garage and snapped our chalk line, anticipating a long radius.

We kept running out the two tapes and shaking our heads because the numbers wouldn't match up. They finally did - at 35 feet!

We tacked a lot of scrap together to make the swing-arm for that one, LOL. It turned out beautifully in the end. Thank goodness we didn't have to construct the whole 70 foot circle.