How to Build an Arched Doorway

Arched doorways are very typical of early 1900s American and British homes. Unfortunately in the last fifty years or so they've fallen out of vogue due to the extra time contractors and construction workers must spend to build them. They are not particularly expensive to build, but they are time-consuming, and time equals money where any form of construction is concerned. To a contractor, the more time it takes to finish one project, the more money has been lost because they could've been spending that time on their next project. They remedy this problem by simply charging their clients much more for the work. Over the past few years the Old World elegance and style created by this architectural affectation has regained popularity as many homeowners have found ways to set arches into their pre-existing doorways. This guide will explain how to convert a standard door-frame into an arched one.

Things You’ll Need:
2 Premade Columns

1 Premade Arch

Crowbar

2x4 Lumber

Circular Saw

Putty Knife

Claw Hammer

Tape Measure

Drill

Hammer

Sandpaper

Eightpenny Nails

Spackle

3 Inch Screws

Drywall

Utility Knife

1-1/4 inch Drywall Screws

Paintbrushes

Paint

Drywall Tape

Scroll Saw

Creating An Arched Doorway
Step 1:
Begin by using your crowbar to pry up the floorboards and frames from the doorway. If a door is attached you should use a screwdriver to remove the hinges from the door frame and set the entire assembly, both door and hinges aside.

Step 2:
Find the seems of the drywall above and to the side of the doorway, use you utility knife to cut through and reveal these seems and then pry the drywall free. Use your clawhammer to pull out the nails before pulling the drywall free if you are able. Set the drywall aside, if you're careful then you may be able to use these old pieces instead of having the hassle of purchasing and cutting new panels to the appropriate size.

Step 3:
Use your measuring tape to see how wide the door frame is, as well as the thickness of the doorjamb. Take note of these sizes and then go to a home construction, repair, or remodeling store. Purchase a premade archway of the appropriate size and two matching column frames. You could go about making your own archway, but this requires a good deal of carpentry experience as well as a very steady hand with power tools. Without these things then your arch will probably end up crooked and look off balance.

Step 4:
Fit the premade arch to the top of the doorway and stencil the area that touches the wall with pencil. Take the arch back down.

Step 5:
Use the pencil marks to cut two sets of 2X4 blocks. Each set should consist of three blocks, each at a different length. The first should be fitted horizontally to the top corner of the doorway. The second should be fitted vertically to the top corner of the doorway. The third should be fitted diagonally to meet the ends of the other two blocks in what looks like a right triangle. Use the drill and 3 inch screws to fit these blocks into place on both sides of the top of the doorway.

Step 6:
Use the circular saw to cut four identical pieces of drywall. Each piece should be a triangle matching the exact dimensions of the wooden blocks on you doorway. Again use the drill and the 1-1/4 inch screws to affix these pieces of drywall to each side of the wooden blocks, front and back. Use spackle and a putty knife to cover over the screw holes in the drywall.

Step 7:
Reaffix the old drywall to the wall surrounding the doorway with new screws in the old holes. Spackle over the screw heads.

Step 8:
Drill holes into the two side columns down where the doorjamb would go.

Step 9:
Fit the arch up to the top of the doorway and prop one end up by fitting one of the columns into place around one doorjamb. Push the arch tightly up to fit against the doorway and slide the other column into place. Hammer eightpenny nails into the predrilled holes of the columns as well as one nail into the center of the arch on each side of the doorway.

Step 10:
Use spackle to cover over all the nail holes and the joints between the arch and column. Wait for it all to dry. While you wait, apply new drywall tape to all the visible seems between the surrounding drywall panels.

Step 11:
Paint over the drywall and taped seems with the same color paint the rest of the wall is done in. The color of the columns and arch should match the surrounding baseboards.

Step 12:
Press your door to the new arch and stencil the top of the door with a pencil. Use your scrollsaw to cut the door along the pencil line.

Step 13:
Sand the top of the door smooth and fit it to your doorway. If it fits comfortably then drill new holes for the hinges and screw your door back into its new frame.

Tips & Warnings
Make sure to cover the floor and furniture with drop cloths. All cuts with the circular saw should be made outdoors to keep sawdust out of the house.

How to Apply Exterior Stucco

For centuries the imagination of builders and artists alike have been expressed through the versatility and aesthetic appeal of stucco. Stucco can be applied to most any flat or curved surface with a minimum of preparation or fuss. With each application a new work of art is created, showing the skill as well as the personality of the user, allowing any project to be individualized. It’s also a remarkably inexpensive and long-lived wall finish. Many regal homes throughout Europe are finished with stucco that was applied centuries before. This guide will explain how to effectively apply stucco to any exterior wall.

Things You’ll Need:
Concrete Bonding Agent

Pre-Mixed Stucco

Plastering Trowel

Plaster Rake

Spray Bottle

Finishing Trowel

Putty Knives

Paint Brushes

Hammer

Wood Nails

Galvanized Roofing Nails

15 Pound Roofing Felt

17 Gauge Metal Netting orMesh

Wire Cutters

Stucco Applied To Masonry or Concrete Walls
Step 1:
Prepare the surface by brushing a concrete bonding agent onto the wall. Allow a full day for the bonding agent to dry.

Step 2:
Pry open your containers of pre-mixed stucco and scoop up a large dollop onto your plastering trowel.

Step 3:
Smear a thick layer of stucco onto the wall directly from the trowel. This is called the scratch coat. It should evenly cover the wall in a thickness anywhere between one quarter and one half inch thick.

Step 4:
Let this coat harden for a few hours and then scratch it down evenly with a Plaster Rake so that the stucco is about half as thick as it was to start with.

Step 5:
Leave the coat to harden for about two full days. Moisten the wall every few hours with a water spray bottle.

Step 6:
Apply the finish coat of stucco with your trowel, making sure to smooth the edges with a putty knife. This second layer should be between one quarter and one eighth of an inch thick.

Step 7:
Use your finishing trowel to smooth and texture the stucco wall however you like. This is your opportunity to be creative, so go nuts.

Step 8:
Let the wall cure for another two full days, again misting the wall evenly every few hours. Once the stucco is hardened you're done.

Stuccoing A Wood Wall
Step 1:
Prepare the surface by covering the wall with 15 Pound Roofing Felt and using short wood nails to hold it in place. Don't worry about using too many nails. The fewer sags in the Felt the better.

Step 2:
Cover the Felt with 17 Gauge Metal Netting and fit it to the wall, remove the excess with the wire cutters. Nail the Mesh in place with Galvanized Roofing Nails. It's alright if every part of the Mesh isn't perfectly flush against the wall.

Step 3:
Pry open your containers of pre-mixed stucco and scoop up a large dollop onto your plastering trowel.

Step 4:
Smear the stucco onto the mesh. Make sure to force the stucco through the holes of the netting first, and then put a layer between half and a quarter inch thick over the netting. The stucco on the other side of the mesh will help the whole mass adhere to the wall when it dries.

Step 5:
Let this coat harden for a few hours and then scratch it down evenly with a Plaster Rake so that the stucco is about half as thick as it was to start with.

Step 6:
Leave the coat to harden for about two full days. Moisten the wall every few hours with a water spray bottle.

Step 7:
Apply the finish coat of stucco with your trowel, making sure to smooth the edges with a putty knife. This second layer should be between one quarter and one eighth of an inch thick.

Step 8:
Use your finishing trowel to smooth and texture the stucco wall however you like. This is your opportunity to be creative, so go nuts.

Step 9:
Let the wall cure for another two full days, again misting the wall evenly every few hours. Once the stucco is hardened you're done.

Tips & Warnings
Let your imagination go wild when applying the stucco. Stucco comes in many different colors. Specific scenes or designs can be etched into wet stucco with any tool or stylus at hand. Also you can texture your stucco with sponges, cutouts, and dry brushes of any size once the stucco has already been applied.
High levels of humidity or rain can ruin the stucco's curing process. Stucco your walls only during a dry time of the year that you can count on not to rain.