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Plastering an arch

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:22 pm
by jeff15
Can somebody give me an idea of how to plaster an archway that I've built between two rooms.It's made from timber covered with plasterboard.Where do I start?
Cheers in anticipation. ::b

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:39 pm
by -dj-
how wide is it, and is it possible to post a pic of where you are upto so far??

picture

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:10 pm
by jeff15
Hopes this gives you an idea,the arch is 8ft wide and 6ft 6ins high.
Haven't quite mastered sending a photo yet.

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:34 pm
by -dj-
hardboard, the flimsy stuff. find the dead centre of your arch and on the underside mark it. you won't get one piece of hardboard to do this so you need to cut it in half, remember it needs to be wide than the width of the arch. i think i would use two 6ft pieces. nail one end into the mark you made earlier and bend the rest of the board untill it forms the shape you are happy with then nail the bottom of the board. basically all the underside will be covered by hardboard.
you will repeat the same on the opposite side make sure when you but the centre pieces together that there is no gap.
so now you should have your archway formed plaster both sides leaving the hardboard in situ. when the both sides hav set then remove the hardboard carefully then you should just be able to fill the underneath by screwing pieces of plasterboard and filling with bonding, then skim as normal.
then you have something like this, easy eh!!............

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:54 pm
by jeff15
Thanks DJ, I've almost got what you described but I've bonded the hardboard to the underside of the archand carefully planed it so its the same width as the arch!!!If only I'd found this forum sooner.Can I stil use your method and use another piece of hardboard and do as you suggest??

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:03 pm
by -dj-
if it is just hardboard that you bonded on then it wont stay there for long unless you have glued and screwed it. personally i'd take off that hardboard and do it as i describe above, if you try to plaster over it then it will just fall off in time.

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:12 pm
by jeff15
thanks again DJ I bow to your far greater knowledge1Off it comes.I'll try and get the hang of sending photos and let you see the end result!

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:20 pm
by -dj-
remember when you put the new on it's only temporary so don't hammer the nails home and use the board shiny side up so the plaster won't stick to it.
good luck, and i look forward to seeing some nice pics :grin: