How To Make An Arched Doorway
What do you do when you dream of having an arched doorway in your home? You grab your tools, paint brush and do it yourself!
I am so excited to finally share my DIY Arched Doorway with you, but I am even more excited to be partnering with Bunnings for this project! If you’ve been following along over on Instagram since the beginning of the year, you may remember I had started thinking about building an arched doorway in our home to separate my studio and our master bedroom from the rest of the house.
Over the last few months I have been collecting inspiration, creating a project mood board, designing and planning this epic DIY project. Naturally I went to Bunnings to source all the materials and in the end it came down to 4 days of solid work. I enlisted my friend Brett (who’s a builder) to show me the ropes in a few areas and I am so happy with the result! There were a lot of firsts and I learned how to make a wall frame, install plasterboard and create an arch, plaster a wall and an archway, build my own fluted door using an MDF panel and PVC conduit pipes (!), and install a door track and a door. The Arched Doorway has totally transformed the way I use my studio, and we now have some privacy. Bliss!
I hope you feel inspired to give this project a try. It’s without a doubt my biggest DIY project to date - even bigger than my DIY Arched Wall Library! But in saying that, it’s not as difficult as you may think and that’s because you’ll have my tutorial by your side. Just remember your measurements will be different to mine, so take your time and enjoy the process. And if you have any questions, the team at Bunnings are always more than happy to help and so am I.
Read on to learn how to make your own DIY Arched Wall Library and DIY Fluted Door. As always I have included the project details (time, cost, skill level and tools), materials with links and instructions with photos to help you every step of the way.
Before & After
Materials: Arched Doorway
All materials are available at Bunnings:
Ramboard (temporary floor protection) and Ramboard Joining Tape
Pencil
Project Details
🕒 Project Time Estimate: 4 days
💰 Materials Cost: $1,200 including the DIY Fluted Door but not including power tools
👷♀️ Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced DIYer
⚒️ Tools: Spirit level, measuring tape, angle grinder with metal grinding disc, caulking gun, utility knife, hammer and chisel, hand saw, saw horses, square, drill, mixer, 2 x Roller Frame, 2 x Extension pole, Joint Knife, Internal Corner Trowel, Plaster Hawk, Sanding block 120 grit, Sanding gauze, 2 x Monarch Cutting In Brush, 2 x Ceiling and Walls Roller
How To
DAY ONE - 3 hours
I started by laying Ramboard on the timber floors with Ramboard Joining Tape; this floor protection is perfect for any form of construction as it prevents floors from getting dirty and scratched.
Following this, I measured the wall (for the frame) using the spirit level, measuring tape and pencil. I needed to cut out some of the existing wall at the top of the stairs, so I did this using an angle grinder with a metal grinding disc, and then I used a hammer and chisel to remove the existing drywall and metal reinforcement corners. I cleaned up the floor a little bit and then made the final measurements for the framing.
With my measurements in hand, I marked and cut the treated pine using a hand saw, which I placed on top of two saw horses my friend Brett brought over. I kept measuring, marking, cutting and checking until all the pieces were cut. I pre-fabricated the frame on our driveway using the countersunk screws and a drill. With Brett’s help, I reinforced the framing with two pieces of treated pine where the door track would be positioned, as well as the new wall (which you’ll be able to see in the photos below). He helped me carry the frame around the house and into position. Then I screwed the frame into the walls and ceiling.
Framing Tips
Always use treated structural pine MGP12 Blue H2 for framing inside a house
When pre-fabricating a frame, leave a 10mm gap from the ceiling and 5mm from the sides of the frame so you are able to slot the frame into position without damaging the existing ceiling and walls.
The distance between the framing is maximum 450mm
DAY TWO to DAY FOUR - 8 hours (not including plaster drying time)
It’s plaster day! For the first side of the framing, I started by cutting the plasterboard to size using a Stanley/utility knife and square. It’s best to score the cutting lines first to cut the paper on one side, then fold the plasterboard over where the cut is at 45 degrees and cut from the opposite side. If you want to see this step visually, head over to my Instagram Stories to see how this is done. Continue until you have cut all your pieces of plasterboard.
I dolloped Gyprock Acrylic Stud Adhesive directly onto the timber using a stick of timber, but you can also use a plastic scraper. Feel free to refer to photos below to see how far I spaced the adhesive on the timber; It’s blue, which is fun! I lifted the plasterboard into position and used plasterboard screws to secure it to the timber framing.
I took the measurements for the arch and used a stick nailed into the plasterboard to score the plasterboard paper and therefore scoring an arch shape using a Stanley/utility knife. I scored the arch line 3 times and then did the same on the other side of the plasterboard, and then the cut arch simply popped out. Before moving onto the other side, I added timber reinforcements in the framing, to support the corners of the arch. And then I repeated the steps above for the second side.
Next up, I filled in the arch with a strip of MDF and scored plasterboard. The MDF helps secure the strip of scored plasterboard, which then makes it even more secure on the framing. It’s an extra step that’s totally optional but because of the way I set the framing out, it’s just another level of stability. Following this, I filled in the remaining sections of the framing with plasterboard.
Next up, I enlisted my friend Brett to show me how to plaster. I know my limitations and I didn’t want to make any mistakes - this step is very important because you want to fill in the joins as flat and clean as possible. Plus, the base coat only stays fresh for 30 minutes so you have to move quick! Here are the steps:
Mixed Gyprock Base Coat in a big bucket as per the instructions with a mixer that fits into a drill.
Use the joint knife to fill in the gaps between the plasterboard and wall with the base coat; use a plaster hawk to hold the base coat while you’re working.
Tidy the base coat with the internal corner trowel.
Fold the joint tape in half, slightly wet it and then place it into the corner where the plasterboard and wall meets, and push it down so it’s flat.
Set aside to completely dry before moving applying a second coat of Gyprock Base Coat 45.
Once that coat is done, I sanded the walls and applied two coats of Gyprock Joint Master Topping Compound. I waited until the plaster was completely dried and sanded it smooth before applying the next and final skimming coat. Again, I sanded it down to it was smooth and completely flat.
Plasterboard & Plastering Tips
Be careful not to drill the screws into the plasterboard too deeply otherwise you’ll break the plasterboard paper, and the plasterboard won’t be as stable on the framing.
Make sure scores for curve in the arch are the same distance; I used 50mm. The general rule is depending on how sharp the curve, the smaller the gaps between the scores. You could even use a piece if timber, meaning you don’t need to measure every score (which could be time consuming). Also be mindful not to make the gaps between the scores too big otherwise you’ll end up with flat sections in the curve.
An electric mixer for the base coat is really important as it ensures there are no bubbles in the plaster.
You don’t need to wet the joint tape before you apply it, however it does help it to stick to the base coat
How To: Make A Fluted Door
While this is happening, from day two to day four, you will also have time to make your very own DIY Fluted Door! Simply head over here for the materials and tutorial.
DAY FOUR
It’s time to start painting! The secret to painting walls and ceilings is cutting in first then painting as many thin coats as you need, which makes for faster drying time and a better application. I used Dulux Lexicon Quarter Wall Paint for the walls, and Dulux Ceiling Paint for the ceiling. Here are the steps:
Start the painting in the morning and while the paint doesn’t smell, leave all the nearby windows open so the paint can dry faster.
Begin by cutting in the ceiling with a paint brush and filling in with a roller.
Painting Tip: When painting with a roller, always blend out so there are no sudden lines with your existing paint. Run the roller twice and then run it over again to remove excess paint.
Move onto cutting in the walls and filling in with a roller.
Sand the walls.
Repeat this Step 2, Step 3 and Step 4 at least 2 to 3 more times allowing an hour between coats, or until the paint is completely dry before sanding and applying the next coat.
Once the painting is done, install the barn door track using the instructions provided. Then install the DIY Fluted Door as per the instructions.
And then your Arched Doorway and DIY Fluted Door is done!
Ta daaaa! There’s no better feeling than “making” your dreams come to life.
Honestly, I am blown away. After months of planning, I can’t believe my Arched Doorway and DIY Fluted Door is finally complete. I learned so many new skills and I look forward to using them in lots of upcoming projects - um, hello scoring plasterboard to make an arch. SO GOOD. I also loved making my own door and coming up with a hack for creating a fluted finish using MDF and yup, PVC pipes. Anyway, I hope this project has made you feel inspired to get creative and transform the spaces in your home to make them more functional and beautiful.
This project is in collaboration with Bunnings.
