Internal archway - squaring off

[AP77]

Hi,

We have an internal archway that we would like to remove and square off. The house was built in 1989 and the interior walls are plasterboard.


I have removed a small square of plasterboard at the bottom of one of the vertical sides of the arch (photo 2). It appears that the plasterboard has been attached with plaster blobs to breeze block. I assume the breeze blocks would run from floor to ceiling?


I have also drilled some pilot holes to try and find out how the arch is constructed.
I have drilled into the side curve of the arch (photo 3) which confirms, I think that there is breeze block running vertically from floor to ceiling. Does that seem most likely?


I have also drilled into the top centre of the arch (photo 4). As the drill bit goes through about 7 inches without any resistance, I assume there is nothing supported here. When the drill bits goes through 7 inches it feels like it hits wood rather than brick, but am not entirely sure. Would you expect there to be a wooden cross beam here?


I am a little nervous about starting to do this myself, but am thinking if I proceed as follows, I should be OK:

1) Draw the new squared off arch in pencil on the wall, carefully cutting the plasterboard with a plasterboard saw, up to 1 inch from the final line. Take out the final 1 inch all around when happy.

2) Make a wooden frame for the new squared off arch, attaching the vertical wood to the breeze block. The horizontal frame would need to be attached the the vertical wood, with the horizontal wood sitting on top of the vertical wood (no mitring required).

3) Find a way to attach/support the horizontal wood to the hollow above the existing arch. I am thinking that I will probably need to attach to vertical blocks inside the hollow, attaching to the wood/brick that is 7 inches above the existing arch.

Does that all sound about right? I am just looking for some confidence before I start!

Final question, presumably, the correct thing to do would be to remove the skirting board at the bottom of the arch and have the new vertical wooden frame sides go right to the floor?
Also, I assume that I should have some kind of side fascia piece of wood around the new squared of arch, so that it kind of looks like a door frame?

Many thanks for any suggestions!

 

[23vc]

If the top (arch) section is taken out first, assuming it’s just some framing / mesh arch former then your approach for how to square off and make good should be more easy to work out. Obviously if you encounter anything resembling a lintel or something supporting ceiling joists then stop and assess the situation. Your overall approach seems ok but I’d expose it first then assess/ ask on here

 

[EddieM]

would bet the easiest way would be to knock the arch former out!

 

[^woody^]

It will be a steel mesh arch former with the supporting lintel higher up at normal door frame height. You should be able to carefully cut these vertically in line with the opening so as not to damage the side plaster. Same thing for the top.

If you are going to line with timber then it may be best to buy a door casing or lining and fit that - one that comes with plant on door stops, but don't fit them unless you are having doors. But if the plasterwork is wider then you'll need to use some planed timber cut to the wall width, and likely need architraves too - this looks crap IMO, so best to run some beads around and plaster as normal.

 

[AP77]

Many thanks for the replies and advice.

You have given me the confidence to give to it a go and start by carefully cutting out the arch using a new saw.

As the interior width of the arch wall is 14.5cm, is it best to get some planed wood exactly 14.5cm then get a narrow piece of architrave to frame both outer sides of the squared off arch? If I do this, then presumably I would need to cut into the existing skirting board to accommodate the architrave?

 

[23vc]

If you mean that’s the width of the existing wall (not sure what you mean by interior width) then yes. But if there’s no door there it’ll look better beaded and skimmed as woody said

 

[AP77]

Thanks for replying.

Apologies I wasn't very clear in my description and am probably not using the correct terminology!

To try and clarify:

The existing arch is about 6 feet wide at the base.
I do not intend to fit doors, I am just looking for a squared off opening.

So will it look best to line the underside at the top and inside vertical walls of the opening with plasterboard or planed wood?
Secondly, would it look better with beading/architrave around the outside of the vertical and horizontal opening (like a picture frame affect) or leave as it is currently (plasterboard)?

Very grateful for all the advice.

 

[^woody^]

It will look better same as it is now with plaster, not wood.

 

[23vc]

...which means you would need to look at thin coat corner beads, fixing plasterboard , skimming and feathering out (or get a plasterer in)

 

[AP77]

Excellent, thanks!

I will try and keep it as plasterboard only without any wooden framework.

Please can you just clarify what you mean by "thin coat corner beads"?

 

[23vc]

Plastering corner bead as in pic

 

[AP77]

Got it now, thanks.

 

[^woody^]

If you try and cut the plaster/plasterboard as neat and straight as possible to the width of the opening, then you can just sand the skim off around the edges and fit the beads with minimal blending in

 

[Tigercubrider]

Have you asked a couple of neighbours if they have done the same?
They might be able to say what to expect

 

[AP77]

All great advice, thanks!

Most neighbours seem to still have their arches. I expect once I have done mine the others may follow! Arches are a bit 80's aren't they?!

Main things I have learned here from the forum is to cut out the arch very carefully, then replace with plasterboard and skim on top, not using any wood as it will look better all in plasterboard. I will need to add thin metal corner beads along the vertical and horizontal edges before adding the skim.

I have not done any skim plastering before but will read up on that and give it a go.

Thanks again.