Drywalling a Tight Radius Arch!

[@PaulMikna]

Even the 'fails' are entertaining and instructional.... You can talk about why something doesn't work, but to see it, really is helpful. Thank you for taking the time to keep those mistakes in your content and having such a great sense of humor with it all.... It's one of the appealing aspects of your channel.

[@magnumbull]

I agree! I'm glad he doesn't edit his mistakes out of the video so that we can also see what issues we might run into. This is one of the reasons why I always click on his notifications.

[@bradlissel9830]

I’ve boarded 100’s of arches doing new builds next door to you Ben in Alberta. You had all the right ideas, the order that works best for me is strips face down and a stream of water along the brown side. Spread the water out with a t-square or scrap piece and let soak for just a couple minutes. That 1/4”will dry out surprisingly quick. The real pro tip is to use the arched cut out from the wall board as a form to pre-bend the wet 1/4” and press it into the arch. 1/4 router bit when cutting the arch means the 1/4 rips are held in tight while getting screwed off. Just picture the dance of me trying to stand on a bench with a knee holding the cutout up to keep the rip tight while screwing it off. Works incredibly well!

[@approachableactive]

We lighty damp down the back paper only with a sponge. It allows the back to stretch

[@theplaid1]

I live in Ontario and arches kind of faded away here about 10 years ago but the last time I did one I had good success using half-inch drywall but I scored the back of the paper with a knife and a speed square every inch on the radius very well. Love the videos Ben please keep them coming

[@267BISMARK]

100 %. This old video shows how kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2KmcnahnLp9mbc&ab_channel=GypsumAssociation

[@jonydowy6221]

Hi,the arch was funny to watch,here in Greece we even have a special board for this stuff but it still doesn't work for tight circles. the easiest way for me is to just cut it every 2 inch on one side and break it,the mud and corner bead fixes it. Cheers

[@isaacbeckel2044]

Agreed! By the time you wet it, bend it, wait for it to dry and put it up you could have scored the back, hung it, corner beaded it and got the first coat on.

[@michaelmeans9187]

I started framing and drywalling an arch yesterday. Thanks for all the content that you produce. Your channel is my "Go-To" KZbin channel for all my drywall needs. Thanks so much, and keep up the good work!

[@AnotherClown01]

Hey Ben, I used "Masonite board on mine. It contoured to the radius and after it was finished, primed and painted you wouldn't know the difference. I did build it up in 3 layers. Just a thought for you to try if you like and can make the time. Cheers Happy new Year all the best to you and your family.

[@bcaro2139]

A year later and here I am retrofitting a 60 inch wide arch into a finished entryway without taking down the existing, painted drywall. I'm finding your video incredibly helpful; your candor is so welcomed!

[@TheBBBB0B]

Thanks for making all those mistakes! It is less painful for us when we do it. I did have to do some around a built-in corner round tub. I cut it to size, moistened the back, and hung it over a couple of saw horses. Since I was not in a rush time was on my side. It got a memory, and I could curve it around the tub with little effort. Thanks for the videos.

[@johnnicosia7551]

Yeah your method works. I have done it too. Spray it with water and form it close to where you want it and let it sit.

[@MV-wb2cz]

could be something you do first thing of the day to prep for later on that day installation, wise way of working. Work smart not hard.

[@waynewhyte6595]

Hi Ben been watching your channel for awhile and even though imy a 45 yr professional in Australia, I've still picked up a few good ideas from your channel especially now I specialise in renovations and repair work. I get my apprentices to watch some of your vids that I think are pertinent to what I'm teaching them. In the 1980's we did thousands of these arch's but then they went out of vogue. But today I did my first Roman arch in 32 yrs which was an eye opener for my boys that have never seen one done. I've noticed you guys over there have some different ways of doing things than we do. One in particular which you mentioned on external angles. Our angle system seem so much quicker and easier especially if you want them straight. Another thing I've noticed in yours and others vids is you use single shot screws. Don't you guys have collated screw guns which are as quick as nail gun ? So onto my thoughts for your arches. I hope you do a follow up vid on the setting process you use as I can see a lot of headache the way you have over laid the fill in on the outside of the arch form instead of inside the plasterboard shape. We very rarely have timber forms in our openings as a matter of fact I'd rather not have them as it's time consuming and not necessary if know a few tricks. I've always lined the vertical sides of the opening first then fix the sheet over the opening and fix it off. I then go on the inside and mark the center of the opening and put a small nail hole through it. (Nb when I find the center width measurements I add the thickness of the plasterboard down from the top. This allows the infill to fit inside the arch.) Once I have the center worked out I cut a piece of board about 50mm or 2" wide and long enough to go past the center mark to make a big compass. With me so far? I put the clout or small nail through the measurement on the compass stick the put it through the hole in the opening. I then put my knife on the end of the compass and scribe around the shapes of the arch. Then do the same on the other side through the same hole. I then cut up the straight sides of the arch with my saw until I meet where the radius line meets the straight line. Once you do that give the sheet a good thump in the middle and the arch will just drop out. Repeat the same process on the other side and you're ready for the infill. So far this is about 20 - 30 mins for both sides. The secret to bending the board is cut your fill in across the width of the board not the length of the board, it bends easier one way then the other. It just means putting 2 pieces in instead of one, but it'such easier this way. Now the infill piece needs to be the same size as the framing studs, so it fits inside the plasterboard instead of out side. Grab your strip and gently roll it gently back and forth over the top of your arch cut out. This will start to " stretch" the infill to shape. Start at the center top of the arch out a fixing nail or screw in the top and slowly "squeeze' the infill piece in flush between the 2 plasterboard sheets until you get to where the side sheeting meets the curve. Do the same the other side and your ready to fit the steel arch beads. This whole process takes me about 30 - 40 mins, a lot quicker than it took me to type this......lol. It looks like I'm might be doing 2 more in the next week or so. if I do I might see if I get the boys to video it which would probably show how easy an arch is. And I've used this system right down to 300 mm or 12" openings in niches etc. Anyway enough from me. Keep up the good work my boys enjoy your vids, so do I. Cheers to all the drywall brothers and sisters

[@Arizona_Stonah]

You should have went into more detail and really made this comment longer !!

[@BrentErb]

This is very helpful. It is extremly usefull to see problem solving real-time. Thanks for your videos.

[@danhunik7949]

I drywalled my whole house with a drywall router. The minimal cost of one even compared to the cost of a reno even for a few cuts is well worth it.

[@kirkyslaps2274]

We have a 6.5mm Flexi board in Australia that we use for this. Also when wetting, should only wet the back then bend into shape and let it mostly dry out into position before installing. Another option is to relief cut the back of the board every 20mm or so

[@jackhuynh2489]

Thanks so much Ben

[@bumblbesss]

Glad you put in the Mistakes, lot of Pro like to show perfection and never a mistake. But a professional is just a person who has been through a ton of mistakes they already know what not to do cause they have done it the wrong way too many times 😁 the Fun is in learning !!!

[@Pembroke1]

It's interesting; I've never completed an arch with drywall before. In the past, I have only done aches using a 1/4" or 1/2" board placed in a streamer for 15 to 30 minutes. Before installing it, place it in a table jig of the arch for about an hour to hold its shape. Having to deal with arches can be frustrating, but you handled it well.

[@mitchellpurelife]

I agree with Dan. I wet the back side only. With sponge or spray bottle. Lean it against the wall on an angle to allow it to warp on its own. 40 yrs it's worked. I put one screw in the middle around also to prevent weakening it.

[@frankdahlquist1851]

This was a funny episode! Thank for the hints.

[@jefffree6990]

That's using your head! Love watching the learning process, complete with all the "oopsies"

[@rick5908]

Set the blocking a 1/4 back and lay 1/4 ply or luan in first and cap with the drywall board, just wet the back. That gives support through the curve. Most likely your breaks were between the blocking. Scoring the back every 1 to 1/2 inch also allows the back to open a bit without cracking through.

[@BenRush]

What would happen if you scored the back of the drywall before hanging it? Would that release some of the tension a tad? It might allow the paper on the front to bend with the contour of the arch while also giving some flex to the back? Any sharp angles to the drywall could probably be mudded out, but you might keep the drywall from snapping deeply. For example, if you notice, after the thing snapped a couple of times, it appears to have followed the contour more readily and didn't break much more. So, a controlled version of what you did above by prescoring.

[@josephtimperio9932]

Indeed. He himself played that clip of the old 40s drywaller with the hatchet scoring the back for an archway. Why did he abandon that?

[@benjaminziegler7437]

@@josephtimperio9932 exactly what I was thinking throughout this whole video, it's odd be didn't even discuss that as an option. Or the fact that they sell bendable drywall

[@BenRush]

@@josephtimperio9932 I must have missed that video. I'll go digging for it.

[@potterb39]

I was thinking the same thing… Score the back of it, bend it in.

[@hardickmcfondle2956]

Tapers get pissy if you have a ton of breaks cause it's more work for them.. if you can avoid breaks they can just slap their flex bead on and go.. if there's breaks they have to first smooth it all out, let it dry etc.. if you score the back it's garenteed to break everywhere you did

[@boppins]

Do you have to use drywall here? What about just normal wood? Could use thin, almost-veneer-like layers and build them up. Or do you need to use anything at all, assuming that a final, nice wood paneling is going to be put in place there.

[@redwood_shores]

I like you not hesitating to fail while on air! I would use plywood though, no point to bend drywall piece whatsoever

[@GODZclaN11]

Thanks so much for sharing so much Ben. Very much appreciated. Off topic question - Can any regular, non polyurethane, wood glue be brushed on or added to mud? I have some Titebond Premium Wood Glue. Thanks again!

[@RetroBerner]

Don't drive the screws home right away if the board isn't flexible enough. We used to wet the back of the board with water or just score the back since it's all gonna get filled with mud anyways

[@mmmmmmb]

I have learned lately that taking a few minutes to look up a video on it will save you an hour of frustration.

[@M30263]

Shower bad! 😂. Sprayer or sponge good 👍 Also with two people it goes so much easier. Edit… that said, always love your videos 👍. Wait, love no. Enjoy. Yes. 😂. From a fellow Canuck lost in Georgia for 22yrs 😳

[@joshburd5545]

yooooooo i always watch your skate videos and I know u are a carpenter but im finishing my basement and found this video organically and im like wtf its Ben!!!! Good shit dude im always learning from you here on youtube

[@kindle7191]

Thanks from Vancouver Island! I'd love to make an arch.

[@tschmath]

Could you have scored the inside layer of paper like woodworkers do when they want to curve a piece of plywood?

[@zackerydupuis6724]

I love your videos and keep up the amazing work Ben.

[@kentoakley9409]

couldn't you put relief cuts on the back side to allow it to conform? Thanks for the videos!!

[@bay9876]

Love to see the archway created by different methods. 1/4-in x 2-ft Lauan Sanded Plywood, Home Depot Arch Kit. Multiple back cuts, Pre-soak back, kerfing the board, European arch from an arch kit, and just plain mudding over the breaks to get a good outcome?

[@rla1000]

I've used 1/4-in. flex rock and wet both sides, one layer at a time, for complex S-curved walls. I pre-shape before applying.

[@HelicopterBill]

Ben must be getting paid by the screw! 😀

[@fastmover45]

Ben Just use a pump spray and wet the arch drywall nice and damp leave it for 20 mins maybe spray again and wait a bit more or leave it out side up against the wall over night so it slumps.

[@Monath3]

Not going to lie I had a good laugh watching that board break on you.

[@baddad5781]

Big headache but you did a nice job. It still looks really good.

[@TobiasRaphael1]

You should be able to get 1/4" high flex drywall at your drywall supplier company. It will save you this headache for a minimal additional cost. Well worth it, as I have learned. Good job getting it done though!

[@davebuchanan9761]

its nice reading all the comments of different ways, now i want to try it and i dont even have an arch to try it on

[@dhammer5645]

Next time, save the plywood arch cut off and make a quick mould for the wet drywall to drape over after wetting. The radius won't be perfect but pretty darn close. Wet both pieces of drywall drape them over the mould then go for a coffee and let them set up a bit.

[@gnshp8167]

Thats how we did it to. Put some weight on the drywall, soaked it with water and let it sit over night

[@Fluffy_Rumples]

@@gnshp8167 soak the drywall?

[@kirkdunn1379]

It needs time for memory to set in....set screws loose and only 1 per stud in center.....1/2" can be done by scoring the back or use thin piece of Masonite or something so surface is solid for drywall without gaps between studs..... You had perfect template with drywall you cut out for radius

[@misterj597]

3rd!!! If you have 30 minutes to spare, use a keyhole saw. If you don’t, use a router. For bending, you can cut the back of the drywall, just make sure you don’t cut through the front paper. I see that on job sites pretty frequently

[@mambi74]

"cut the back of the drywall" - so essentially a kerf cut on drywall then?

[@mattmoore1311]

I'm watching this at 5:30 A.M. before work. At 8:31 min. I snorted so loud I woke my wife up.😆

[@christophercharles9645]

As for the bending of the drywall - I've had success wetting it; bending it into the curve I need; then letting it dry in that shape before screwing it into the arch. It does require an extra day or more but there's usually other stuff to be done while the drying takes place. Also, wiggle wood works as well.

[@bradscates9064]

Lightly score the back side of the board, bend it around the arch then put your bead on and tape the inside with fibafuse and you’ll be fine

[@ssl3546]

I think I'd have used 1/8 bending luan plywood, it's specifically made to bend easily in one direction. prime, then you can put drywall mud on top like usual.

[@cvreeken]

I love it. It's like mythbusters, drywall edition....

[@richardspees841]

Brings back bad memories of doing this at my parent's hours. Two of the, but longer radius's. Still a pain though.

[@number1pappy]

What about cutting relief cuts in the back of the drywall????

[@lincolndickerson1293]

This may be a bit out of the box and totally wrong but when bending plywood there are a serious of scores used to make the wood easier to bend leaving the outside surface intact. Effectively many intentional small breaks. See Josh Wright on KZbin, he has done many videos applying this technique. Not sure how well it would work with dry wall.

[@jimpowers4640]

I did a tight 900mm arch in new builds in the toilets. Right pain they are must have done 1000s. You must either wet the board or use the 6mm GTec boards

[@ekampel]

Could you use a thin piece of wood under the arch instead of drywall

[@keta2217]

Remember the old video you showed about the old craftsman doing a curve .

[@4vinylsound]

Back when I was a kid in the early eighties my father was a head carpenter of the carpenter's Union in New York and I use to go to work with him and asked him on the same scenario but much bigger scale how they got the sheet rock to bend for that arch wsy he said they sprayed it with water with a spray bottle the dampen it.

[@natewarner]

Would starting in the middle and working out work better? That would at least reduce the length of the "lever arm" prying against low-strength drywall board, wouldn't it?

[@4vinylsound]

I would start on the center top and work your way out on both sides simultaneously

[@KingSobieski]

My house has got the shallow arches. They look good :)

[@sanbornify]

I wonder if you’d started screwing from the top of the arch whether you’d have had better success with the double layer screw strategy?

[@CAmericanSportsCritic]

Curious if there was a reason to not kerf the back to help?

[@jefflee6711]

Pretty sure you are only supposed to wet the outside of the curve. That allows the paper to stretch. Easily tested by wetting the outside of the drywall piece and then lay it over something cylindrical. It will conform to the curve, but for tighter curves you may have to repeat the wetting more than once. That's how I did it with a 17" radius cove.

[@hi-ye4rz]

U can either wet it .. Or use 2layers of ¼" works really good don't even need water

[@verdegeo5721]

metal lath and plaster works

[@daveklassen924]

Would wetting and pre-bending, then letting it dry first, be the way to go?

[@robertackerman3500]

You have to let the bend sit longer . Usually over night . Same goes for wetting it flex it then let dry . But only damp not soaked . Union Carpenter 24 years.

[@jimpowers4640]

I used the 6mm board. With a damp sponge. Ideally if you have a 45 gallon drum. Just lay the board on the drum.

[@gluuuuue]

You might as well just fan-slice v-cuts down the exterior facing paper (side with the inner radius). Yeah, it weakens the shear strength, but you can tape/mud the seams, and it's just a 4.5" width section anyway. Not like it has a lotta shear/tensile responsibility anyway. If the arch is semicircular, you can calculate the inner partial circumference from the inner diameter, subtract that from the outer partial circumference computed from the outer diameter, then you have the diff between the circs. If you make n cuts around the semicircle uniformly, you can divide that difference/n and that would be the approx. width of each v-cut.

[@eunicom]

Just a thought, wouldn't it have been easier if you scored the back paper every inch or so? I've seen videos of others doing this for curves like what you made. Or is that curve too tight for this method? Thanks for the video. Still educational.

[@jameslastname9171]

What about kerfing the board?

[@HalcyonAcorn]

Tried this myself on even less of a radius, had zero luck, ended going with 1/8 MDF built up in 2 layers.

[@pfak]

Thanks for the laughs. 😀

[@sharonbrown3666]

I saw a guy cut lines in the gyprock to make it flexible... what's your thoughts on that?

[@steenhmm5047]

Maybe If you used the cutout to press the soaked 1 layer up?

[@John.Doe-OG]

Ben, I saw someone put a bunch of shallow scores on the back side to make a bend like that. I thought it was you but it may have been Jeff Thorman on Home RenoVision DIY.

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

Pretty most people would use 1/2 drywall and score the back paper every half to one inch the whole way around and then you can bend it to whatever radius you want.

[@MV-wb2cz]

do you have to fasten every 2 inch score?

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

@@MV-wb2cz No.

[@Phazetic99]

what is the big deal of the drywall breaking in this situation? Once you get the bead on, you will have to mud to the bead. This should give you 3/16th of an inch mud at least. Any normal problems of paper separating from the gypsum board shouldn't be an issue here, right? Especially if you put a fill of Confil, the fibers and glue of the Confil should prevent any problems of a cracked board, especially considering its only 6" wide

[@MV-wb2cz]

do you have to fasten every 2 inch kerf?

[@johng9562]

Good one Ben.

[@bantz001]

We want to see the pre-soak and pre-bend over lunch results! You set yourself up for a garage arch video.

[@kevinbenedict5443]

When i do arches i generally kerf the back of the board every couple of inches or so, then.....no problem make almost any radius

[@CoolHand24]

Why two layers though, just for strength?

[@lordhriley]

I would like to see how you mud this

[@xxakli]

@13:35 we call that an eyebrow here in cali . . .

[@xxxxxxxx3476]

Forever the optimist !!!

[@Me-yj8pv]

A video on what not to do. Thank you for making all the mistakes i would have for me.

[@CybekCusal]

Why not just buy the flex drywall?

[@mc-sp8zr]

00:20 Sounds like a Trojan ad here 😅

[@mdstmouse7]

hey look that "carpenter" guy is making another drywall video!

[@RR-ty6zz]

Make cut on back of drywall which would make it very easy to install lol

[@daryldavirro4237]

I also think that starting the screws near the bottom didn't help. It has to much weight at the weak spots. Start at the top to limit the weight it has to hold up

[@danielwarrington2865]

I tend to score the back of drywall with a knife to allow for the bend

[@coolbugfacts1234]

what I've seen is you wet the back with a sponge or lightly spray it down with a spray bottle, I think you did too much water which weakened the paper too much

[@andrewnovino5269]

Did you forget the roto zip I hate when I don't have mine

[@amalias8888]

Wouldn't it be easier to just score the back side every couple of inches? It should bend easily and be easy to drywall over.

[@nonamepyro6176]

Mayb put a screw up top first so its not falling down every time you screw

[@TheOldBlackCrow]

I've seen where they score the back in many places... But I don't do drywall, so who knows?

[@OldSkoolPGFan]

Why not just use 2 strips and go from floor to half way up the arch from the left side then do the exact same thing from the right side and meet in the middle?? That way you're not forcing as much radius from one piece.

[@darkcoolcat]

You need six hands to do that 🤣

[@magnumbull]

You keep saying "the taper will fix it." Aren't you also the taper?? 😆

[@BaddDukk]

Hardboard, MDF, luan, or 'wiggle wood' plywood would have all done this job without snapping.

[@Progorama]

ok lemme show you how to NOT cut a thight radius arch