Brick arch - how to build a spectacular architectural structure yourself. Calculation and laying of a brick arch How to lay a brick arch

Have you ever wondered how you can transform the look of your home?

If you contact experienced architects or renovation specialists, they will advise you on decor such as a brick arch. And indeed, when you pay attention to an elite mansion, you will surely come across arched vaults. They emphasize the status and grandeur of the owner of the house and adorn any style of decoration of the facade of the building and internal transitions. In this case, you may want to do the same at home, replacing the door with an arch.

Finishing instead of a doorway

In the article we will tell you how to make an arched arch of brick with your own hands.

Varieties

When the conversation turns to the arched vault, you need to clarify what kind you mean. The fact is that there are several of them and each of them is unique and individual in its own way. The laying of these brick arches in each of the types is carried out in its own way.

The arched vault is a semicircle in the opening between two vertical bases, which are the walls of the building. As for the mentioned species, there are three of them.

Arched vault on the street

In the first place is the usual or, as it is also called, the full arch. This variety is considered one of the most popular for a number of reasons. About this kind, we can safely say that it is made simply, but tastefully. A vault of this type is made in the form of a regular semicircle.

In addition, if you have chosen this type of arch, you can easily lay it out yourself.

In second place is a wedge or rectangular arch. Posting it without proper experience is problematic. Therefore, this is not the best choice, even for people who are used to doing everything on their own, according to instructions found on the Internet. This warning is relevant because without proper experience, you run the risk of building an arch that will not last even a couple of years. Outwardly, it looks good and resembles the letter P.

In the last, third place, there is a bow arch. Its arch has an underestimated semicircle.

Types of arches and opening in a brick wall

Before you choose what type of arch you would like to see in your home, you should talk about some of the nuances, such as the distance between the supporting columns.

You will not lay out a wedge arch in a wide opening. This limitation is explained by the fact that it will not be strong if the distance between the supporting columns is wider than one meter.

For a beam arch, this distance is greater. It can be built between columns located at a distance of up to one and a half meters from each other. If you want an arched vault, and the supporting columns are located at a distance of two or even two and a half meters from each other, then a full arch will do.

These and other parameters can be found by studying the guidelines for calculating the masonry of arches.

Preparation for the masonry process

Before starting work, decide where the arch will be located. The fact is that in most construction manuals, the option is considered when masonry is done from scratch, during the construction of the house itself. In this case, the process is described from the erection of the supporting columns themselves.

Construction template

In private cases, the owners remake the passages, creating an arched vault in them. In this case, if necessary, a preliminary punching of the openings themselves in the brick walls is done.

Whichever option you choose, the first step should be masonry and, if necessary, strengthening the supporting columns. Strengthening refers to cases where the planned distance between the columns exceeds one meter. After all, then the load on the supporting columns will increase. Therefore, they lay out a couple of bricks thick.

At this stage, it is worth paying attention to the fact that there should not be a warp between the laid bricks of both arches. Each row of bricks is controlled by a building level.

When you reach the vault, then pay attention to a couple of building tricks. Firstly, a special wooden template will come in handy, which will control the laying of the vault bricks, hold them until the cement mortar hardens. We will look at creating a wooden template later in this article.

Secondly, the cement mortar itself is made thicker than usual, the liquid mortar does not guarantee you that subsequently the masonry will not spread under its own weight.

Wooden template

This template is indispensable during the laying of arches with your own hands. To create it, it is enough to have the necessary materials and enthusiasm.

First, find a couple of sheets of chipboard. They will later become the basis of the future template. From the prepared sheets, you need to cut out two identical semicircles that follow the outline of the planned arch.

Arch template to lay out with bricks

After you cope with this task, get a wide board that matches the thickness of the bearing support. Although a narrow board will do.

On the basis of this board, you need to fix the pre-cut chipboard arch templates with nails. To give the template rigidity, wooden bars are placed between the sheets of chipboard. Thus, you will give the structure the necessary rigidity.

The resulting hollow semicircle of the template must be sewn on top with a steel strip, six or eight millimeters thick. This thickness is sufficient so that the bricks located on top of it do not subsequently push through.

The resulting wooden template is fixed between the lined support pillars of your future arch. To secure, you will have to use wooden spacers, which will be removed later, like the template itself.

The thickness of the selected wooden spacers should be about eight or even ten centimeters. The distance between the spacers is at least half a meter.

arch masonry

So we got to the point where you can start laying the arch. Before you start laying your first bricks, learn one rule. All work on laying the bricks of the vault should be done in one go. In no case should a break be allowed to allow the cement mortar to dry.

How to lay a template

This rule is due to the fact that during drying, the cement will begin to stretch the bricks to the sides, as it were, creating additional stress. Therefore, if you decide to lay the arch not in one, but in a few days, get ready for the fact that it will eventually crack.

The masonry itself is correct to start simultaneously on both sides of the template, gradually reaching the central part. The last brick, installed in the center of the masonry, will be a kind of castle.

It is characteristic that these recommendations are suitable for any type of arch, no matter what you choose. The only problem that you may encounter is the installation of bricks at certain angles relative to each other, thereby creating an arched semicircle. To simplify this process, they make a preliminary markup on a wooden template, and use a square when laying bricks. Accordingly, during such laying of bricks, the cement mortar will also lie unevenly. Its layer will be thicker at the top of the arched vault.

However, no matter what difficulties you have to face, with due care and assertiveness, you will definitely succeed, and you will correctly build the arched vault of your dreams.

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The construction of any building is not possible without the construction of lintels.

Jumper- This is the overlap of a door or window opening. In construction, reinforced concrete lintels are most often used, since they can cover long spans and cope with high loads. Brick lintels do not have sufficient strength for this, therefore, in modern construction they are used only for load-bearing walls.

Ordinary (ordinary) brick lintels are erected using reinforcement. It is she who supports the brick. Arched, wedge-shaped, arched, box-shaped, lancet, semi-circular lintels have been popular architectural details of facades for many tens and even hundreds of years.

The variety of jumpers depends on the configuration of the upper part of the door or window opening. So, for example, vaults-floors of buildings are constructed using the technology of building an arched lintel.

Until the end of the 19th century, openings were built only of brick. The arrangement of brick lintels was not only a tribute to beauty. Their main purpose was that they kept a high load from the wall due to the expansion, which ensured the fan arrangement of the bricks in the masonry.

The erection of arches and vaults during the construction of temples was originally only a way of covering brick buildings. Over time, they became an integral part and even the canon of church architecture. Today, arched brick lintels are only a design decision.

In almost all country houses, stoves and fireplaces are being built. For their decoration, arched, wedge-shaped lintels are often used, cylindrical vaults are erected.

Ordinary jumpers

Ordinary lintels are constructed in the same way as ordinary brickwork, with dressing and a clear line of seams. When working, the following features must be taken into account:

1) brickwork seams must be carefully filled;

2) ordinary lintels do not have support in the opening, therefore they can be compressed under the weight of the overlying wall;

3) the size of the jumper is determined based on its work in the opening for bending;

4) the height is about 5-6 rows of masonry, the length is calculated according to the width of the opening and assumes a margin of 500 mm on each side of it.

Since the brick floor of the structure must withstand sufficiently large loads, it is worth using selected bricks, and the grade of the mortar must be at least 25. The ordinary jumper is strengthened with the help of reinforcement. Its calculation depends on the magnitude of the load on the opening. For light loads, the reinforcement is installed structurally from round steel. Its diameter is 4-6 mm, the quantity is one rod per half brick wall. The reinforcement should go into the masonry beyond the edge of the opening by at least 250 mm, while its ends are bent up around the brick.

Technology for making ordinary jumpers

1. Tool. For the device of an ordinary jumper, you will need the same tool with which the usual laying of brick walls is performed.
2. To create a reinforced support brick requires the installation of formwork. For its manufacture, boards with a thickness of 40-50 mm are required.
3. Before starting work, it is desirable to protect the boards with plastic wrap or rolled waterproofing. This will prevent the flow of the masonry composition and give the lower part of the lintel a more even appearance. It should be taken into account the fact that any irregularities on the surface of the formwork can adversely affect the appearance of the opening being constructed.
4. The mortar mixture is spread on the formwork. Reinforcing bars are laid on it, and then embedded in this composition.
5. Then the reinforcement is covered with a second layer of mortar. Its thickness should not be less than 3 cm, since this layer provides protection for metal products.
6. To ensure the stability of the formwork, bricks are released from the masonry. After the mortar has gained full strength, the boards are removed and the protruding brick is cut down. You can use another option - make a furrow in the masonry, place the formwork in it, and after removing it, install a brick there with a masonry joint device. In this case, the support boards can be installed on edge for rigidity.

Wedge jumpers

The laying of wedge-shaped lintels does not require the construction of a reinforced mortar support. Their stability and bearing capacity are ensured by expansion in the wedge-shaped brick installation.

Wedge brick lintels have two options:

• wedge-shaped vertical masonry seam;
• wedge-shaped brick.

In the first case, the thickness of the seam from below should not be less than 5 mm from below, and from above - no more than 25 mm. If wedge brick is used, the thickness of the masonry joint should not exceed 10 mm. The wedge-shaped jumper is installed using formwork with circles.

If the laying of a window or doorway is carried out with quarters, three circles will be required to build a lintel. One is shorter, installed at the level of the quarters, the other two are inside the opening. Formwork is laid on longer circles, it can be made from boards.

The wall is erected with a support device to the level of the upper part of the lintel. The angle of inclination of the edge of the jumper (bricks) relative to the vertical is determined immediately. Then it is necessary to mark all the rows on the formwork of the future floor. Their number must be odd. It is important to take into account the thickness of the seam when calculating the device for each row.

The central brick row is inserted vertically and is a lock. Thanks to it, compression is created in the lower part of the jumper, which makes it possible to withstand the overlying load without reinforced reinforcement.

Wedge-shaped brick lintels are made from the support to the middle on both sides in order to approach the central brick - the castle. The exact direction of each seam is determined by the intersection points of the direction lines of both supports. A nail is driven into this place on the formwork, and with the help of a rope tied to it, the line of each seam is indicated.

Arched lintels, arches and vaults

The brick arched lintel, according to the principle of the device, does not differ from the masonry of the wedge-shaped ceilings of the openings. The shape of the arch can be arched, lancet, semicircular, box. Their difference lies in the choice of the center, the size of the segment and the radius of the circle.

Regardless of the type, the center line of the seam will always be perpendicular to the inner surface of the lintel or arch. A curved line is created thanks to a wedge-shaped brick or a figured seam. The laying of the arched lintel assumes the central line of the seam as a continuation of the radius of the curve.

The thickness of the seams is the same as in the wedge-shaped jumpers:

• at least 5 mm - for the lower part of the vertical seam;
• maximum - 25 mm - for the upper part.

1 - lintel brick; 2 - wedge-shaped solution; 3 - castle brick; 4 - circled

The shape of the formwork of brick lintels will depend on the appearance of the opening. Checking the radial direction of the seams and the correctness of the curvature of the arches is carried out using a rope tied to the center of the circle of each section of the jumper.

Arches are laid out using the same technology as arched lintels.

Arches are popular in modern construction of public buildings, temples, churches. For their construction, a continuous formwork of the required shape is made. A frequently used technique is the laying out of cylindrical vaults with a “Christmas tree”. Laying is carried out simultaneously parallel to the axis of the vault at an angle of 45 °.

Wedges are placed under the formwork, which are then gradually removed, ensuring its uniform lowering. Fresh masonry is highly sensitive to stress. It is unacceptable to place containers with mortar or brick on it, this can lead to a distortion of the shape of the floor and a violation of the adhesion of the brick to the masonry mixture.

A brick floor, which has a fairly simple configuration, can be erected independently. It is only necessary to study the technology and carefully follow the sequence of actions. Arches and vaults of complex shape are best entrusted to a highly qualified specialist.

Brick lintels, arches and vaults adorned buildings hundreds of years ago. And today they have not lost their significance, continuing to decorate the facades of modern buildings, fireplaces, stoves, creating a unique interior and exterior for every taste.

Architects often use architectural and design elements in their work, which give the structure originality and beauty. One of these decorative details is the arch. Internal structures are easily made using drywall. For the construction of external geometric elements, brick is used. Many novice masters are interested in the question: how to make a brick arch with your own hands?

Types of arches

Arches in architecture are used in the architecture of different peoples. Accordingly, their shape was influenced by the cultural heritage of the countries. An example of this is the Arabian arch, which is widespread in the architecture of the Middle Eastern states.

The most common types of arches are:

• semicircular or semicircular: it looks like a semicircle, the center of which is on the same level with the heels of the arch. This design is most often based on pylons. This type of arch can be attributed to the classics;
• arched: in shape it is an arc equal to a quarter of a circle. Arches of this type adorned the window openings of residential buildings in Ancient Rome;
• lancet or broken arch formed by two arcs intersecting at an angle.

In modern architecture, the first two types are used as a decorative element - semicircular (they are now called full) and arched. Wedge-shaped arches are no less popular - they got such a name thanks to the construction technology: bricks are laid out with a wedge, followed by their fixation with a “lock”.

General technology for laying brick arches

The laying of a brick arch, regardless of the type chosen, is carried out in the following order:

1. A general view of the arch is being developed.
2. Its parameters are calculated.
3. A working drawing is drawn indicating all the necessary dimensions.
4. A template is made, which is then installed in the opening.
5. Opening jumpers are laid out.
6. Brickwork is fixed and fixed.
7. The template is dismantled.

At the last stage, the finished opening is finished.

Template calculation

Before you make a brick arch, you need to make an auxiliary structure - a template. Its quality has a direct impact on the final result. For this reason, it is necessary to carefully calculate its dimensions. As an example, consider the design of a window with a width of 1500 mm using a bow type.

Please note: for the design of an arched opening, it is not its width that is important, but the length of the arc along which the brick will be laid out. In order not to create problems for yourself in the future, it is necessary to correct this size at the calculation stage so that it is a multiple of 70-75 mm.

The width of the template should be less than the opening by 5 mm. This small gap will facilitate its installation and disassembly (even if it gets damp).

The height of the auxiliary structure must match the same parameter of the arch. By the way, it should not be too low - this is fraught with subsidence of the brickwork under the influence of the load.

Now it remains to determine the thickness of the template. If it is too large, the weight of the structure will complicate the work. In our example, the thickness of 200 mm can be considered optimal.

Template making

We begin work by marking the arch on a chipboard sheet. For this you need:

• mark the center line;
• symmetrically axial to draw the boundaries of the opening;
• mark the top point of the arch on the axis;
• from the highest point, lay down a size equal to the height of the arch, and draw a straight line perpendicular to the axis through the mark obtained. Mark the intersections of the auxiliary line with the right and left boundaries of the opening with dots;
• from the same (highest) point down, set aside a segment equal to the radius of the arched arc - this way the center of the circle is found;
• at the central point, install a metal rod (peg) and tie a piece of knitting wire to it, equal in length to the radius of the circle;
• attach a pencil to the second end, and use an impromptu compass to connect the three previously marked points.

The template consists of two such parts - circled - interconnected by bars. If the circle is cut exactly according to the markup, then the sharp corners will not allow them to be fastened together. Therefore, before proceeding with sawing, it is necessary to set aside 100 mm from the lower points of the arched profile, thus increasing the body of the part.

After that, you can cut the part with a jigsaw.

The second circle is much easier to mark: for this you need to use the already cut part as a pattern. Just lay it on a new sheet of chipboard and circle around the contour.

The bars intended for fastening the circles must correspond in length to the specified thickness of the template. Twist the prepared parts with self-tapping screws. A strip of fiberboard is nailed to the top of the template - in this way, all possible irregularities of the device are smoothed out.

Circled in the window opening for laying a brick arch

Installing the template in the opening

Under the edges of the template, supports made of edged boards 20 mm thick are installed. To prevent them from falling, a spacer is inserted between them.

The template is installed on top of the supports flush with the edge of the shaped facing brick. One caveat should be borne in mind: an arch that is too protruding (more than 60 mm) during operation will collapse from frost and rain. If, nevertheless, you decide to take such a step, close it on top with ceramic tiles or metal.

Do-it-yourself brick arch masonry

First lay out the right left heel of the arch. After that, you can start marking up the order. This is done with a tape measure. For convenience, markings are made on the template every five bricks.

The thickness of the seam is decided on the spot.

After that, you can lay out the arch from the heels to the highest point - on both sides. The last one or two bricks (depending on whether the number was even or odd during marking) are called castle bricks. After they are laid in place, the seams are carefully clogged with mortar. If this is not done, the arch may "sit down".

The arch - front and backing - must be laid out in one go. The template can be removed two to three hours after the masonry is crimped. If it is not possible to remove the auxiliary structure on the same day, protect it from possible rain with plastic wrap. Otherwise, a swollen tree can undermine the fresh masonry, and the work will have to be completely redone.

An arch is an architectural element made in the form of a curved bridge over an opening in a wall or a span between two supports. Such structures are widely used to decorate the facades and interiors of residential buildings and public buildings.

A do-it-yourself brick arch is not a problem for a home craftsman who has some building skills.

Types of brick arches

An ordinary brick arch is a symmetrical vaulted structure, the strength of which is provided by lateral expansion. Experts distinguish the following types of brick arches:

• wedge-shaped - bricks are laid out with a wedge and fixed with a "lock";
• bow - bricks are laid in a truncated arc;
• full arches - bricks are laid out in a semicircle with a height of half the width of the opening.

First of all, you need to decide on the type of arch that you plan to build and prepare the necessary materials and tools. Each of the described brick arches has its pros and cons, but the scheme and sequence of work on their device is not much different.

The sequence of the brick arch

The technology by which a do-it-yourself brick arch is erected depends on the chosen type and design features of the architectural element. The whole process of building a brick arch can be divided into the following steps:

• development and production of a vaulted element template;
• template installation;
• laying out a brick arch;
• compression and fixation of the arched structure;
• disassembly and removal of the template;
• brickwork finishing.

For the manufacture of a template for the future arch, chipboard sheets and wooden beams are used. The appearance and quality of the arched structure depends on the quality of the template, so it is necessary to correctly calculate its dimensions.

The template is made a few centimeters less than the width of the opening along the height of the arch, so that there are no problems with its dismantling after the element is laid out.

The center of the arched structure, its upper and lower points are applied to the chipboard sheet, then they are connected to each other in the form of an arc so that a truncated semicircle is obtained as a result. According to the resulting markup, two circles are cut out, which are connected with the help of bars and self-tapping screws, forming a full-size arch. The template is installed in the opening and fixed in it by means of wooden supports and spacers.

Before laying the arch on both sides of the opening, streaks are installed, allowing you to clamp the arch quickly and easily. A set of brick arches is made from the bottom up simultaneously on both sides. In the center at the top of the arch, a “castle” is installed - a brick that is tightly hammered into the masonry and fixes the entire structure.

After clamping the brick arch, the template is removed and the surface is cleaned. To make the masonry look neat, it is necessary to carefully align the seams and remove excess mortar from the front surface of the brickwork.

Materials used for the construction of brick arches

For the manufacture of arches, a special wedge brick is usually used, since its trapezoidal shape contributes to a better fixation of the arched structure. You can buy wedge bricks ready-made in stores selling building materials. You can make a wedge brick yourself by cutting ordinary brick blocks to the desired shape.

To fix arched structures, special solutions are often used. For example, for furnace arches, the solution is made of clay with the addition of fireclay sand with inclusions of fine gravel, sifted through a sieve with cells up to 0.8 cm in diameter. In this case, the thickness of the seams should be minimal.

The main mistakes when building arches with your own hands

A do-it-yourself brick arch with the correct calculation and strict observance of the work production technology will become a magnificent decoration for your home and will last a very long time. However, there are a number of reasons that can lead to the destruction of the arched structure:

• insufficient height of the arch with a large opening width - with this design, the loads are distributed unevenly, which can lead to the formation of cracks;
• the use of metal corners and bases as a template - metal, unlike wood, prevents uniform natural shrinkage of the arched structure, which can cause it to crack;
• untimely dismantling of the template - if the wood has time to absorb moisture and swell, this can lead to excessive stress, so the arch should be protected from moisture by covering it with polyethylene;
• weak foundation - cracks in the arches often occur when the base subsides, in this case it is necessary to carry out a set of measures to help strengthen the foundation and prevent subsidence of the base of the arched structure.

Arches can be made in a variety of styles and used to decorate various architectural elements. A do-it-yourself brick arch will give your home an original look and create a unique atmosphere.

Video

By the way, a brick arch can be not only in the house, but also in the oven. The following story will tell you how to make such an arch.

Everyone is well aware that a doorway arranged as an arch looks much more interesting than a regular rectangular entrance. Through the use of arched vaults, you can resort to unusual design solutions. One of such unusual solutions in the improvement of the interior can be a brick arch, erected by one's own hands. This decorative element, which has served more than one generation of architects, harmonizes perfectly with the interiors of old buildings, and also fits perfectly into more modern designs.

However, keep in mind that the arched forms in the building are quite complex, so you need to have some skills in the field of construction to get a decent result.

An arch is a kind of lintel in the form of a semicircle, which connects two vertical supports. The arch acquires strength due to the distribution of the load in different directions. As a rule, arches are used to decorate door and window openings, as well as barbecues and stoves.

Now the most common are 3 forms of brick vaults:

Types of brick arches.

1. Full arch. During its construction, the semicircle is formed in half the diameter. Such a vault can be landscaped, perhaps, by any master with minimal skill.
2. Rectangular vault. This arch looks like the letter "P". Such a building is considered the most complex.
3. Truncated arch. In such a structure, the vault is made low, less than half the diameter of the circle, and the brick lies along a truncated arc. In terms of labor intensity and complexity, the truncated arch occupies a middle place between the wedge-shaped and ordinary vaults.

In addition to all the listed types of brick arches, the following vaults are known: modern - arranged in the form of a truncated cone, in the style of romanticism - a rectangular arch with rounded corners, an ellipse - usually used in a postmodern interior, a portal - a classic rectangular one. However, each of the described structures has its own advantages and some disadvantages. For example, a brick arch in the Gothic style provides for a ceiling height of at least three meters. And the arrangement of an elliptical vault requires a sufficiently large section of the wall, devoid of any openings and decorative details.

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Tools and materials for laying brick arches

Having decided on the construction of a certain type of vault, which will be in harmony with the style of the room being designed, you should prepare all the necessary building materials and tools.

The installation concepts for all brick arches are not much different from each other. You just need to stock up on all the necessary tools and materials to build this masterpiece with your own hands.

So, for work you will need:

• solution,
• circled
• nails and slats,
• wedges,
• bricks,
• meter and level
• hammer and sledgehammer,
• trowel,
• mixing bowl,
• jigsaw,
• pencil,
• chisel.

In order for the vault to look aesthetically pleasing, and the masonry itself to remain smooth and sufficiently reliable, wedge bricks are used. This material has a trapezoidal shape, due to which it provides the most durable fastening of the entire structure. You can find wedge bricks in hardware stores, but if you still couldn’t do it, you can make such material yourself. To do this, trim the side walls from two sides of an ordinary brick, thus bringing it to the required dimensions. Brick is laid using special mixtures. For example, for the improvement of furnace arches, as a rule, a solution is used, which includes fireclay sand, fine gravel and clay. For laying out, you can also use solid bricks, concrete blocks or natural stone. When building a vault, try to keep the minimum possible thickness of the seams.

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Preparatory work

The laying of vaults in each situation will be individual, taking into account the planned type of structure, however, in any circumstances, the process can be divided into several main stages:

The design of the arch formwork using a circle and racks.

• drawing and dressing of an arched arc;
• installation in the opening of the template;
• direct laying of bricks;
• strengthening the vault;
• removal circled;
• decorative lining.

Any arch must begin with the installation of heels, which are prepared according to the template. Since the height of the arch is different, the angle of the heel also changes. You can not use one form of the heel for all arches. Sometimes they arrange a simplified triangular arch, laying out the material flat, after which they continue laying the walls, which will press the heels well against the underlying masonry lines.

In old buildings, the foundation of a brick arch should be further strengthened, because additional loads on the walls contribute to the deformation of the openings.

The template for the future vault is made from chipboard and wooden beams according to pre-calculated dimensions. The more accurately you make the template, the more aesthetically pleasing the brick arch will look in the end. Sometimes, if a more stable and durable structure is needed, the usual chipboard is replaced with a rebar frame. Such a frame is also made according to the dimensions of the arch and is connected by welding. Prepare the template a little less than the width of the span - and you will not encounter any difficulties when dismantling it.

On the chipboard panel, draw a line across the entire width of the span and draw the extreme points of the arch, then connect them with a clearly drawn arc. According to the drawn strips, cut out two equal semicircular parts of the arch and fasten them with self-tapping screws and bars. As a result, you will have a template in the actual size of the arch. Then mount it in the opening to be equipped and fix it with spacers and supports.

For a more reliable installation, on both sides of the opening, at the lower boundary of the vault, mount the bars, which will clamp the structure and guarantee it sufficient strength. In the middle of the upper arch of the vault, carefully drive in the castle brick, which will secure the form. After that, you can start laying out the side parts of the opening, while keeping in mind that the number of building parts on both sides should remain odd.

Then erect the columns, on which the formwork will then be placed. They are built, as a rule, from concrete or brick, but first of all, the foundation is installed. In order for the lines of the columns to coincide with each other, they must be aligned with a cord. In addition, be sure to check the accuracy and correctness of the distance between the posts using a pre-prepared board, which will be equal to the required span width.

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Arch brick laying.

On a pre-fixed template, mark the brick laying lines, while not forgetting the seams. The fitting should be checked at all times. To do this, you can use a cord coming from a brick clogged in the center of the arc, a ruler or a level.

If you plan to equip a vault of several rows, then carefully control each level in the same way as the first, so as not to destroy the brick arrangement.

Lay the material in transverse strips on both sides from the heels to the castle brick. In this case, the seams must correspond to the radius of the template. In addition, please note that the seam at the bottom of the arch should be at least 5 mm, and at the top no more than 2.5 cm. The arches are laid on both sides of the arch at the same time. Upon completion of the process, it is necessary to lay a retaining beam on both sides of the arch. Special wedges should be placed between rounded chipboard parts and beams, which will be useful in the process of leveling the structure. In addition, these wedges will ensure easy dismantling of the template later.

Be sure to fill the transverse and longitudinal seams with a solution entirely. Take into account the fact that masonry works both in bending and in compression. If you forget about this nuance, as a result, the arch may collapse. Don't try to upholster the material to accommodate it. If such a need arose, then simply increase the layer of the mixture. Be sure to control the filling of the seams, they must be devoid of voids and gaps.

If you want to have a preview of the arch, you can lay bricks without mortar on the wedges.

When laying the material, make sure that it remains even on both the front and back sides. Bricks must be correctly combined with each other, laying clearly according to the applied drawing. Lastly, the keystone is placed, which should be vertical.

When laying the arch, it is necessary to observe the thickness of the seams.

Once again, carefully check the masonry with a ruler or level.

The layout of the final row needs a special approach, since the capstone should be clearly in the middle.

After the mortar has hardened, its surface must be cleaned with a dry brush. Remove adhering lumps of the mixture with a damp brush until the solution has completely cured.

After the brick laying process is completed and the mortar dries, you can remove the template.

On this, the arrangement of the arched opening can be considered complete.