How to Construct Brick Arches

Creating Arch Template

• 1

  Draw a straight line on the bottom of your large piece of paper that is equal to the size of the doorway that the arch is going to be over.

• 2

  Measure and mark a point in the center of your line. This will be the point where the two sides of the arch come together.

• 3

  Cut a string two inches longer than the distance from one end of the line to the midpoint and tie the string to a thumb tack.

• 4

  Insert the tack in to the midpoint and tie the other end of the string around a pencil. Roll the string up on to the pencil until the tip of the pencil is at the end of the line.

• 5

  Keeping the string tight, run the pencil from one side of the line to the other in an arc above the line. This will be the size and shape of the arch that your brick arch will be sitting on when it is built.

Creating the Form Pieces

• 6

  Cut the paper arch out and trace the arch twice on to a piece of 1/2-inch plywood. Cut both of the pieces out using a jig saw. These will be the sides of your form. The form is what holds up the bricks as they are being stacked, until they can hold themselves.

• 7

  Measure the length of one of the bricks you are going to use for the form.

• 8

  Run a piece of string from one end of one of your arch pieces to the other along the arch. Cut the string at the end of the arch. Measure the string to get the length of your arch.

• 9

  Mark a rectangle on a piece of flexible hardboard that is as wide as the length of one of your bricks and as long as the arch that you measured. Cut the rectangle out with a jigsaw or a circular saw. This rectangle is the top of your form.

• 10

  Create another rectangle on a piece of 1/2-inch plywood that is as wide as the length of the brick and as long as the bottom of your arch that you created on the 1/2-inch plywood. Cut the rectangle out with a jig saw or a circular saw. This rectangle is the bottom of your form.

Assembling the Form

• 11

  Lay one of the side pieces down on a flat surface with the flat edge facing toward you. Stand the bottom piece up on end, pressed against the flat edge of the side piece. Drive 8d trim nails through the bottom piece in to the side piece locking them in place.

• 12

  Lay the other side piece down on a flat surface and stand three bricks up, two at either side of the bottom edge and one at the midpoint of the arch.

• 13

  Flip the other side piece over and set it on top of the three bricks pushing the bottom piece against the flat edge of the side piece that you laid down. Nail through the bottom piece up in to the side piece locking the two pieces together.

• 14

  Stand your new piece up with the bottom section down on a flat surface and the two side pieces facing up.

• 15

  Lay the top piece over top of the arch and begin nailing the piece to both of the side pieces bending the piece to the arch as you go.