Want to open archway - is this job more complex than I think?

4 years ago

1902 house with plaster. Archway was always a cool feature, but it's starting to show obvious signs off settling/separating (see pic 1 ....not sure what's causing it tbh) and we can see that it wasn't an original feature, as we can visibly see the original framing. I'd like to open it up a bit to get rid of the unsightly cracking and make the space a bit more open.

Trying to understand the complexity and involvement. I'm pretty unfamiliar with this type of this, so pardon my naivety. I'd imagine we would use sheetrock or framing wood to "seal" it back up. I guess it depends on what we find underneath. One concern is that it appears to still have rounded angles, so I'm not exactly sure how we would address that. The other concern would be the surround plaster crumbling.

Is there anything I may not be thinking of? Any tips or advice?

We're probably thinking of tackling this once baby gate is no longer needed :)

Thanks all!

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Comments (4)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
4 years ago
It is charming as is. Bad idea.
chinacatpeekin
4 years ago
I love the shape as is. Is a simple repair, without changing the shape or the scale, not possible?
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mainenell
4 years ago
I suspect that it may not be so much a settling issue as the plaster is becoming detached from the lathe. This can be resolved using plaster washers to screw the plaster back into place. I would not consider it a beginner diy project if you have never done drywall work as all the plaster washers have to be skin coated to a smooth finish. You will need at least intermediate level drywall skills to come close to a smooth finish. (Mine was on a ceiling, so the almost smooth was acceptable.) And it will take more washers than you expect. Buy the 1000 washer package. I used the “you mix it up” drywall mud, not the pre-mixed joint compound.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
IMO probably original to the house and I agree the plaster and lath are the issue. Of course you can have this made a bit differently if you do not like the style but not IMO a DIY if you have experience and i would need to see the whole house to advise what shape to use for the new arch.