# How do I make this?



## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

I love this! I want to do it over my sink and over my stove, but how do I do the arch part? CAN I do the arch? 
I don't even know where to ask this question lol


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## mplatt4 (Mar 24, 2007)

that looks like brick veneer to me just build it out of plywood then cover it with tthe brick veneer it just glues on the glue comes in different colors if thats not how that one is built you can still do it the way I described just take 1/2 or 3/4 plywood cut your arches then take 1/4 inch playwwod to bend the bottom of the arches pluss you must put in 2/4 blocks to nail it together


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Yup looks like veneer or tiles to me too. You could do it in brick but really brick masons only make it look easy. They build an arched and well supported frame and simply lay their arch using the mortar to key it in place. Then they remove the arched support. Getting it right it probably a trade secret.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I agree that it's likely a veneer. I have a friend who just made a beautiful outdoor pizza oven with real bricks. It has a similar arch (and a slate roof!). He built a heavy duty form (arch) and put it in place and then beginning with the sides, he mortared them in. He's set his in place so that the shortest side was the one visible from underneath the arch. That gave him the ability to make his arch "tighter"...there still was some mortar exposed between the long side of the bricks. Once he got that row set, he could proceed with the next course, etc. I don't know if any brick companies might make a "keystone brick" that you could put at the top to wedge the pieces in tighter. I suppose you might be able to cut bricks that could be a little more wedge shaped to help. I'm kinda curious now, and will google it. Maybe there's a You tube video that will enlighten us. If I find anything I'll be back. Good luck. (I just went on You tube and entered "brick arch"...they have a number of videos that will give you some ideas about how this might be accomplished.)


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

Ok, Ive tried to find the brick veneer online and no luck, most of the places I saw are for contractors. I remember home depot used to sell it but not any more. 

A pizza oven outside would look great like that!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Lowes has it here, individual brick tiles that are self adhesive too I think


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Or, use pavers, and sticky mortar, or the adhesives.

I'd practice first, to get the technique down...


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## Bat Farm (Apr 21, 2010)

We used pavers. They cut very easily on our cheap tile saw (it was pretty messy though).










No arch though. There are some arch guides that I have seen in use that work pretty well. 

http://hardwareaisle.thisoldhouse.com/2007/06/how_to_defeat_t.html


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Shygal said:


> Ok, Ive tried to find the brick veneer online and no luck, most of the places I saw are for contractors. I remember home depot used to sell it but not any more.
> 
> A pizza oven outside would look great like that!


I do not know how it would hold up outdoors. Those vaneers are pored plaster I think, I would not leave that outdoors.

The kitchen looks like it is vaneer bricks. My dad put those vaneer bricks up in our house when I was a kid, back in the 70's.

I would make that arched kitchen wall with plywood and then add brick vaneer. when you want to do the underside of the arch, notch lines into the plywood piece that will fit into the arch from side to side with a circular saw, that will give the plywood more flex and make it easier to curve. if it still doesnt bend easy, soak it in the bathtub in warm water until it gets soft enough to move. let it dry out before you add the vaneer though.

where did you find this picture? is this a friend's house?


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

...............Pavers are VERY heavy , make sure your foundation has sufficient strength before stacking them too fulfill your creativity ! , fordy:huh:


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## nadja (May 22, 2011)

Very good mention Fordy about the foundation. I a few years ago, went over to frame and dry in a large two story house. First thing I found wrong was the lady had decided to put in a large wall side fireplace AFTER the plans and permits were issued. Opps. as there had to be a lot more foundation (concrete) to bear the weight of the fireplace which when finished would weigh several thousand pounds, and that the wall would need to be cut out for the actual fireset. Well, that meant that she had to resubmit the revised plans, get an engineer to go over it, stamp it and of course bill her for the time. Now had also had to get the open beam roof design all re done and stamped etc. 2 month delay or building her house. Had we not done it the fireplace would have overwhelmed the floor and of course her roof design would have crashed down on her head. Saftey first . Take one brick and weigh it, then draw out your plan, and count out the bricks you will need to make it, then you will see how much weight you will be putting on the floor. Don't forget to add about 10% for the morter . Will your existing floor hold that much weight ? Not likely


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## marlas1too (Sep 11, 2010)

the old way was to make an arch frame then lay the brick and mortar on top of the arch-wait till its cured and dry then take the arch framework out --that is if you want real bricks


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## Bat Farm (Apr 21, 2010)

Actually pavers are not very heavy. They are thin like tiles and porous. They weigh less than a ceramic tile of the same dimensions. 

The pavers in the fireplace picture above weigh about 100lbs total. Add another possible 50 for the backerboard and mortar. If your foundation can't handle 150 lbs you have other issues.


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## cowboy joe (Sep 14, 2003)

This looks interesting:

http://brickit.com/index.asp


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