Arch Dilemma

Last updated on January 1, 1970

Hello Jake,

I have bought my first home and in the bedroom is a drywall bullnose arch to the bathroom with no door. I don’t really like this. I have tried to find an inexpensive interior arch top door, but to no avail. Ideally, I was thinking arch top white pane glass for light, but it seems now that I have to find another route. The arch matches the other doorways, so I didn’t want to reframe it. Any suggestions?

-Kate

Kate,

Whatever you do, it most likely will have to be custom made, based upon a template you make of your arch.  I would assume that the sides of the arch, the point where the vertical sides go from vertical to the start of the arch, are lower than a standard door height, 6’8”.  So if you infill the arch with glass or drywall, the door most likely will have to be cut down.

You could take a solid core door, hold it up to the arched opening and draw a line on the door.  Deduct ¼” for clearance then install the door.  That would be the easiest method.

The other idea would be to have a millwork shop make a custom door. That would be more expensive.

Your idea of installing a piece of glass makes sense to me, too bad you can’t make this work.

Good luck.

Jake