How to Build an Ellipse With Drywall

Planning and Prep

• To determine the angle of a drywall ellipse, use a cardboard or paper template in your doorway, window opening or hallway. Produce a rough sketch of the type of ellipse you want, then use a bendable ruler or curved form to draw an ellipse that is symmetrical and even. Use this template to transfer the design to your wall, if you're adding an ellipse by enlarging an existing opening, or transfer it to a piece of new drywall if you're building an ellipse that will fit entirely within an existing opening.

Cutting Drywall

• Cutting drywall to create the rough form of your ellipse requires a band saw, hand-held power cut-out tool or utility saw. Once you've cut ellipses in the drywall that will form the face of your opening, cut the strip that will form the inner curve of the ellipse. Some types of drywall are thin and made to be bendable. Drywall thicker than a quarter of an inch will bend to form a curve only when you soak it. To soak a strip of drywall, suspend it between two sawhorses or benches and brush water onto the bottom surface. The moisture and gravity will cause the drywall to bend within a few hours. Whatever type of drywall you use, cut the strip to an even width and long enough to cover the circumference of the ellipse with a single piece of drywall.

Installing the Ellipse

• Hanging drywall with an ellipse cut-out of it is the same as hanging new drywall elsewhere in your home. Use drywall screws to attach each sheet to your wall's studs. Before installing the drywall to the underside of the ellipse nail or screw in lumber blocks that are cut to the width of the ellipse. Add blocks every few inches inside the ellipse. Screw in a masonite strip that is the width of the space between the vertical drywall on each side of the doorway. Finally, screw in the drywall ellipse, which is wider than the masonite backing and overhangs the arch opening. Trim away the excess drywall. If you soaked your drywall to make it bend, clamp it into place until it dries to prevent it from buckling.

Finishing

• To finish a drywall ellipse, remove any clamps and apply a flexible corner bead that screws into the underside of the ellipse, as well as the surface of the wall perpendicular to the ellipse. With the corner bead in place -- and the after the curved drywall is completely dry -- you can apply joint compound to the entire work area, covering the corner bead and any screw heads in the drywall ellipse. You will need to apply multiple coats, allowing each to dry before adding more joint compound. Once the corner bead is covered, use fine sandpaper to produce a smooth surface for painting.