Monday, April 27, 2009

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Augustin Family

In December of 2008 Archways and Ceilings Made Easy had the wonderful opportunity of participating in the Extreme Makeover Home Edition show filmed out in Keller, TX. Steve Wall of Wall Homes was the builder picked to build this huge house in 106 hours for a family in need of a little help. The Augustin family was chosen to have there house knocked down and rebuilt because they were a family in need of such a miracle. Having experienced a premature baby and a house hold over run by flood waters it was time for a little good luck to come there way. The family has also been strong advocates for the March of Dimes (An organization that helps fight for the survival of premature babies) and Habitat for Humanity.

Archways and Ceilings was able to pitch in and help build this beautiful home by donating the interior and exterior archways. Wall Homes asked for ACME's participation because they needed a quality product that could help decrease there construction times. When Wall homes gave the word to install the Archways, Archways and Ceilings was able to install more then a dozen arches in a half hour with the use of only one framer.

Archways and Ceilings would like to thank Wall Homes, the Augustin Family, and all who volunteered. We had a great time!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

How to install an Archway!

Before you install an arch, You have to pick what style of arch best suits your needs. Archways and Ceilings offers 3 types of archways; Soft arches, Half-circle arches, and Elliptical arches.


Soft arches, also known as an eyebrow or a segmented arch, derive their name from the fact that they are a segment of a circle. This arch style provides a way to soften the defined lines of a flat drywall opening. They are popular due to the fact that they work very well with low and high header heights.

Half-circle arches, as the name implies, are half of a circle. This style of arch is often associated with bringing a warm Tuscan feel to a home.

Elliptical arches have a gentle radius in the center with a tighter radius in the corners. This style of arch is a cross between the soft and half-circle arch, and is often used on larger openings in which a half-circle arch would drop too far. This style, like the half-circle, is associated with bringing a warm Tuscan feel to a home.

Three questions to ask when picking your arch style:
1. What arch style suits me best? If you want consistency, then take a look at your arch-top windows. Are they soft, half-circle or elliptical?
2. Can I have several different styles of arches in my home? Yes! The most common scenario for having different arch styles in one home is having half-circle and elliptical arches together. These arches blend well, and allow you to span greater opening widths without encroaching too far down the stud.
3. What is the header height of the opening you are looking to arch? A rule of thumb is that the lowest point an arch should contact the stud should be no lower that 6'-8". Soft arches drop the least followed by elliptical and lastly by half-circles.

Now that you have an idea of what styles Archways and Ceilings offers, along with how to pick a style that best fits your needs, let get to installing. For this example, I am going to tell you how to install an eyebrow arch. Our rough opening will be 72" wide with a depth of 5 1/2" (aka Jamb). Now follow the below instructions-

Click Here from more information:




Wow! Installing an archway using Archways and Ceilings is that Easy! Not to mention it is considerably less expensive then conventional framing methods.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Groin Vault Installatin Video

Groin Vaults are normally a task that requires a little bit of head scratching and a lot of man hours but not anymore. Archways and Ceilings has created a solution to this age old problem. Watch the video below to see how easy it is to install a groin vault using Archways and Ceilings.

Dome Installation Video

Installing a Dome ceiling when using Archways and Ceilings is a breeze. Watch the how to install a dome ceiling below.

Domes

What is a Dome Ceiling?
A dome ceiling is a hollow upper half of a sphere. You have the ability to choose whatever style best suits your application: soft or half circle. Traditionally this ceiling is framed up into your attic space. It is a beautiful addition to any entryway, dining room, study, or master bathroom.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Groin Vaults

What is a Groin Vault? A groin vault, also known as a cross vault, is two intersecting barrel vaults that pass through one another. This architectural gem can either be framed up into your attic space or can be framed underneath your joists and trusses. Groins can be found in entry ways, dining rooms, hallways, master bedrooms, and kitchens.

See ArchwayandCeilings.com examples below. It is ok to ooohhhhh and awwwweee over the pictures!

How to Be a Winner in the Home Building Industry

With the number of homes being sold dropping to historic lows, homebuilders across the U.S. are looking for ways to be more competitive in the shrinking home sales market. While the latest architectural innovation in home design is the use of curved surfaces to provide a touch of elegance, warmth and grandeur, the biggest obstacle to the addition of these features has been the cost. While cost has not been an obstacle in the high-end homes where these features are predominant, the translation of this architectural touch has always been of limited utilization in the mid-priced and lower priced, “starter homes”……until now!
Enter good, old-fashioned American innovation. New wood-bending and design techniques pioneered and exhibited by the likes of Archways and Ceilings Made Easy (http://www.archwaysandceilings.com/) is revolutionizing architectural designs for low and middle priced homes. Their designs for archways and ceilings are truly amazing. Perfect geometric designs every time at amazingly low prices! Now Groin Vaults, coved or domed ceilings can add that special touch to the modestly priced starter home and significantly distinguish these designs from the competition’s boxy and boring floor plans. Coved ceilings, are especially easy on the pocket book but definitely will make a room stand out from the rest. A dining rm for example, that is 14' x 12' would only cost $220 to cove. Your typical 6' x 6' groin vault would only cost $394.95 and would look great in any dining room, entry, hallway, or master bedroom. A typical dome in the master bath, 6' wide with a light ring would cost a mere $399.95. These in expensive features bring a wow factor to any home and make buyers more likely to purchase.
The competitive advantage this adds for builders concentrating on the lower end of the pricing scale is especially significant in today’s challenging market conditions. With the NHBA reporting that housing starts are tracking at just over 500,000 projected for the next year, it’s clear that those builders that add the most value to their designs will be the ones that grow their market share. In fact, this will be even more amplified by the new $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers in the newly passed stimulus bill. This credit will more than likely skew a greater proportion of these 500,000 new housing starts to smaller, less expensive homes. Those builders that add value, such as represented by the Archways and Ceilings product line, will be the winners in this tough home building environment.