Where drywall returns meet window frame
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| Posted in General Questions on
I’ve seen two approaches to having drywall returns meet the window frame on the top and sides. In “No-Trim Drywall Returns for Windows,” a video from Fine Homebuilding, Myron Ferguson has the drywall butt up tight against the frame and says that eliminates the need for caulk. In “How to Achieve the Trimless Window Look,” a video from Family Handyman, Joe Cruz leaves a 1/4″ gap, which he fills with a vinyl L bead with a strip that you tear away after mudding to leave a clean edge. A third option that seems reasonable to me is to leave a gap of perhaps 3/16″ and fill it with caulk. The only tear-away bead I can get without excessive difficulty comes in a box of 400′, four times more than I need. What are the pros and cons of these three options (with vinyl window frames in central Arizona)?
Myron also leaves the outer edge of the returns 1/8″-1/4″ shy of the wall’s drywall to ensure that it will never be proud, whereas Joe brings it flush. Which do you prefer?
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Replies
I just did mine with imperial board (plaster base) and had left a small gap around 3/16 as recommended by one of the plasterers I had out for a quote - he would use the vinyl L bead. I ended up going with a different plasterer who plastered right to the window frame beautifully - no L bead. I can't say which way to go, except that the installer I went with has been plastering for 50 years and has an exemplary reputation.
Thank you, dfvellone. Did the guy you went with butt the Imperial Board right up against the window frame?
I installed the imperial board myself, and for my large glider windows, which do not have a rabbet for a drywall return, I kept the imperial board 3/16" away as recommended by the first plasterer who said he'd install L-bead. My double hungs have a rabbet, so I inserted the imperial board.
The plasterer I eventually hired did not use L-bead, but filled the 3/16 gap with plaster. These gliders have a vinyl face frame (Andersen 200's)
I'm in the much less dry Northeast and like you, have been building the house myself, so it's gone through several heating season prior to the imperial board installation.
Interesting, dfvellone; thank you. I would have thought plaster would be prone to cracking in that gap. Opening and closing the windows must cause at least bit of movement of the window frame. Good to know I'm not the only solo builder taking multiple seasons to get done!
Is it new construction or a renovation? If it's new construction, the framing members will shrink as they dry and will likely leave a small gap where the drywall meets the window. If the gap only opens once, you can caulk it, but if it opens and closes seasonally, caulking won't cut it; that's where an L-bead or reveal bead can help disguise the transition. If it's a renovation and/or a house that's already totally dry, I would just butt-and-caulk.
Thank you, Michael. It's new construction, but I'm building the house entirely by myself while also earning a living in an unrelated field, so the framing has been subject to Arizona dryness for a couple of years. When you say, "butt-and-caulk," do you mean butting the drywall right up against the window frame and then caulking the angle where they meet, or would it be better to leave a gap to be filled by the caulk? The Dynaflex 230 caulk I like is quite flexible and sticky.
All caulking performs best when installed properly, which includes leaving a small gap and applying the caulking at the prescribed thickness and width, which varies by manufacturer. But the vast majority of homes have materials butted fairly tightly together with caulking applied just thick enough to span the joint. If there is little movement, the latter approach seems to work fine. But it will perform best if you leave a small gap and don't apply the caulking too deeply.
Thank you, Michael. Having caulk in a small gap, such as 3/16", did seem preferable to me, but I was curious why Myron said no caulk would be needed. When you say, "don't apply the caulking too deeply," do you mean that the caulk shouldn't fill the 1/2" depth of the gap, which I would not have expected, or something else?
It depends on the product. Generally speaking, caulking and sealants are best applied at about half as deep as they are wide; that allows them to expand and contract as intended, but different products will have somewhat different requirements. No caulking manufacturer wants to see their product installed at 1/2" deep and 3/16" wide; that won't allow any flexibility.
You might find this show worth watching: https://youtu.be/dqnjklBuwrY
Lot of window suppliers can supply windows with a build in groove for drywall returns. This is usually the same groove where the interior wood jamb extensions would sit so they simply leave out the cover strip for it. This the cleanest/simplest install option.
You can also DIY your own version of this by gluing J trim onto the window frame for the drywall to sit in.
Thank you, Akos; I wouldn't have thought that was done, but it makes sense.