I am looking for some assistance on how best to finish this doorway. The doorway and adjacent room is plaster, the room we are finishing is drywall. The original plaster corner bead has been left in place and plaster has been removed from it.

Any suggestions on how best to finish this area around the doorway would be much appreciated.

 

Do you have 1/2" depth (or close to it) from the high point (corner edge) of the bead to the surface of the 2X4? If so, I would set the drywall as close to the edge as possible but keeping it flush or slightly below the corner. Then fill the gap with Durabond and let it set up. Then tape the joint between drywall and durabond and apply finish coats.

 

Yes - there is 1/2" available so this may work out. Seeing that the drywall will be close to the edge of the doorway do you think it necessary to remove the old corner bead and place new or just tape the face of the joint as you suggested. Replacing the corner beard will be more work and disturb more of the original plaster so would rather not do that, but would like your thoughts.

I put together a sketch to make sure I understand your method.

 

No I wouldn't cut any of the corner bead, as you said, that will bust up the plaster in the archway and create another job for you.

 

Okay - sounds like a plan. Thanks for your help.

 

Set the drywall as close to the actual bead part without the new drywall being proud of the bead on the face of the board. Fill the gap between the bead and the edge of the new board with setting joint compound, Durabond 90 is the best if you can do it so that it is not proud of either the bead or the new drywall. Even if the gap is 2 1/2" do it this way If you think you can't use Durabond then use EasySand or a material like that which is more sandable than Durabond. Also try to keep the compound, whichever you use just slightly shy of flush with the new board and the bead. Something like a paint stirring stick to screed off the compound will probably leave it just about the right amount of shy. When the Durabond or EasySand has set then tape the joint between the new compound and new drywall and recoat if necessary, texture to match if applicable and prime and paint.
If you can get small amount of the stuff to do it with you could paint the existing raw plaster and the raw edge of the new board with a bonding agent like PlasterWeld by Larsen's Products. There are other brands. You might be able to buy as little as a quart. This will help the bond and maybe make it less apt to crack at the joint. You should still tape the joint.

 

Do you recommend doing it this as opposed do trying to slip the sheet of drywall beneath the existing corner bead? I am using ½” board so I may have to thin it down some to fit.

Also – I assume that the bonding agent will be placed before the Durabond 90 to better adhere it to the original plaster and the Dry wall.

Thanks for your help.

 

Don't disturb that corner bead, put the drywall over it if you have the 1/2 + depth or back far enough until have that depth. Ideally, you want to be about 1/8 below the corner edge to allow for tape and final coats. I really don't think bonding agent is necessary especially with that mesh, just moisten any existing plaster with water in a spray bottle before applying the durabond. Also set the tape with durabond. You can use regular joint compound for your final coats.

 

As I think about this more I think you should have more than 1/2 " to work with. The corner bead was usually set right at 1/2" from the face of the lath. The lath, either wood lath or gypsum lath was 3/8" .'. you should have almost an inch to work with. I suppose it is possible that there was no lath on your wall and the corner bead was simply installed to do a return and there was paneling or something on the rest of that wall. Corner beads were set straight and plumb. If there was some bow in the studs and lath the plaster could be tighter or thicker in some places. Tighter, that is a thinner layer, would mean the drywall could be too thick. If the bead is more than 1/2" from the face of the stud that is good. You can always fill in with more compound. What I was trying to tell you is to set the board far enough back from the edge of the bead that the new board sits at, or better slightly below the bead. When you lay a 12" straightedge across the board and the bead then there should ideally be a slight gap between the edge of the board and the straight edge and the straightedge should touch the drywall back a way from the edge. This you will take care of with mud. The space between where the edge of the drywall ends and the area that shows plaster now will also be filled. Bonding agent is not required but is good insurance, especially to get the mud to bond to the edge of the drywall. You will tape that joint once you get everything filled in anyway so that should eliminate the crack even if you don't use bonding agent.
Use setting material to do all but the last coats. Were I doing this as I describe, I would use setting material for all of it. If you wet the last coat with a spray bottle, have a clean trowel and wet it you can trowel setting mud almost as smooth as smooth plaster.
Use screws to fasten your new drywall thus to avoid damaging the plaster around the corner.

If 1/2" of drywall is already too thick to fit try this put up 1/2" to the last stud before your column of studs shown in the picture. Use 3/8" from that piece of drywall on over to the bead, still keeping the new piece far enough away from the bead not so sit proud. Fill all of this in with setting mud so it screeds off flush or just a little bit less to the bead and the 1/2" board. Tape the joints finish filling flush, recoat as needed sand, texture if needed and prime and paint. That slight taper from bead to 1/2" board should be hardly noticeable and will look better than sharp, abrupt offsets.

On second thought. were it mine I would plaster it. Plaster always fits.

 

Let me take a closer look to see how much room I have as you described. Most likely wont be tonight - I wont be home until late.

I do have a plasterer coming to match some ceiling texturing - maybe he can handle this one also.

 

Took some measurements last night and I do have just about a ½” to work width (between the stud and the wire mesh of the corner bead). The actual bead part of the corner bead is out a little further. This will give me a slight gap which as you said could be tapered out with mud. The gap between the dry wall and the old plaster can be filled with Durabond as well as any plaster the had been removed from behind the cornerbead mesh.