Placement Of Drywall Seams Around Window Openings
#1
11-25-13, 06:13 PM
Placement Of Drywall Seams Around Window Openings
We hired a drywall contractor to drywall our 1st floor townhouse recently. We took the walls in the kitchen, dinning room, living room and landing down to studs to repair many problems within the walls.
While they were applying drywall around a large picture window, 6 foot by 6 foot, I noticed the horizontal seams were 2-1/4” below the header and even with the sill. I also noticed they were butt joints. I expressed my concern to the lead drywaller, but he insisted it would not be a problem even though we live in a seismic area. I was always under the impression that horizontal and vertical seams around windows and doors should always be well away from the bottom of headers and top of sills. I suspect this was done because they were short material and they did not want to hold up the job waiting for more material to be delivered.
So instead of using two pieces of drywall with beveled edges at the seams and routing out the opening. They used four pieces of drywall with butt seams at the header and sill.
This drywall contractor was highly recommended. He just returned my call to him regarding my concerns. He said butt seams at the corners of windows were common and he does this al the time in the multi-million dollar homes that he works on. I am curious what others in the trade think about butt seams at the corners of windows. I am very concerned about the seams cracking.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and consider my concerns.
While they were applying drywall around a large picture window, 6 foot by 6 foot, I noticed the horizontal seams were 2-1/4” below the header and even with the sill. I also noticed they were butt joints. I expressed my concern to the lead drywaller, but he insisted it would not be a problem even though we live in a seismic area. I was always under the impression that horizontal and vertical seams around windows and doors should always be well away from the bottom of headers and top of sills. I suspect this was done because they were short material and they did not want to hold up the job waiting for more material to be delivered.
So instead of using two pieces of drywall with beveled edges at the seams and routing out the opening. They used four pieces of drywall with butt seams at the header and sill.
This drywall contractor was highly recommended. He just returned my call to him regarding my concerns. He said butt seams at the corners of windows were common and he does this al the time in the multi-million dollar homes that he works on. I am curious what others in the trade think about butt seams at the corners of windows. I am very concerned about the seams cracking.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and consider my concerns.
#2
11-25-13, 07:15 PM
Group Moderator
It is common, and it might crack but he is right, that it's done that way all the time. The butt joint itself is not a problem.
#3
11-26-13, 12:02 AM
Yes, it looks like it is common, a common mistake. The following is from the US Gypsum Installation Manual.
Gypsum board joints at openings should be located so that no end joint will align with edges of openings unless control joints will be installed at these points. End joints should be staggered, and joints on opposite sides of a partition should not occur on the same stud.
Gypsum board joints at openings should be located so that no end joint will align with edges of openings unless control joints will be installed at these points. End joints should be staggered, and joints on opposite sides of a partition should not occur on the same stud.
#5
11-26-13, 04:51 AM
Group Moderator
Yes, that's the point. This probably wouldn't have been done if the window was on a wide open wall.
