Fiber polymer trim
AssigneeCertainteed Gypsum and Ceiling Manufacturing, Inc
InventorDouglas J. Wambaugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A corner trim material that is made of a material that will bond with current industry mastics such as all purpose joint compounds, resists impact, resists abrasion, and readily accepts common coatings such as drywall mud, texture and paints. The surface of this material generally does not need to be covered by any secondary fiber based material such as paper to improve bonding or coating on the inside or outside. The material generally consists of a polymer mixed with a fibrous material like pulp or glass fiber. A corner trim piece can be directly extruded from the mix. The corner trim piece can have a center hinge, can be bullnose, and the flanges can optionally have holes or optionally be coated with adhesive.
Claims20
A method for making a drywall corner trim piece, comprising:
- adding a blend of base polymers into a mix;
- adding a blend of fibrous materials to the mix;
- mixing the base polymers and fibrous materials in the mix at an elevated temperature sufficient to melt the mix into a contiguous composite material configured to maintain a strength and flexural characteristics of the drywall corner trim piece;
- continuously extruding the drywall corner trim piece from the mix, the drywall corner trim piece having flanges joined at a centerline in a flat configuration, wherein the flanges are substantially co-planar, forming a groove along the centerline that is generally shaped during the extrusion process to locally narrow and weaken the corner trim piece along the centerline, and tapering the flanges from a thicker section adjacent the centerline to a thinner section at distal edges of the corner trim piece away from the centerline, such that the tapered flanges are configured to reduce an amount of finishing compound required to finish and blend the drywall corner trim piece to a smooth wall appearance;
- rolling the groove into a final shape to form a hinge such that the flanges are substantially perpendicular and the drywall corner trim piece allows the flanges to freely flex to any angle about the centerline via the hinge;
- and
- cutting holes in the flanges, wherein the holes are configured to increase a bond strength between the flanges and drywall.
A method for making a drywall corner trim piece, comprising:
- adding a blend of base polymers into a mix;
- adding a blend of fibrous materials to the mix;
- mixing the base polymers and fibrous materials in the mix at an elevated temperature sufficient to melt the mix into a contiguous composite material configured to maintain a strength and flexural characteristics of the drywall corner trim piece;
- and
- continuously extruding the drywall corner trim piece from the mix, the drywall corner trim piece having flanges joined at a centerline in a flat configuration wherein the flanges are substantially co-planar, forming a groove along the centerline that is generally shaped during the extrusion process to locally narrow and weaken the corner trim piece along the centerline, wherein the flanges are continuously tapered from a thicker section adjacent to a corner profile to a thinner section at distal ends of the corner trim piece away from the corner profile.
A method for making a drywall corner trim piece, comprising:
- forming a mix;
- and
- continuously extruding the drywall corner trim piece from the mix, the drywall corner trim piece having flanges joined at a corner profile, wherein the flanges are continuously tapered from a thicker section adjacent to a corner profile of the corner trim piece to a thinner section at distal ends of the corner trim piece away from the corner profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.