US 5,799,458 A · Back-blocking device and method for drywall joint attachment

Abstract

A back-blocking device and method designed to attach any thickness of drywall together at the butt ends of the panels. Butt seams are necessary because of larger ceilings and walls where using one length drywall panels is impossible. Using conventional techniques, butt seams are difficult to conceal and are subject to ridging. This device and method enables the joints to be made between the framing members by securing each end to a specially designed back-blocking. This union creates a joint that attaches the panels together, basically creating a continuous piece of drywall. The back-blocking is slightly angled down the center, at an angle of approximately 170 degrees. Each long edge of the back-blocking is thicker than the remaining back-blocking, which, combined with the slight (approximately 10 degree) difference between the 170 degree angle and a straight 180 degree angle, creates a recessed joint when the drywall is screwed along the center crease of the back-blocking, which enables the seam to be fully hidden and prevents ridging.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A drywall back-blocking device, comprising:

a substantially-rectangular, continuous strip of given length and width;
and
a concave bend of a given bend angle between 160 and 175 degrees, substantially centered in the middle of the strip width and running parallel to the length of the strip, thereby defining first and second strip halves of said strip on each side of, and meeting at, said concave bend;
and raised outside edges running parallel to the strip;
wherein
each of said first and second strip halves is substantially flat;
and wherein
only said first and second strip halves of said device meet along said concave bend.

5 more elements

A drywall back-blocking device in combination with a drywall construction, comprising:

a substantially-rectangular, continuous strip of given length and width;
and
a concave bend of a given bend angle, substantially centered in the middle of the strip width and running parallel to the length of the strip, thereby defining first and second strip halves of said strip on each side of, and meeting at, said concave bend;
wherein
each of said first and second strip halves is substantially flat;
only said first and second strip halves of said device meet alone said concave bend;
a first drywall panel is attached to a first framing member such that a first butt end of said first drywall panel is substantially centered between said first framing member and a second framing member;
said strip is attached behind said first drywall panel such that the concave bend faces outward toward a finished surface of the first panel and the bend is located substantially behind said butt end of the first panel, thereby attaching and covering approximately said first strip half of said strip and leaving exposed approximately said second strip half of said strip;
a second drywall panel is attached to said second framing member such that a butt end of said second drywall panel substantially contacts and butts against said first butt end of said first drywall panel and rests in front of and thereby covers said second strip half of said strip;
and
said second drywall panel is attached to said second strip half of said back-blocking strip;
whereby
a butt joint thereby created where the butt ends of said panels meet is caused to be slightly recessed;
whereby
the first and second panels may be brought directly into contact with one another along said butt ends of said panels without obstruction from said device;
whereby
joint compound and tape may be applied directly to said butt joint and surface areas of said panels proximate said butt joint without obstruction from said device;
and whereby
a thickness of said drywall panels are not limited by said device.

16 more elements

A method of back-blocking and creating an easy-to-conceal drywall butt joint, comprising the steps of:

attaching a first drywall panel to a first framing member such that a first butt end of said first drywall panel is substantially centered between said first framing member and a second framing member;
attaching behind said first drywall panel, a substantially rectangular, continuous back-blocking strip device of given length and width, comprising a concave bend of a given bend angle substantially centered in the middle of the strip width and running parallel to the length of the strip and thereby defining first and second strip halves of said strip on each side of, and meeting at, said concave bend, such that the concave bend faces outward toward a finished surface of the first panel and the bend is located substantially behind said butt end of the first panel, thereby attaching and covering approximately the first half of said strip device and leaving exposed approximately the second half of said strip device;
attaching a second drywall panel to said second framing member such that a butt end of said second drywall panel substantially contacts and butts against said first butt end of said first drywall panel and rests in front of and thereby covers the second half of said back-blocking strip device;
and
attaching said second drywall panel to the second half of said back-blocking strip device;
wherein
each of said first and second strip halves is substantially flat;
and wherein
for said strip device, only said first and second strip halves of said strip device meet along said concave bend;
whereby
a butt joint thereby created where the butt ends of said panels meet is caused to be slightly recessed;
whereby
the first and second panels may be brought directly into contact with one another along said butt ends of said panels without obstruction from said strip device;
whereby
joint compound and tape may be applied directly to said butt joint and surface areas of said panels proximate said butt joint without obstruction from said strip device;
and whereby
a thickness of said drywall panels are not limited by said device.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Back-blocking device and method for drywall joint attachment

Life of this patent

Back-blocking device and method for drywall joint attachment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18