Trim drywall around doors and windows with corner beading, or use wood.
Most builders make drywall their first choice for wall covering in new construction and remodeling. The fire-resistant material forms a flat, smooth wall surface when it is taped and covered with joint compound, or mud. While most drywall professionals finish outside corners with metal beading, other options are useful and commonly used, especially when finishing off the corners around doors and windows.
Corner Beading
Metal corner beading is an inexpensive material that forms a damage-resistant edge on outside drywall corners. You can use it to frame the opening of a window, but you first have to install drywall in the inside of the frame rather than using wood. Drywall professionals don't often use it around door frames simply because the door jamb is almost always made of wood. Install the drywall so that the edges are within 1/4 inch of the corner, then nail or screw the beading to the corners to make a frame. Finish off by coating it with several layers of mud.
Bullnose Beading
Use bullnose beading to frame windows if you prefer a rounded corner rather than a sharp one. It adds a touch of elegance to walls with a monochromatic color scheme, particularly if you also use it for the corners of the walls. Unlike metal corner beading, you don't have to nail or screw bullnose. Its edges are made of drywall tape, and installing it is much like taping. Spread a coat of mud on both corners, lay the bullnose in place on the mud, then scrape the excess with a drywall blade. Top-coat with two or three more layers of mud.
Door Casing
Most builders finish the corners around doors with door casing, which is about 2 inches wide and slightly beveled from outside to inside. They bring the edge of the drywall to within 1/2 inch of the jamb, which is installed so that the edge is flush with the drywall surface. After cutting the door casing and mitering the corners, they install it over the gap with finish nails. You can use the same technique to finish the edges of windows that have wooden frames. Make it look its best by filling nail holes and sealing the edges of the casing with caulk before you paint.
Wooden Corner Bead
While it's not usually appropriate for door openings, you can finish the edges around windows with 1/2- or 3/4-inch wooden corner bead. It can be used whether the inside of the frame is wood or drywall, and gives the window an appearance that fits with a rustic motif. Hold the bead on one edge while you cut the miters for the corners to ensure that one side of the corner splays out while the other doesn't. Install it with 6d finish nails and fill the nail holes before you paint it.
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