Control joint

• US 20060150553A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClarkWestern Dietrich Building Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dietrich Industries Incorporated (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurpinski, Melvin J., Reyes, Erenio
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/393
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/06 Edge-protecting borders borders for joints between plaster layers and window or door frames or like E06B1/62
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2013/066 for expansion joints between two plaster layers

Abstract

A flexible control joint for use in plastering and stucco applications. Various embodiments of the flexible control joint may be used to form screed walls for different thicknesses of plaster materials applied to adjoining walls or other structures. The walls or other structures may be of similar or dissimilar constructions. Various embodiments of the control joint may be used to form corner arrangements or T-arrangements to achieve desired design effects.

Claims

1. A flexible control joint, comprising:

a first base portion;

a first screed wall having a first proximal end protruding from said first base portion and having a first distal end located a first distance away from said first base portion;

a second base portion;

a second screed wall having a second proximal end protruding from said second base portion and having a second distal end located a second distance away from said second base portion and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance; and

a flexible attachment assembly attached between said first screed wall and said second screed wall such that said first and second screed walls are in spaced relationship to each other and wherein said flexible attachment assembly facilitates flexible movement between said first and second screed walls.

2. The control joint of claim 1 further comprising:

a first plaster-retainer protruding from said first screed wall; and

a second plaster-retainer protruding from said second screed wall.

3. The control joint of claim 2 wherein said first plaster-retainer protrudes from said first screed wall at an acute angle away from said first screed wall and wherein said second plaster retainer protrudes from said second screed wall at an acute angle away from said second screed wall.

4. The control joint of claim 1 wherein said flexible attachment assembly member has an accordion-like shape.

5. The control joint of claim 4 wherein said flexible attachment assembly comprises:

a first intermediate web attached to said first distal end of said first screed wall, said first intermediate web having a first intermediate web end intermediate said first proximal end of said first screed wall and said second proximal end of said second screed wall and being spaced from said first proximal end and said second proximal end; and

a second intermediate web attached to said first intermediate web end and said second distal end of said second screed wall and extending therebetween.

6. The control joint of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one first hole in said first base portion; and

at least one second hole in said second base portion.

7. The control joint of claim 1 wherein said first base portion and said second base portion are substantially co-planar.

8. The control joint of claim 1 wherein said control joint is fabricated from vinyl material.

9. A flexible control joint, comprising:

a first base portion;

a first screed wall having a first proximal end protruding from said first base portion and having a first distal end located a first distance away from said first base portion;

a second base portion;

a second screed wall having a second proximal end protruding from said second base portion and having a second distal end located a second distance away from said second base portion and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance;

a first intermediate web attached to said first distal end of said first screed wall, said first intermediate web having a first intermediate web end intermediate said first proximal end of said first screed wall and said second proximal end of said second screed wall and being spaced from said first proximal end and said second proximal end;

a second intermediate web attached to said first intermediate web end and said second distal end of said second screed wall and extending therebetween to facilitate flexible movement between said first and second screed walls;

a first plaster-retainer protruding from said first screed wall; and

a second plaster-retainer protruding from said second screed wall.

10. The control joint of claim 9 wherein said first plaster-retainer protrudes from said first screed wall at an acute angle away from said first screed wall and wherein said second plaster retainer protrudes from said second screed wall at an acute angle away from said second screed wall.

11. The control joint of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one first hole in said first base portion; and

at least one second hole in said second base portion.

12. The control joint of claim 9 wherein said first base portion and said second base portion are substantially co-planar.

13. The control joint of claim 9 wherein said control joint is fabricated from vinyl material.

14. A method for constructing walls for a multistory building, said method comprising:

constructing a vertically extending first story wall having a first exterior surface;

constructing a vertically second story wall above said first story wall such that a wall joint is formed therebetween, the second story wall having a second exterior surface;

attaching a flexible control joint to the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface such that the flexible control joint spans the wall joint therebetween and permits movement between the first story wall and the second story wall, the flexible control joint defining a first plaster level remote from the first exterior surface a first distance and a second plaster level remote from the second exterior surface a second distance that differs from the first distance;

applying first plaster material to the first exterior surface such that the first plaster material has a first thickness that corresponds to the first plaster level; and

applying second plaster material to the second exterior surface such that the second plaster material has a second thickness that corresponds to the second plaster level.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said constructing the vertically extending first wall comprises constructing the vertically extending first wall out of first material and wherein said constructing the vertically extending second wall comprises fabricating the vertically extending second wall out of second material that differs from the first material.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first material comprises concrete material and wherein the second material comprises material selected from the group of wood and metal framing materials.

17. A building method comprising:

constructing a first wall portion having a first exterior surface;

constructing a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion such that a wall joint is formed therebetween, the second wall portion having a second exterior surface;

attaching a flexible control joint to the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface such that the flexible control joint spans the wall joint therebetween and permits movement between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, the flexible control joint defining a first plaster level remote from the first exterior surface a first distance and a second plaster level remote from the second exterior surface a second distance that differs from the first distance;

applying first plaster material to the first exterior surface such that the first plaster material has a first thickness that corresponds to the first plaster level; and

applying second plaster material to the second exterior surface such that the second plaster material has a second thickness that corresponds to the second plaster level.

18. The building method of claim 17 wherein said constructing a second wall portion comprises constructing a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion to form a horizontally extending wall joint therebetween and wherein said attaching comprises attaching the flexible control joint to the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface such that the flexible control joint spans the horizontally extending wall joint therebetween.

19. The building method of claim 17 wherein said constructing a second wall portion comprises constructing a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion to form a vertically extending wall joint therebetween and wherein said attaching comprises attaching the flexible control joint to the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface such that the flexible control joint spans the vertically extending wall joint therebetween.

20. The building method of claim 17 wherein said constructing a first wall comprises constructing the first wall portion at an angle with respect to a horizontal surface and wherein said constructing the second wall portion comprises constructing a second wall portion adjacent to the first wall portion to form a wall joint therebetween that extends at an angle with respect to the horizontal surface and wherein said attaching comprises attaching the flexible control joint to the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface such that the flexible control joint spans the wall joint therebetween.

21. A corner assembly for forming screed walls for adjacent amounts of plaster comprising:

a first control joint, comprising;

a first base portion;

a first screed wall having a first proximal end protruding from said first base portion and having a first distal end located a first distance away from said first base portion;

a second base portion;

a second screed wall having a second proximal end protruding from said second base portion and having a second distal end located a second distance away from said second base portion and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance; and

a flexible attachment assembly attached between said first screed wall and said second screed wall such that said first and second screed walls are in spaced relationship to each other and wherein said flexible attachment assembly facilitates flexible movement between said first and second screed walls; and

a second control joint comprising;

another first base portion;

another first screed wall having a first proximal end protruding from said another first base portion and having another first distal end located the first distance from another first base portion;

another second base portion;

another second screed wall having another second proximal end protruding from said another second base portion and having another second distal end located the second distance away from said second base portion; and

another flexible attachment assembly attached between said another first screed wall and said another second screed wall such that said another first screed wall and said another second screed wall are in spaced relationship to each other and wherein said another flexible attachment assembly facilitates flexible movement between said another first screed wall and said another second screed wall and wherein an end of said first base portion abuts an end of said another first base portion and wherein an end of said second base portion abuts an end of said another second base portion.

22. The corner assembly of claim 21 further comprising a retainer between said first and second control joints to retain at least a portion of said first control joint in abutment with at least a portion of said second control joint.

23. The corner assembly of claim 22 wherein said retainer comprises adhesive tape.

24. A flexible control joint, comprising:

a first means for supporting the control joint on a structure;

means for forming a first screed wall attached to said first means for supporting wherein said first screed wall has a first distal end located a first distance from said first means for supporting;

a second means for supporting the control joint on the structure;

means for forming a second screed wall attached to said second means for supporting wherein said second screed wall has a second distal end located a second distance from said second means for supporting and wherein said second distance differs from said first distance; and

means for attaching said means for forming a first screed wall to said means for forming a second screed wall in spaced relationship to each other and facilitating flexible movement therebetween.

25. A T-arrangement for forming screed walls for adjacent amounts of plaster comprising:

at least two control joints wherein each said control joint comprises;

a first base portion;

a first screed wall having a first proximal end protruding from said first base portion and having a first distal end located a first distance away from said first base portion;

a second base portion;

a second screed wall having a second proximal end protruding from said second base portion and having a second distal end located a second distance away from said second base portion and wherein said second distance is different from said first distance; and

a flexible attachment assembly attached between said first screed wall and said second screed wall such that said first and second screed walls are in spaced relationship to each other and wherein said flexible attachment assembly facilitates flexible movement between said first and second screed walls;

at least one other control joint comprising;

another first base portion;

another first screed wall having a another first proximal end protruding from said another first base portion and having a another distal end located the first distance away from said another first base portion;

another second base portion;

another second screed wall having a another second proximal end protruding from said another second base portion and having another second distal end located the first distance away from said another second base portion; and

another flexible attachment assembly attached between said another first screed wall and said another second screed wall such that said another first and second screed walls are in spaced relationship to each other and wherein said another flexible attachment assembly facilitates flexible movement between said another first and second screed walls; and

an attachment medium attaching said at least three control joints together to form said T-arrangement.

26. The T-arrangement of claim 25 wherein said attachment medium comprises adhesive tape.

27. The T-arrangement of claim 25 wherein said attachment medium comprises caulking material.

28. The T-arrangement of claim 25 wherein said attachment medium comprises adhesive tape and caulking material.

29. The T-arrangement of claim 25 further comprising a coupling piece removably attachable to said T-arrangement.

30. The T-arrangement of claim 29 wherein said coupling piece comprises:

a coupling piece base portion;

at least one first leg protruding from said coupling piece base portion;

at least one second leg protruding from said coupling piece base portion;

an at least two clip portions attached to said coupling piece base portion.

31. The T-arrangement of claim 30 wherein said coupling piece base portion has at least one plaster-receiving hole therein and at least one fastener hole.