drywall inside partition wall opening?

[moxie]

Hi,

My house used to have a partition wall between the living and dining room and some joker removed it. I want to put it back. After I frame the wall and sheetrock it, what do I do inside the partition? Cut sheetrock into the width of the wall and install it to the inside stud and header... or what? In other words, how do I trim the inside of the opening, pre-trim. The wall will be about 15 feet across but each side will only be about three feet, the rest is opening. Just to visually separate the two rooms as intended initially.

Thanks, Liz [e-mail]

[mwlogs]

It really depends on the look you want. YOu could drywall it, and make it look like every other house on the block, or you could do a little more style and put in a wood jam and casing on each side. Either way wouldn't be too difficlut, the wood a bit more expensive.

If you drywall, you'll probably want to use the metel corner bead so it will hold up to bacnks and bumps without cracking.

[moxie]

Actually, the wall I am describing goes the other way, it's like an arch that separates the living from dining spaces, very common in houses of this vintage here in Nor Cal. It really just is a wall that has a very wide opening, sometimes with french or pocket doors but in my case, just to visually separate the two rooms. So it's the area within the opening that I am wondering about, namely the face of the two by four trimmers that will be on the inside of the opening holding up the header. Sheetrock and the corner bead stuff? I do intend to cover them and "pretty up" around the door with some moulding.

Thanks, Liz

[HA HA Budys Here]

Yes, you're describing a typical interior partition wall, non load-bearing, with a centered opening.

Being non-load bearing, you don't really need a header. The inside of the "doorway" opening need not be finished with sheetrock, nor do you need corner bead over this edge if your intent is to make a decorative wood frame and mouldings. (As if there was once a door and you took it and the hinges off) Essencially you're just framing an opening.

[bambam]

I'm not sure where you're having a problem, I'm guessing it's on drywalling the inside of the the opening. If you're planning to trim the opening, there's no need to tape the corners. Otherwise, use corner bead.

A tip or two -- you may want to consider framing in steel --- tough to find two by fours that are dead straight. Another would be to reinforce the framing on the corners of your opening -- I'd add a couple of two by fours on the "flat" -- forming a "U" on the ends of your bottom plates.

Ken