# Butt boards



## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

My mold resistant drywall I got from Home Depot does not have tapered edges. Are people making butt boards or buying them? I didn't see them at lowes or Home Depot.


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

bryanp22 said:


> My mold resistant drywall I got from Home Depot does not have tapered edges. Are people making butt boards or buying them? I didn't see them at lowes or Home Depot.


you have to buy them from a drywall wearhouse. Trim Tex makes them.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

why would the drywall not have taper edges?


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## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

The green board should be tapered on the sides. No sheets are tapered on the ends.

For my recently completed basement project, I built my own with plywood and the cardboard drywall shims from HD. I believe I used two shims for the raised ends. Worked fine. If i had to pass along a secret, it would be to pull the screws up tight in shifts going up and down the board, do not put one in all the way and go on to the next. Like tightening the head or camshafts onto a motor.

B


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## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

Okay what dimensions did you cut the plywood and how many cardboard strips did you use. Is 1/2 plywood fine?


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## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

bryanp22 said:


> Okay what dimensions did you cut the plywood and how many cardboard strips did you use. Is 1/2 plywood fine?


I knew you were going to ask. I can't remember what I had for supper last night.

Look in the sticky at top. "Willie T" gave me the idea. I would GUESS approximately 9" by 47". I can't remember if i used two or three strips. It doesn't take much.

B


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

bryanp22 said:


> Okay what dimensions did you cut the plywood and how many cardboard strips did you use. Is 1/2 plywood fine?


Simpler to just buy a box of fifty from Trim TEX and call it good. I mean would you make your own plywood?


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## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

Well I wanted to work on this tomorrow and 50 is a lot for a 12 x 25 room


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I agree 50 would be too many. You might call around maybe a contractor would sell you a few. Or maybe buy what you have left.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i just made some. 1/2 osb, caulk (or whatever you have to hold the strips in place), free cardboard from in between layers of paper towels at wlamart. 

cut the osb to as wide as can fit in the cavity. bead of whatever. strips of CB.

what you see is installed and will be taped soon. 

i drill a pilot hole for the first screw. then i put in all the screws on one side. then start from the end of the other side, screws all the way in. work your way down. stay about 1" from the edge of the DW.


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## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

Buy a box of 50? Call around to contractors to see if they have extra? You pros just don't get it. Fix n it has the right idea. Costs practically nothing and is a lot quicker than chasing around trying to find being the big box stores don't carry. 

Menards can have stacks of Cheezy Poofs and a million other stupid things, but they can't carry buttboards?

B


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Trim Tex sells 12 packs. About $60 plus shipping.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i can make 12 in about 20 mins, for about $20. and no shipping.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Fix'n it said:


> i can make 12 in about 20 mins, for about $20. and no shipping.


And that one piece of cardboard is not thick enough to do squat. Why even bother since the hump you get will still look like a butt?


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

ToolSeeker said:


> And that one piece of cardboard is not thick enough to do squat. Why even bother since the hump you get will still look like a butt?


:laughing: you, sir, do not know of what you speak. the taper is as deep as the taper on the sides of the sheet. but wider, as it is in between joists.

not only that. if you make the taper much "deeper" than what i am = you cause yourself problems. ask me how i KNOW. 

NO humps here.


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

oh

i use my level as a straight edge. to see if i need to add more filler. or sand if i used too much.


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## Amopower (Jul 7, 2013)

hi Fix'n It - hope you are still around as this post is almost a year old, but I'm interested in doing the same you did by making the butt boards. I don't know much about how these work though, so pardon the rookie questions:
1. I assume you want the butt joint to occur NOT on top of a stud, correct? Ideally, approx halfway between two studs?
2. This OSB strip you make, does it get "mounted" anywhere, like to the header or floor, or to the studs on the side of it? Or is it basically meant to be behind the seam with the only attachment being to the drywall itself? (so kinda free standing)
3. about how wide is the strip? You say cut it as wide as will fit in the cavity, so I guess that means from stud to stud, correct?

thanks in advance for your replies


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## garlicbreath (Jun 25, 2012)

1 and 2 assumptions correct. I made mine about 8" wide. Worked out great. Best idea drywalling since the drywall lift was invented.

Sent from my Motorola MicroTAC 9800X


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

Amopower said:


> hi Fix'n It - hope you are still around as this post is almost a year old, but I'm interested in doing the same you did by making the butt boards. I don't know much about how these work though, so pardon the rookie questions:
> 1. I assume you want the butt joint to occur NOT on top of a stud, correct? Ideally, approx halfway between two studs?
> 2. This OSB strip you make, does it get "mounted" anywhere, like to the header or floor, or to the studs on the side of it? Or is it basically meant to be behind the seam with the only attachment being to the drywall itself? (so kinda free standing)
> 3. about how wide is the strip? You say cut it as wide as will fit in the cavity, so I guess that means from stud to stud, correct?
> ...


1. yes, they go in between the joists
2.they attach to the drywall only.
3. making them as wide as possible bends the drywall over a wider area = less stress on the drywall.


once you start installing these, you will see what i mean.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

TrimTex Buttboards are basically angled OSB boards, and are outrageously expensive for what they are. You're much better off at that price making your own. There's another brand that's really cool and I can't remember the name of it. They're shown here.
http://www.diyadvice.com/diy/drywall/hanging/butt-joints/


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