Patent Application
20110271615
This invention was not made, invented or otherwise promoted by any federally sponsored research or development grants, monies or other financial or other support. It was developed in an entirely private fashion by the inventor.
This invention relates to the application of stucco or plaster in homes or other buildings and specifically to the stop system used between the edge of the stucco or plaster surface and the adjoining frame for windows and doors.
Stucco and/or plaster are typically used for both interior and exterior surfaces in home or commercial building construction. Stucco or plaster is routinely applied to a galvanized wire mesh over felt paper which has been attached to underlying plywood or other sheathing material. (See
The plastic stop often used for this purpose is presented in
This method of stucco installation has often resulted in leaking problems between the stucco or plaster surface and the adjacent jamb, thereby causing significant additional repair costs and frustration to both home owners and construction companies. In addition, the extra time and materials necessary for installation of the backer rod and finishing caulk layer can add considerably to the costs and duration of the construction. The L-Bead eliminates the need for installation of a backer rod—saving considerable time and money—and significantly cuts down on the potential for leaks around windows and doors.
The present invention, L-Bead system, provides a system for quick, efficient and lower cost installation of stucco and or plaster which cuts down on the potential for leaks around windows and doors. The L-Bead is used as a stop between the edge of the stucco or plaster surface and the adjacent jamb or window/door frame. Proper installation of existing plaster stop requires a ¼ inch gap between the stop and the jamb, mandating the installation of a backer rod and supplemental caulking. The L-Bead system eliminates this need by adding an extra plastic strip or “lip” along the edge of existing plaster stop which abuts directly to the jamb, thereby simplifying a smooth finish and minimizing the potential for leaks.
The L-Bead system significantly reduces the time and costs necessary to install smooth finishes where stucco or plaster meets window or door frames or jamb. In ordinary house of building construction, exterior and interior surfaces are often made of stucco or plaster. The method of installation of these materials is generally consistent in the construction business and usually involves the installation of a felt layer over the backing wall (plywood or similar material), a galvanized wire (or lathe) layer, and both scratch and finish coats of stucco or plaster. (See
Leaking and other problems often occur where the stucco or plaster finish aligns with other design constructs of the home or building, such as windows or doors. Stop strips which contain and form the outer boundaries of the stucco or plaster surfaces where they meet window or door jambs have been developed to improve the seal and finishes of these adjacencies. In particular, the use of standard plaster stop strips as shown in
However, for traditional plaster stop to be properly installed and finished, the worker typically installs the plaster stop ¼ inch from the edge of the door or window jamb. The resulting gap must be filled with a backing rod and properly caulked for the correct finish. Installation of this backing rod and additional caulking costs time and money, particularly where the architectural design calls for numerous windows, doors or other interruptions in stucco or plaster surfaces. In addition, this manner of construction has unfortunately resulted in frequent leaking problems around windows and doors.
The inventor has come up with a system which eliminates the need for installation of a backing rod by manufacturing an additional strip of plastic which is bound to the existing plaster stop and abuts directly against the jamb or other surface. The L-Bead system significantly modifies both the existing plaster stop unit itself and the ease of installation.
Plaster stop strips routinely consist of a thin, 2-inch wide strip 7 of plastic which is perforated throughout its length and which contains an edge strip 8 of plastic approximately ½ inch high running along one side of the strip 7. The top ¼ inch of this additional plastic strip 8 is then bent back over the wide, perforated portion strip 7 forming a “lip” which runs along the entire length of the stop. See
Because traditional plaster stop must be installed ¼ inch from the jamb for it to perform properly, there remains a ¼ inch gap running the entire length of the adjacency between the stucco and the door or window jamb. In typical construction, this gap is filled with a backing rod and requires considerable caulking which often leads to leaking or other problems. The L-Bead system eliminates this last step and will greatly improve construction techniques for reducing leaks in windows or doors.
The L-Bead system alters traditional plaster stop by adding a separate backing strip 9 to the existing plaster stop. The additional length of plastic stripping 9 is attached to the outside of the lip and runs along the entire length of the stop 2. (See
L-Bead eliminates the need for backing rods around windows, doors or any other place where stucco or plaster meets a different surface. Given that a typical house design includes numerous windows, doors, garages, or other architectural interruptions in stucco surfaces, the elimination of backer rods and simplified construction associated with the L-Bead system will save millions of dollars in construction costs and will greatly improve such finishes against leaking or other problems.
This divisional application is based on and claims priority and benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/981,421, which was filed on Oct. 31, 2007 and which is incorporated herein by reference and which is based on and claims priority and benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/259,499, which was filed on Oct. 26, 2005 and which is incorporated herein by reference and which is based on and claims priority and benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/952,920, which was filed on Sep. 17, 2001 and which incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11981421 | Oct 2007 | US |
| Child | 12931079 | US | |
| Parent | 11259499 | Oct 2005 | US |
| Child | 11981421 | US | |
| Parent | 09952920 | Sep 2001 | US |
| Child | 11259499 | US |
