Rather than cover the joint between drywall and door frame, celebrate the gap with an architectural reglet
For the sleek, modern look on this architect's house, builder Matt Risinger used a prefabricated aluminum drywall edge from FryReglet Architectural Metals. In this case, a 1/4 inch reveal will separate the edge of the drywall from the door frame.
The reglet metal looks like a standard drywall corner bead—it has holes for drywall nails or screws, and it has a raised lip in the corner to give a crisp edge when smoother over with joint compound. The finish carpenter installs the reglet after drywall. With the drywall edge left ragged, the finish carpenter takes over—mitering the corners around the door and over the baseboard.
The baseboard will be flush with the 5/8 inch drywall, so prep happens first:
- Install solid blocking between the studs at the base of the wall.
- Blocks are then set using a laser for the drywall to sit atop.
- After hanging drywall, remove the blocks and install the reglet along the edge of the drywall.
- The architect specified the electrical outlets within the baseboard for a cleaner look.
These reglets are not cheap; a plastic Trim-Tex edge could be used, but the extruded aluminum reglet is worth the money when you're looking for a really clean, crisp look.
—Matt Risinger is a custom builder, remodeler, and YouTuber in Austin, Texas