How to Drywall Around Windows: Best Tools and Finishing Tips

Drywalling around windows is an extremely challenging project. Clean installation requires angled cuts that precisely match the window frame, and the material must be installed cleanly to avoid cracks and unsightly edges. In this guide, we explain how to drywall around windows with smooth, clean lines using the best tools and finishing tips.

While drywall installation and repair may seem self-explanatory, even experienced drywallers slow down on corners and windows.

Tight Corners

Window openings are often rough and uneven. To create a smooth, seamless surface, you must precisely align and install the drywall without getting too close to the window jamb. This is especially challenging when working in a small area with the many angled surfaces of a window frame.

Crack Risks

Drywall cracks when bent or exposed to moisture and extreme temperatures. When cutting drywall around windows, cut it precisely and place it slightly away from the jamb. Without appropriate precautions, the material may break, creating unsightly openings that allow moisture and pests into your home.

Finishing Challenges

Creating a smooth, even appearance is difficult, especially with rough, uneven window openings. Drywall should be flush with the wall surface and have a clean, straight edge to the window frame, where you should seal it with caulk. In addition, corners should be straight and square, which may require shims, corner beads, rasps, miter saws, and caulking.

To install drywall around your windows, it’s important to prepare the opening and plan your drywall panel cuts in advance. Learn how to install drywall around windows with these easy steps and tips.

1. Start With a Solid Window Opening

Remove any existing window trim and clear dust and debris from the area. Fill insulation gaps with appropriate insulation materials, and trim any excess insulation foam and batting.

Add blocking between the main studs to create a solid structural backing for your drywall installation. Ensure your opening is square by measuring the diagonals of the opening. If they are equal, your opening is ready.

2. Cut and Fasten Drywall Without Corner Blowouts

Carefully measure each vertical and horizontal surface around the window and mark it on your drywall sheet with chalk or a pencil, one piece at a time. Use a utility knife and drywall T-square to precisely cut the paper and break the drywall along the scored lines.

Consider using a drywall saw to cleanly cut the drywall and prevent corner damage. Minimize waste and reduce corner damage by using large pieces of drywall, rather than piecing together small drywall bits.

Install the drywall sections around your window by lining each section flush with the wall and attaching it to the blocking with drywall screws. For large sheets, use a drywall lift to hold the piece in place while you attach it.

3. Change Your Finish With Corner Bead Options

Corner beads provide critical structure and protection for your drywall window corners. They establish a seamless structure and hide the joint where your corner drywall pieces meet. Choose from four common corner bead options:

• Metal: Metal corner beads are extremely straight, strong, and durable. They are resistant to impact and come with perforations, wings, and other features to facilitate stronger attachment. Use metal corner beads for high-traffic, high-impact areas.
• Vinyl: Vinyl corner beads provide rust-proof, impact-resistant drywall protection. They are more flexible than metal beads, which makes them better for unusual window shapes.
• Tear-Away:  This versatile corner bead option is specifically designed with a built-in vinyl strip that you pull off after the mudding is complete. The tear-away strip prevents the joint compound from bleeding onto adjacent surfaces. What remains is a smooth bead with a crisp, clean corner.
• Bullnose: Use a bullnose corner bead for a softer, more rounded corner profile. This design is available in vinyl and metal options. The rounded edge reduces the potential for chips and cracks on exposed corners, creating a more durable finish.

For a flawless finish around your window corners, use Hyde drywall corner tools, including inside and outside corner tools, drywall pointing knives, and wipe-down tools.

4. Get Mud on Smooth and Flat

Once your beads are in place, apply joint compound, also called mud, to each side of the corner using a 6- or 12-inch knife. Press center-creased paper tape to the corner and smooth it into the wet mud with a Hyde taping knife.

Apply a second thin layer of mud over the tape and feather it by smoothing it outward from the joint about six inches. Let the compound dry, and add additional layers as needed to create a smooth transition between the corner and the wall or other surrounding surfaces.

As each layer dries, use a sanding block with the appropriate sandpaper grade to smooth the surface. Reduce to a finer sandpaper and use light pressure for final finishing. For a large installation area, consider using a dust-free sander to efficiently cover more area.

Handling Inside Corners and Returns Without the Headaches

Whether you need to do a new drywall installation around your windows or fix corner drywall, the following tips can help you cut time and achieve a clean finish:

• Gather all the necessary tools and installation components before you begin.
• Dry-fit each section before applying any joint compound.
• Use a 4- to 6-inch knife for the first coat and then a larger 6- to 8-inch knife for feathering.
• Apply the mud in thin layers, using corner tools for even application.
• Sand down ridges and uneven surfaces after each mud layer dries. Use a sanding block that allows you to change the sandpaper to different grits as your installation progresses.
• Review spackle types or purchase a drywall repair kit to fix holes or imperfections in the surrounding drywall.

Handle tricky window drywall installations with ease using Hyde joint knives, corner tools, and sanding blocks. Hyde has been delivering reliable tools for customers for more than 150 years. Use our professional-grade drywall tools to get the job done faster and cleaner, for a more professional, durable finish.