Tapeless fastening and finishing system for wallboard installation

Abstract

A wallboard-fastening device secures first and second wallboards to a framing member without fasteners passing through the wallboards. The device includes first, second, and third framing panels joined along lengthwise edges to form a three-sided cup sized to fit around the framing member, first and second flat-spring flanges joined along lengthwise edges to form a front seam, and a channel-dividing panel joined lengthwise to the front seam and to the second framing panel to form first and second channels that receive the first and second wallboards. The flat-spring flanges flex to exert restoring forces on the wallboards that push the wallboards against the second framing panel. The device may be configured for edge joints, outside-corner joints, and inside-corners, and thus may be combined for any type of wallboard installation, including both parallel and perpendicular applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for installing wallboard, comprising:
 affixing a first wallboard-fastening device to a first wallboard by inserting the first wallboard in a first channel of the first wallboard-fastening device;   affixing the first wallboard-fastening device to a first wall stud;   while the first wallboard-fastening device is affixed to the first wall stud:
 applying a force to the first wallboard-fastening device to open a second channel of the wallboard-fastening device, and 
 inserting a second wallboard into the second channel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the affixing a first wallboard-fastening device to a first wallboard comprises: applying another force to the first wallboard-fastening device to open the first channel of the wallboard-fastening device, and inserting the first wallboard into the first channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first channel is divided from the second channel via a channel-dividing panel joined lengthwise from a front seam to a second framing panel of a frame, the frame comprising a first framing panel and the second framing panel, the frame being sized to fit against a corner of a framing member where an outward face of the framing member and a side face of the framing member meet;   the channel-dividing panel, a first flat-spring flange, and first portion of a second framing panel form the first channel;   the channel-dividing panel, a second flat-spring flange, and a second portion of the second framing panel form the second channel;   the first and second flat-spring flanges are joined at the front seam.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first and second wallboards are untapered; and   a width of the channel-dividing panel is equal to or greater than a thickness of the first and second wallboards.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first and second wallboards are tapered; and   a width of the channel-dividing panel is less than a thickness of untapered sections of the first and second wallboards.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 affixing a first wallboard-fastening device to the first wallboard comprises flexing the first flat-spring flange, while the first wallboard is inserted into the first channel, such that a first restoring force pushes the first wallboard against the first portion of the second framing panel to secure the first wallboard against the first portion of the second framing panel; and   applying a force to the first wallboard-fastening device to open a second channel of the wallboard-fastening device comprises flexing the second flat-spring flange, while the second wallboard is inserted into the second channel, such that a second restoring force pushes the second wallboard against the second portion of the second framing panel to secure the second wallboard against the second portion of the second framing panel.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising applying mud or joint compound at location of the first and second flat-spring flanges. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second flat-spring flanges are textured to receive the mud or joint compound. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the channel-dividing panel is joined to a midline of the second framing panel; and   each of the first and second flat-spring flanges has a width that is less than one-half of a width of the second framing panel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein: the first framing panel, second framing panel, channel-dividing panel, first flat-spring flange, and second flat-spring flange having same thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , the first and second flat-spring flanges being free of holes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising a third framing panel joined perpendicularly to the second framing panel to form a three-sided cup sized to fit around the framing member. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , the affixing the first wallboard-fastening device to the first wall stud occurring while the first wallboard-fastening device is affixed to the first wallboard. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the affixing the first wallboard-fastening device to the first wall stud comprises:
 passing one or more fasteners through a first framing panel of a frame, the frame comprising the first framing panel and a second framing panel, the frame being sized to fit against a corner of a framing member where an outward face of the framing member and a side face of the framing member meet.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , the passing one or more fasteners through the framing panel of a frame comprising passing the one or more fasteners through forming one or more fastener holes formed by the first framing panel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first channel is divided from the second channel via a channel-dividing panel joined lengthwise from a front seam to the second framing panel of a frame;   the channel-dividing panel, a first flat-spring flange, and first portion of a second framing panel form the first channel;   the channel-dividing panel, a second flat-spring flange, and a second portion of the second framing panel form the second channel; and,   the first and second flat-spring flanges are joined at the front seam.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying mud or joint compound at location of the wallboard-fastening device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein applying mud or joint compound at the location of the wallboard-fastening device comprises applying mud or joint compound to a textured surface of the wallboard-fastening device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , the textured surface located on a tapered portion of the wallboard-fastening device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the tapered portion being free of holes.