To account for mistakes, always buy spare corner bead ($7, The Home Depot). That will give you some backup material in case a strip gets bent or if a miter is miscut. Mudding beads is also relatively easy because you have the corner to guide one edge of your knife as you spread the compound. Avoid excessive pressure because that will curve the blade of your knife, resulting in an underfilled concave corner. There are two different techniques you can use to create corner beads: a metal corner bead for crisp corners or a bullnose bead for rounded corners. Choose what works best for your space and follow our steps below to learn how to install corner beads on walls. Selecting a Corner Bead It can be tricky to choose the right material for your corner bead. To many traditionalists, vinyl is another word for plastic, and plastic can be cheap and brittle. But modern plastics technology produces high-performance materials that warrant consideration. For example, an abuse-resistant vinyl corner bead might be the right choice for high-traffic corners where impact is inevitable. If you’ve ever dented metal corner bead with a misplaced hammer blow during construction, you know that replacement is the only practical choice. Composite corner beads are also impact-resistant and have the added benefit of conforming to corners that are substantially more or less than 90 degrees. If it isn’t 90 degrees, a drywall pro calls it an “off angle.” Using a Corner Bead Clincher A corner bead clincher helps you squarely position the metal strip and then quickly fasten it. Each time you hit the clinching tool, it cuts prongs of metal and forces them into the drywall. For added security, drive three nails through each leg of the corner bead to establish a mechanical connection with the framing. Using Bullnose Corners Bullnose corners add style and interest to your installation, but they can also create problems when you install millwork. For example, turning an outside corner with baseboards or crown moldings could call for fancy carpentry skills and tedious fabrication. Fortunately, there’s a solution that you can simply nail in place when you’re installing the bullnose bead. The vinyl cap shown works with both metal and vinyl beads that have a ¾-inch radius and enables you to install moldings up to 4½ inches wide. Simply nail the blocks where you need them, and cut the strip of bullnose bead to fit. For a perfect size match, get both the bullnose bead and transition cap from a single manufacturer.
