What is Corner Bead?

Corner beads are preformed plastic or metal right-angle strips that are used when hanging sheet rock to conceal inside and outside corner joints. They are available in fixed 90-degree beads, adjustable beads, and splayed beads. They come in a standard 1 and ¼ inch (31.75 mm) and a Jumbo Bead of 1 and ¾ inches (44.45 mm).

Corner beads come in standard lengths of 8, 9, 10, and 12 foot lengths (2.438, 2.743, 3.048, and 3.658 m). The vinyl corner beads can be cut to length using ordinary scissors but the metal corner beads require the use of tin snips. The vinyl corner bead has all but replaced the metal corner bead because vinyl doesn't rust and don't require special tools to install. The vinyl corner beads are held in place by a spray adhesive until covered by wallboard compound, "Mud."

The inside corners are often forgotten when hanging wallboard but finishing the installation with an inside corner bead produces a sharp 90 degree corner that's easy to finish. Many old timers still insist on taping inside corners instead of using a bead. An expert taper can produce beautiful inside corners without using a bead but over time, the tape loosens and the corners become a major problem for anyone painting them. The inside corner bead, on the other hand, stays where you put it and remains a sharp, neat looking corner for many years to come.

Prefabricated vinyl outside and inside corners not only produce a professional looking job every time, it's quicker to install and finish that taping. Even if you are doing it yourself, time is money. The outside beads also serve to protect the exposed edges of the wallboard. Wallboard is easily damaged when its edges are exposed. The jumbo beads are used to cover up damage that occurs during cutting and installation.