* Corners, seams, and edges of drywall should not be left unprotected. Instead, apply preformed corner strips (called bead) or pre-seamed tape to make a crisp edge and
protect the drywall from damage. A 90° inside corner is usually finished with drywall joint tape, but outside and off-angle inside corners are best finished with corner beads.
* Metal corner bead is a rigid, tough corner bead that’s installed with drywall nails or screws driven through the drywall and into the framing. It also may be installed with a
crimping tool.
Vinyl outside corner bead is applied with staples or a spray-on adhesive.
* Paper-faced metal or plastic corner bead is embedded in joint compound on outside corners. No fasteners are needed but a special roller tool is recommended to bed the
legs properly.
* Off-angle corner bead makes inside and outside corners greater than 90° much easier to finish. Off- angle corner bead comes in rolls or straight lengths and features a
flexible center. Some have a raised ridge that, when facing out, may be used for outside corners. Others have a rubberized center to allow for movement as the house settles.
* Bullnose outside-corner bead and inner-cove bead leave a curved corner. Outside bullnose corners require that the drywall not overlap at the corner to leave room for the
radius corner.
* Corner bead for arches has one edge cut into segments for bending along an arch.
* J-bead and L-bead are attached to the edges of drywall that are left open or that meet a non-drywall surface, such as wood or brick. J-bead must be installed before the drywall
panel is fastened at the finished edge. L-bead may come with a tear away masking strip to protect adjacent surfaces while finishing.
