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Episode 2: Installing Corner Bead - Fine Homebuilding

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Corner bead is used for outside corners when you’re finishing drywall. I like to attach a tape-on corner bead after I apply my embedding coat. In other words, all my seams are already coated, and all my inside corners are already taped. The reason I like to tape first is because as I’m bringing my knife across a seam, I’m not interfering with the outside corner; it just laps right over without getting caught on the tape. alkali resistant fiberglass mesh

Episode 2: Installing Corner Bead - Fine Homebuilding

One thing I really like about the USG Sheetrock® Brand  Paper-Faced Metal Corner Bead is that it has a beaded edge that is slightly raised. This is helpful because when I’m filling it with joint compound, I use that edge to pull my trowel across. The raised edge is just high enough so that I’m able to build up compound to hide the edges of this corner bead very easily.

Finishing three-way outside corners can seem tricky, but the process is pretty straightforward. Start by dry-fitting the corner bead pieces before setting them in compound. To avoid any overlapping, cut 45° angles on the adjoining ends. The beauty of tape-on corner bead is that you can make little adjustments by embedding the bead lightly and moving it around to how you’d like it set. And if you don’t like it, you can take it off and try again. As you go, step back and look at your work to see if it’s level. Checking by eye can often show slight imperfections that you can then adjust. I use a staple gun to hold it in place until the compound dries.

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Learn about mechanical and automatic tools such as the taper, the compound tube, and the banjo to make your drywall job better and easier.

Myron Ferguson demonstrates how to apply USG Sheetrock® Brand Paper-Faced Metal Corner Bead on an outside three-way corner.

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Episode 2: Installing Corner Bead - Fine Homebuilding

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