# corner bead on existing wall



## stallinc (Jan 5, 2008)

I recently cut back a couple walls by several feet to open up a room more. Both walls now require new corners. I have fairly limited drywall experience and have never done a corner bead, but am handy and have done most of my home repairs, remodels, etc so I think I can handle it.

At this point I have cut the wall back to the stud and the drywall on both sides is flush with that stud. My understanding of what I need to do is as follows:

1. Cut the drywall to cover the width of the stud (3.5 inches), not the width of the stud plus the widths of both sheets of drywall on either side (3.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 4.5 inches). Screw it onto the stud (obviously). 

2. Cut the metal corner bead the length of the wall (it's not a full wall - doesn't go up to ceiling).

3. Place corner bead on corner and fill with heavy coat of mud, and follow with two additonal lighter coats after each dries.

Is the the jist? Also, one of the walls has a textured finish. Will I need to sand this down before aplying the corner bead? The corner beads on the old corner sat flush with the drywall under approx 1/32 inch of texture and paint.

Thanks for the help!
Chris


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

Is this a metal or vinyl corner bead?


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## stallinc (Jan 5, 2008)

The original corner bead was metal, so I was planning to stick with metal. But if vinyl would be easier and give the same finish, I am open to that as well.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Hi Chris,

Stick with metal. It is more rigid and will form a straight line more easily than vinyl will. There is actually a whole process to installing corner bead properly and getting it on straight, the corners and ends meeting dead-on. Where are you located?


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## stallinc (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm just south of Tallahassee, FL.


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## kgphoto (Dec 2, 2007)

No you are wrong. take the face drywall and make it thick enough to cover to the outside edge of both side pieces of drywall.

Mud on corner bead, weather plastic covered paper(No-Coat brand), vinyl(TrimTex) paper covered metal(USG or Bead X) will be best for you.

See what your local store carries and follow the directions.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Hi Chris, 
Just realized we never really anwered your questions, so here goes:



stallinc said:


> 1. Cut the drywall to cover the width of the stud (3.5 inches), not the width of the stud plus the widths of both sheets of drywall on either side (3.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 4.5 inches). Screw it onto the stud (obviously).


If it's a 2x4 = 3.5" + 1/2" S/R + 1/2" S/R, I take the total width and subtract 1/4". So it would be 4-1/4" wide strips of sheetrock. Center it, leaving the 1/8" space on each side. (This is the easiest way, so you don't have to trim more off the S/R strips)



stallinc said:


> 2. Cut the metal corner bead the length of the wall (it's not a full wall - doesn't go up to ceiling).


Yes. Remember that you can cut the stick of corner bead up to 1/2" shorter than the actual needed length, and leave any gaps at the bottom (floor level) since baseboard will cover it.



stallinc said:


> 3. Place corner bead on corner and fill with heavy coat of mud, and follow with two additonal lighter coats after each dries.


Attach the bead as needed. When installing metal corner bead, we prefer to use ring-shank drywall nails, over screws. The reason is that screws can pull the edge of metal corner bead too tight, and pinch it inward. Nails offer more control, if you are handy at using a hammer. If you are not too handy with a hammer, just go ahead and use a low-power hand drill, very carefully, with screws (not a screw gun).

The first coat (of compound) on the corner bead goes on heavier, as you stated. It is the "Fill-in" coat. Then, after it dries, scrape any bubbles, drops, ripples, etc...off, in order to smooth the surface out, prior to applying the next coating. The second coat, should be the final coat. Apply it thinly. 
In some instances, you "may" need to apply a very thin 3rd coat.



stallinc said:


> Is the the jist? Also, one of the walls has a textured finish. Will I need to sand this down before aplying the corner bead? The corner beads on the old corner sat flush with the drywall under approx 1/32 inch of texture and paint.


If it is a minor texture surface, you shouldn't need to sand down the existing textured wall, unless it is a thick texture with uneven surfaces, that wil effect the way the corner bead bead sits on the surface (humps, irregularities, uneveness).

Tips:

When installing corner bead, place the stick along the wall corner. Hold the middle, use one foot to gently hold the bottom of the stick, use your last free hand to eyeball the top. Then see if it is aligning properly. If not, adjust the sheetrock, or what ever to make it lay flat and plumb.

When cutting metal corner bead, nip the very edge (3/8" of 45 degree corner) off of each cut side. These edges like to stick out when you attach the metal corner bead.

When nailing or screwing into the bead. Start at the middle. What I like to do is: Attach one nail, then attach, but not fully sink the nail on the opposing side of the first nail. Then I move down (near the bottom) and attach two more opposing nails, without fully sinking those nails. Then, I do the same up top. All the while eyeballing the bead for straightness. By doing it this way, the bead is properly aligned and already straight. Then when you go to sink your nails, the bead stays straight. After attaching the middle, bottom, and top, go back and install nails/screws about every 8"-10", as needed. Be sure that no edges of the bead are bubbling or sticking up. If they are, isntall more nails/screws there.

Always sink one nail (or screw) and then do the opposing one, before you move on (But make sure the whole length of bead is properly aligned, or you will have warped bead.

If you dent the bead, or install the nails or screws wrong, or bend a nail and can't get it out, rip the bead off and start over.
(Cost of metal corner bead hovers around the dollar mark).

Good Luck!


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## kgphoto (Dec 2, 2007)

Great Post by _AtlanticWBConst!

One question. When you say trim 3/8 off the 45 do you mean after trimming back the ends at 45 degrees, take off another 3/8 of an inch off the trailing corner, or do you mean while cutting then ends, instead of making them square cut them back 3/8 of an inch at a 45 degree angel?
_


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

kgphoto said:


> ..._One question. When you say trim 3/8 off the 45 do you mean after trimming back the ends at 45 degrees, take off another 3/8 of an inch off the trailing corner, or do you mean while cutting then ends, instead of making them square cut them back 3/8 of an inch at a 45 degree angel?_


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## kgphoto (Dec 2, 2007)

Thank you again!


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## stallinc (Jan 5, 2008)

Excellent instructions _AtlanticWBConst_! Thanks! I nailed the corner beads up tonight and they looked very straight.

The next challenge is mudding. I spread the first (heavy) coat. I give myself a D-. It looks like crap with ripples, runs, etc, but I find solice in knowing this stuff sands easily. I used a 10" knife. I found it difficult to run the blade up and down (vertically & parallel to bead) versus left-right (horizontally & perpendicular to bead). Is this a big no-no? Also, how do I keep mud from building at knife edge? Finally, the actual corners are still showing metal despite a very heavy (possibly too heavy) coat. Is this important? I will prime and the paint, so I'm hoping it's ok.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

stallinc said:


> ...I found it difficult to run the blade up and down (vertically & parallel to bead) versus left-right (horizontally & perpendicular to bead). Is this a big no-no? .


HUGE no-no
ALWAYS coat corner bead by running the knife parallel to the corner bead.



stallinc said:


> Also, how do I keep mud from building at knife edge?


When you scoop out the compound, with your knife, put most of the compound onto one side of the knife...the same side of the corner bead that you need to fill in more of. 
Tip: Keep your knife clean of compound, when it comes to smoothing-out what you applied.

It's sort of two steps:

1.) Apply the compound sparingly.
2.) Using a clean knife and wiping it clean with each pass, smooth out what you put on.

We actually use 12" knives to coat bead and a plasterer's hawk to hold the compound. There are many methods/other-tools that can be used. It's just the way the old timers did it in my area, and how we learned from them (Hawk & knife). You should still be able to to this with a 10".
Don't get discouraged, coating corner bead properly, is a VERY difficult skill to acquire, in drywall.

The key is to get the compound onto the bead thick. Wipe, or feather, the edges flat. Then take off what you don't need with smooth even strokes. Run your knife up and down the bead corner to remove excess compound after each pass of your 10". (We use the 6" knife to remove the excess). Re-wipe, gently and lightly, the coating, until you get it just right. As a newbi, the mistake that you will make is to take too much off. Chances are that you will end up doing that. It is no problem. It only means that you may end up applying 3 to 4 coats to get it done, rather than 2.

The other thing to learn is *how to properly hold a taping knife*. There is a proper method to holding knives, in order to control the knife. Basically, you take your dominant hand and make an "L". Like if you were going to place it over your forehead, stipulating that you, or someone looking at you, is a "loser"....or if you fell, you really are a loser...(we all get there at times :wink: )

Hold your knife doing the same thing. Grasping the handle, and extending your thumb and index finger, in a "spread L" pattern. This is key. You use the thumb to apply slight pressure to the left side of the knife blade, and your index finger to apply slight pressure to the right side of the knife blade. Again: the Knife's *BLADE*. Not the whole knife. This is important in how to "feather" coats. 
(Also: This is the way to hold a 6" knife, all the way up to a 12" knife)

Other points: Applying the right amount of pressure, the amount of compound to remove with each pass, how to lock your wrist, as you coat.



stallinc said:


> Finally, the actual corners are still showing metal despite a very heavy (possibly too heavy) coat. Is this important? I will prime and the paint, so I'm hoping it's ok.


You should have metal showing. If you don't, then you might have installed the corner bead wrong, or the wall corner is miss-aligned.


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## stallinc (Jan 5, 2008)

You're one heck of a good teacher! The beads went up straight and the mud looks great! Seriously, these were some of the best on-line instructions of any kind that I have ever used. Thanks!!!


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