The process of finishing a room is long, difficult, and filled with many steps that most people never knew existed. This includes the process of installing something called drywall corner beads. Most people take for granted the fact that their corners are seamless, and don’t realize the effort that had to go into that.

So if you are building a house or finishing the basement, you should definitely be able to properly apply drywall corner bead. It will make your rooms look better and more professional. So here are a few ways you can apply drywall corner bead like a pro.

First you will cut the drywall corner bead into the exact length that you will need. It isn’t a good idea to use more than one length per wall, so purchase long pieces and use a new one for each corner. It doesn’t matter if you have some leftover scraps at the end.

Measure it exactly with a tape measure, and then cut it with a strong pair of scissors so that you get a clean cut and no fraying at the end. Hold it up to the wall and make sure that it is exact and that it fits how it should (with a nice and tight right angle). If it all fits together perfectly, then you are ready to affix it to the wall.

To hold the drywall corner bead in place for a moment, simply use a tack or pin to affix it. Make sure that you are happy with everything about it before you make it permanent. If it doesn’t fit right, it will be visible for the rest of the existence of the room.

This isn’t the sort of permanent blemish that you want attributed to your shoddy workmanship, so be sure to take your time and get it right. You should tack the paper down every foot or so all the way down the length of the wall before you begin to apply the mud.

Applying the Mud for Drywall Corner Bead

Applying the mud is definitely the most fun part of installing drywall corner bead. It might have come with the bead itself, or you may have had to buy it separately. Using a large, flat putty knife you can spread the mud onto all of the places where the drywall corner bead transitions into wall.

You should slather it on rather thick with the putty knife, and then scrape the bulk of it off. You will end up with a thin, smooth layer of mud to hold on the drywall corner bead.

After you have the drywall corner bead applied to the wall with mud, you have to wait for it to dry. Remove all of the tacks you used to keep the bead in place. Now you’ll have a slightly unsightly feature on your wall. Therefore, as soon as the mud has dried properly and the drywall corner bead isn’t going to fall off at all, you can paint it the same color as the rest of the room.

If done correctly, the bead will be completely indistinguishable from the rest of the wall once you are done. If you have any problems with getting the bead to look good, or problems applying the mud, then consult someone who has had experience with the steps of drywalling a room.