Comparing Vinyl Corner Bead Installation Methods

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Over the last 50-plus years, Trim-Tex’s vinyl corner beads have been known for just one main installation technique: you hit them with spray adhesive and you staple them. But that’s not the end of our story anymore. These days, there’s a few different vinyl corner bead installation methods to choose from, depending on the solution you’re using and the way you want to work. Are you all about a speedy install, or do you prioritize strong corners above all? Whatever way you finish, we got a solution to match it.

There are three tactics to consider when browsing through our collection of corner beads: spray-and-staple standard vinyl, Mud Set and Fast Edge®. These three techniques are not interchangeable, so be sure to consult product instructions before you begin installation.

BENEFITS OF SPRAY-AND-STAPLE METHOD

The tried-and-true technique for outfitting your corners with toughened vinyl, just because this method is conventional doesn’t mean it’s not highly effective. Spray-and-staple standard corner beads are a mainstay of drywall finishing for a good reason — they’re highly effective, stand the test of time and don’t have much of a learning curve.

Answering20 All20 Your20 Questions20 About2084720 Spray20 Adhesive

The advantage of using 847 Spray Adhesive is that, by adhering the surface of the bead directly to the drywall, you minimize slipping during expansion, versus using staples alone. Unlike many all-purpose spray adhesives on the market, Trim-Tex’s 847 Spray Adhesive is designed specifically for corner bead. The adhesive is a web spray, which improves adhesion over standard mist sprays, and is colored to help easily identify it.

Combining this spray with staples along its mud leg gives the corner bead a strong bond to the drywall that has been proven to last. If you want an installation method that’s been time-tested and used by countless finishers across the world, look no further.

INSTALLING STANDARD VINYL CORNER BEAD WITH SPRAY AND STAPLES

The spray-and-staple technique uses a spray adhesive — such as the high-tack, pressure-sensitive Trim-Tex 847 discussed above — to attach the bead before stapling it in place. Spray continuously from a distance of 6 to 10 inches, being sure to keep the spray moving to avoid buildup on the drywall or bead surface. It doesn’t take much spray to attach the bead, and too much can mean a longer wait time for it to get tacky. (This quick-tip video demonstrates good technique with the spray can.)

Apply 847 to the drywall, then to the bead before positioning the bead into place. Press the corner bead in place using a pressuring tool or the handle of your taping knife and finish by stapling every six to eight inches — Trim-Tex recommends using half-inch staples.

BENEFITS OF MUD SET

Mud Set Beads are drywall corner beads made from high-impact, rigid vinyl, featuring Trim-Tex's patented Mud Lock Technology.

Essentially, these Mud Locks are a series of hooks along the bead’s mud legs that grip into the joint compound to latch the bead firmly onto the surface, almost like a bunch of super-powered hook-and-loop straps. Meanwhile, excess compound is allowed to flow through perforated mud holes (which are noticeably smaller than in standard vinyl beads for better adhesion). All of this is what gives Mud Set Bead the strongest-possible bond to the drywall of any corner bead on the market. The strength of the bond between the mud legs, drywall compound and wall, combined with the elasticity properties of rigid vinyl, allow the bead to withstand a high degree of impact.

This strength isn’t just for show — it saves time and money by reducing building maintenance costs, as well as callbacks for the finisher. When a traditional corner gets dented, rusts or forms mold, it needs to be replaced, which is a time-consuming process. Mud Set Beads are strong enough to withstand daily wear-and-tear as well as more intense impact.

If you’ve installed a metal corner bead, a good whack will dent and deform its nose — this kind of damage is irreparable, and you’d have to replace any affected section, or rip the whole thing out and start again. That same impact to a Mud Set Bead-protected corner, however, won’t have any effect on its nose. If any damage does occur, it’s almost always going to be the drywall mud that fails, which you can fix with a quick patch.

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INSTALLING MUD SET BEADS

To install these Mud Set Beads, run them through a 4-in-1 Mud Hopper, or use a knife or compound applicator tube to apply the mud onto the corner directly. The hopper installs Mud Set 90 Degree Bead, Mud Set Bullnose and Splayed Beads with ease to help minimize jobsite delays. With mud applied, press the bead into place with a roller tool or the end of a taping knife.

Excess mud will squeeze through the perforations, which essentially levels out the bead from sitting too high on the corner; it also minimizes the amount of mud needed for the setting coat to form an incomparably strong bond between the bead and the drywall. Check for squareness of the bead, adjusting as needed. Then just wipe the excess mud clean and go ahead and apply your fill coat — the Mud Set method saves time and labor by allowing the fill coat to be applied that same day.

BENEFITS OF FAST EDGE®

The newest of our various vinyl corner bead installation methods, you’ll notice the difference with Fast Edge immediately — there’s no mud holes and no mud bump. Instead, Fast Edge sports a vinyl core, covered in laminated paper. It’s perfect for finishers looking to up their games from paper-covered metal corner beads, or those just looking to finish the job faster while using less materials.

In fact, Fast Edge isn’t just the quickest installation method of these three; it’s the quickest corner-bead solution you’ll find anywhere, in addition to saving you more mud than any other corner bead out there. How do we know? We put it to the test! You can check out the results of that head-to-head matchup here.

Fast Edge also utilizes the Mud Lock Technology we previously discussed for extra-strength adhesion, but with no mud holes, excess compound gets pushed out the back of the bead. The lack of a mud bump here is key to reducing the amount of mud used overall to install a Fast Edge corner bead, and the vinyl core means this is a long-lasting, super-durable solution for protecting your corners.

INSTALLING FAST EDGE CORNER BEADS

Since it also features Mud Lock Technology, the process for installing Fast Edge is quite similar to that of Mud Set Beads — no staples or sprays required.

Run a length of Fast Edge through a hopper, or use a knife or compound applicator tube to apply mud directly on the drywall. Stick the bead in place on the corner, making sure your lines are straight, then we’d suggest you use a Pro Series Quad Roller to apply pressure evenly. Use a taping knife to whip down the excess mud that has been squeezed through the back of the bead’s mud legs.

You can then layer on your fill coat of mud right away and, once that dries, your finish coat. Where standard vinyl will require around three coats of mud to finish, you’re already prepared to move on to your next project with the Fast Edge installation method. We named it Fast Edge for a good reason!

When it comes to comparing vinyl corner bead installation methods, we’ll let you be the judge — there’s no wrong answers here! When you choose vinyl, you’re choosing higher-quality materials, choosing impact resistance, choosing no rust and no mold.

The choice you make in installation method from there — between spray-and-staples standard vinyl, Mud Set Beads and Fast Edge — entirely depends on what’s most important to you, the finisher. Do you want the tried-and-true method, the strongest or the fastest?

All Trim-Tex corner beads fit into one of these three corner bead installation methods. Want to browse our massive collection of looks and styles? Go ahead and download our digital catalog by hitting the button below!

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