Drywall corner finishing..

[Troy Turner]

So I ripped the paneling from the walls to expose the drywall. Easier to tape and mud drywayll vs. all the lines in the paneling.

Noticed the corners aren't quite flush. No problems, saw some stuff at Lowe's that should do that trick, but don't know which on to get...

They have some plastic 90 degree pieces with a bunch of holes. Looks like you just nail it in and mud it up.

Then there was some what looked to be pre-formed tape, reinforced somehow that you could use.

Which do you recommend. We'll be spraying a knockdown texture on the wall and aren't so sure we'll go back with a trim.

Thanks for the inputs...

[Jay Jolliffe]

I've done my fair share of drywall in the past. I use to use a metal corner. Nail it on coat over with dura-bond 90 then taping compound. I choose not to do my own drywall because it was going to take 200 14' sheets. Way to much work for me. The guys used the plastic corners with a spray adhesive to hold the corner on. I thought for sure there all going to let go, but so far there holding fine. Its been about 4 yrs so far. The reason I liked the metal corner beads were that when you hit the corned it was metal & not plastic. If the stuff you saw that was paper & plastic was in a roll, it's used if you have a splayed outside corner. As in not 90 degrees. It will give you a straight line instead of using paper tape that will not.....Hope that helps

[Jason Roehl]

One of the advantages to using the plastic corner bead is that if the corner gets hit hard, only the mud will be damaged. With metal corners, once they're deformed, the corner never looks right again. I think the best corner product is the plastic 90º corner that has paper tape pre-applied to it.

[Ben Franz]

Most drywall contractors I've worked with use metal corners with pre-applied paper tape on each leg - usually called "tape-on" or "mud-on" as opposed to all metal corner bead. They usually have a mud box with a V groove that applies compund just by running the bead through. It's not something you'd find at the BORG and not cheap, either. Metal corner bead can be set in place with a "clincher" tool that punches a small section of the edge into a barb that holds it in place. The bead still needs to be secured with screws or nails unless you like repairing hairline cracks as a new hobby.

[C Scott McDonald]

They say the plastic corner bead with the tape attached has less chance of cracking the joint compound if the house moves around a little.

For one or two pieces I would just use metal corner bead. As Jay suggested use setting compound to build up the corner as it drys a lot faster. Then put a finish coat of regular joint compound as it is easy to sand and blend.

Be careful nailing it up so the edge stays straight though.

Hope that helps.

[Troy Turner]

So there I was, lookin for the the metal with the paper edges...need 8, they have 3, but they had 8 of the plastic ones. Went with those...not much of a choice. Should do fine, I hope. the only corner in question is an outside corner that has the potential for a few bumps and bruises. Like the idea though that if it gets damaged, it would be easier to repair then if a metal one got knocked out of whack...

Thanks for the inputs fellas...

[Brad Sperr]

I went with plastic corner bead for our kitchen drywall because I had also heard it's more durable. I've heard you can just adhere it with spray adhesive, but I embedded mine in joint compound and tacked it with crown staples around every 6". It's not going anywhere.

[Callan Campbell]

I know you just bought what you needed, and what the store had in stock, but check out Fine Homebuilding's current article on drywall corners and the beads that make them better and easier. Myron Ferguson is the the guy who's worked with more drywall in a year than I ever will in my lifetime. He's written articles and at least on book on drywalling. Anyway, he's been using spray adhesive and staples instead of just mud for alot of the corner products. Some still are mounted with the mud method though.
Interesting reading on off-kilter joints and transitions that I hope never to do unless I'm forced to.:D

[Neal Clayton]

agree on the plastic corners, one of the few instances in which plastic really is better ;).

and yeah, you just put it up there, nail every so often to hold it in place, and trowel away.