Beware of using cheap corner bead for drywall finishing

I tried saving a few bucks by buying the thin paper faced corner bead at the hardware store instead of the metal stuff. After three weeks, the corners started bubbling and peeling right where the mud meets the edge. A contractor friend told me that thin bead just doesn't hold up in high traffic areas like hallways. Has anyone else had this issue with the budget bead or is there a trick to making it work?

2 comments

2 Comments

ivancoleman5d ago

...and that contractor friend is probably right about the thin stuff, but I think the problem goes a little deeper than just the bead itself. In my experience, the real trick is in how you pre-treat the paper before you even put mud on it. You gotta get that paper wet first, like mist it with a spray bottle and let it sit for a minute, otherwise it'll suck all the moisture out of your joint compound and cause it to dry too fast. That's what starts the peeling, not always the quality of the bead. I've used the cheap stuff in a few low-traffic spots and it's held up fine just by doing that little extra step, but I'd still never risk it in a hallway or by a door where people are bumping into it.

the_ray5d ago

Buddy of mine tried skipping the wetting step on a big living room ceiling job with cheap bead and it peeled like crazy in a month. He pulled it all down, did it again with the same cheap stuff but wet the paper first, and it's been solid for years now. Just goes to show it's more about the prep than the price tag, right?