Your wall’s outside corners take a lot of abuse — from run-ins with a vacuum cleaner, moving furniture, and occasional hit-and-run accidents with a tricycle — and can become dented and damaged over time. Eventually, you’ll need to fix them, and the only option is to replace the damaged drywall corner bead.
But first, some information. When two pieces of perpendicular drywall are installed, you need something to protect them and create a nice, clean corner edge.
What you need is a drywall corner bead. When this piece of construction is damaged, there’s just one solution: grab a hacksaw and replace it.
Steps to Repair Damaged Drywall Corner Bead
Now that you understand how this works, and why we’re doing what we’re doing, here’s the how-to:
- First, use a hacksaw to cut a few inches above and few inches below the damaged section of drywall corner bead.
- Next, grab a utility knife and score along the edge of the damaged corner bead about 1¼-inch back from the corner.
Then, pry the damaged corner bead off the wall. - Cut a new piece of drywall corner bead to fit the space.
- Nail the new piece of corner bead in place.
- Apply several coats of joint compound to the repair. Don’t forget to allow adequate drying time between each coat. (Check the joint compound’s label for directions.)
- Sand the joint compound smooth.
Prime and paint the repaired section of the wall.
That’s all there it is to it! You no longer have to look at those unsightly corners every time you pass your formerly damaged walls! And best of all? No one will ever know you had damaged drywall corner bead, and they’ll never even notice there was a repair.
For more on working with wallboard, see our article on How to Cut and Hang Drywall.
