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Navigating Drywall Corners: The Right Bead for the Right Angle

No two drywall projects are exactly alike—and the same goes for corners. From crisp 90s to sweeping curves, a drywall finisher encounters a variety of angles and design features on the job. Fortunately, ClarkDietrich offers one of the most comprehensive selections of corner beads in the industry to handle every scenario. With options in metal, paper-faced, vinyl, and composite materials, there’s a solution for every corner type, every skill level, and every regional preference.

This guide breaks down each corner style and highlights some of the top products for the job.

Square Corners

Outside 90-Degree Corners

As the most common corner in drywall finishing, outside 90s require clean lines, durability, and ease of installation. ClarkDietrich offers a broad range of solutions across material types to meet every installer’s preference—whether you’re working in residential or commercial, or on the East Coast or West Coast.

  • Metal Corner Beads
    Metal beads are a long-standing favorite for outside 90s due to their strength, durability, and crisp edge definition. These are often favored by experienced pros for their ruggedness and straight-line performance. ClarkDietrich offers a wide range of metal options:
    • 103 Deluxe Corner Bead – Popular in the eastern U.S., offering traditional performance.
    • QuickSilver™ – Corrosion-resistant with enhanced impact durability.
    • GhostBead™ – Primed with a white surface-treatment to disappear beneath the joint compound.
    • West Coast Corner Bead – A regional profile popular in the western U.S.
    • Clinch-On® – Installed by clinching through the flanges or with traditional fasteners; available east of the Rockies.
  • Paper-Faced Corner Bead
    These hybrid beads feature a paper surface bonded to a metal core, allowing for strong adhesion with joint compound and fewer issues with cracking or edge chips. Paper-faced beads are popular across all skill levels for their ease of installation, smooth finish, and reduced need for fasteners, making them especially great for newer finishers. They’re also well-suited for high-volume projects requiring cost- and time-savings.
  • Strait-Flex® Big-Stick
    A composite corner bead with an impact-resistant nose, Big-Stick installs with joint compound and is ideal for all skill levels. Its lightweight design and adaptability to framing irregularities make it an excellent choice for long runs or uneven surfaces.

Inside 90-Degree Corners

  • Paper-Faced Inside Corner Bead
    Much like its outside corner counterpart, this hybrid paper-and-metal bead is simple to apply with joint compound and is a solid option for beginners and pros alike.
  • Strait-Flex® Perfect-90°
    A bead designed to create perfectly straight inside corners. It features a rigid spine for durability and paper edges for easy finishing. It’s great for pros needing consistent results on long runs.

Outside Off-Angle Square

Not all corners are true 90s. These beads help manage design elements like bay windows or angled walls:

  • Pro-Flex®300™– A flexible, PVC-free corner bead that corrects drywall imperfections and is also great for non-standard angles. It’s ideal for green building projects and can be cut to the desired length in the field to minimize scrap loss.
  • Splayed Corner Bead (CB12) – A metal bead great for pros who are used to fastener-driven installation.
  • Paper-Faced Splayed Corner Bead (CD1-O) – Easy to apply with compound, this option provides a clean finish on outside off-angles with no need for nose coating.

Inside Off-Angle Square


Bullnose Corners

Rounded bullnose profiles are a favorite in southwestern and contemporary residential design, offering a softer, architectural look. Finishing these corners requires specially designed beads that maintain the radius while providing durability and easy installation.

Outside 90-Degree Bullnose

  • Bullnose Corner Bead
    This traditional ¾” radius metal bead is made from galvanized steel. It can be installed with fasteners or compound, making it suitable for any finishers seeking durability and smooth finishes.
  • Paper-Faced Bullnose (Nail-On or Tape-On)
    Great for beginners or pros who want clean finishes with less effort. The nail-on version is fastener-friendly, while the tape-on version is compound-only, reducing the need for mechanical attachment.
  • GhostBead™ Bullnose
    This ¾” radius metal bead installs with nails, staples, or screws. Its white surface finish seamlessly blends behind the finishing coat. 

Inside 90-Degree Bullnose

  • Paper-Faced Inside Bullnose (CD2-B)
    A paper-faced metal bead that simplifies finishing curved inside corners. The tape-on design allows for fast installation using joint compound only—no nails or staples needed.
  • ¾” Inside Corner Cove
    This pre-molded vinyl corner bead is designed to create a smooth, cove-like transition in interior 90° corners. Its perforated flanges accept joint compound or veneer plaster for a flush finish.

Outside Off-Angle Bullnose

  • Paper-Faced Bullnose Splayed (Nail-On or Tape-On)
    These beads conform to off-angle corners while preserving a rounded radius. Nail-on versions offer increased hold for high-traffic areas, while tape-on is great for quick installs.
  • PRO-Bull® Splayed Corner Bead
    A vinyl bead that installs with joint compound, with multiple perforations along both flanges enhancing the bond.

Inside Off-Angle Bullnose


Arches and Curves

Arches and specialty curves introduce beauty and complexity into drywall projects. Beads in this category need to bend without breaking, adhere reliably, and maintain a uniform radius across variable shapes.

Square Corner Arches

  • PRO-90 Archway / PRO-90 Combi Bead
    These vinyl archway corner beads are pre-slotted for flexibility, allowing them to bend smoothly around soft arches. The PRO-90 features slotted flanges that form to curves and arches, while the Combi version includes dual flange options for straight-to-curved installations. Best suited for experienced professionals, these beads install with staples or nails and an adhesive.
  • Strait-Flex® Arch-Stick
    A composite bead engineered for consistent bends in archways. It features a rigid center with flexible flanges that hug curved framing tightly. Installation is done with joint compound alone—no fasteners—making it efficient and clean.

Bullnose Corner Arch

  • Bullnose Archway Corner Bead
    A flexible bead with a bullnose profile, pre-notched for easy bending around arched openings. Easily installed with nails, screws or staples, this sturdy vinyl product is rust-proof and dent-resistant.
  • PRO-Bull® ¾” Archway
    Notched flanges bend cleanly to an inside or outside radius while maintaining structural rigidity. Recommended for experienced professionals; each tab on the archway bead should be secured with adhesive or staples before application of joint compound.

Specialty Curves (Double Curves, Spiral Staircases, etc.)

  • Strait-Flex® Arch-Flex
    This ultra-flexible bead is made from high-performance composite materials that can bend in both directions, making it the most adaptable solution for spiral staircases, domed ceilings, and curved soffits. It can contour to extreme curves without cracking or folding and installs with joint compound. Ideal for expert finishers working on one-of-a-kind structures. 


The Right Bead for the Right Corner

ClarkDietrich’s extensive portfolio empowers finishers to work smarter—regardless of angle, material preference, or skill level. Explore ClarkDietrich’s full finishing systems to find your fit.