Which material is the most useful, vinyl corner beads or metal corner beads? If you are unfamiliar with corner beads, we recommend reading our latest article on what are corner beads. In this article, we explained the differences between the types of corner beads that are used for installing drywall. Now, let us dive into the comparison between metal corner beads and vinyl corner beads because there is nothing drywall installers and tapers love more than a good debate.
What are the pros of using vinyl corner beads?
Vinyl Corner Beads Are Cheaper
While many may argue that metal beads are cheaper than vinyl, you have to look beyond the upfront initial costs of the material. When purchasing materials, you need to think about transportation and storage of the materials. This is where vinyl becomes cheaper than metal beads.
When storing metal corner beads, the metal corner beads are easily damaged. They can become dented, deformed, or rusted. With vinyl corner beads, there is no need to worry about damage in this regard. Vinyl does not rust or deform.
Vinyl Corner Beads Are More Durable
Vinyl corner beads are much more durable than metal corner beads. If you decide to look at the long-term durability, vinyl corner beads beat out metal corner beads as well. Metal corner beads have a chance to be bent and dented from stress. When repairing a metal corner bead, it requires a replacement while vinyl corner beads just need to be mudded again.
Vinyl Corner Beads Are More Flexible
Without question, vinyl corner beads are much more flexible than metal beads. Metal corner beads can only bend at weak points. When you clip a metal bead to curve, you are willfully creating weak points in the bead. With vinyl corner beads, they are naturally designed to bend without sacrificing integrity. Making vinyl corner beads the no-brainer choice for curved walls, archways and other curved edges.
What are the negatives of using vinyl corner beads?
One of the big drawbacks of using vinyl corner beads is that joint compound does not bond as well to plastic as it does to metal. Making it more difficult to cover meaning you have to fan out further than other materials.
Installation requires more care and attention than using other materials. Vinyl corner beads need a higher skill set for the installation compared to metal corner beads. If you are a novice, or DIY it might be better to consider metal beads.
What are the pros of using metal corner beads?
Metal corner beads have a cheaper upfront cost compared to vinyl. If you can take care of your materials in transport and storage, then metal might be an option to consider. Metal corner beads are also easier to install compared to vinyl corner beads. Vinyl corner beads may require an adhesive to install compared to metal beads that only require screws and staples.
What are the negatives of using metal corner beads?
Metal corner beads are less durable than vinyl corner beads. They are easily damaged before installation and are prone to bending. By the time you get to the job site, you will have some damaged metal corner beads.
Metal corner beads are also susceptible to rust. Metal corner beads are not recommended for rooms with a wet environment such as bathrooms. Metal corner beads can also rust in moisture or salt-rich environments like coastal cities.
If your project requires corner beading, you can always reach out to us for a quote. We supply drywall, insulation, metal framing and corner beading. Give us a call 905 850 – 2212 or give us an email info@masterbuildingmaterials.com
