Corner Bead and Drywall Trim Calculator
Corner bead, edge bead and arch bead pieces, fasteners, tape and cost
Turn these numbers into a build plan.
- 8 x 8 ft corner bead
- 0 x 8 ft j-bead
- 36 ft inside tape
Cut list: Corner Bead and Drywall Trim Calculator
- Metal corner bead4 pieces of 8 ft (32.0 ft)
- Metal corner bead, window and door returns4 pieces of 8 ft (28.0 ft)
- Inside corner tape35.2 ft, 1 roll of 250 ft
- Fasteners160 drywall nails or crown staples (every 9 in, both flanges)
- Extra joint compoundAbout 4 gal over 3 coats
- Bead material cost$28.00
- Installed by a pro$240 to $300 ($4 to $5 per linear ft)
- [ ] Metal corner bead4 x 8 ft
- [ ] Metal corner bead, window and door returns4 x 8 ft
- [ ] Paper tape1 roll
- [ ] Drywall nails160
- [ ] Corner bead, 8 ft
- [ ] Edge bead, 8 ft
- [ ] Paper drywall tape
- [ ] All-purpose joint compound, 4.5 gal
- [ ] Setting-type compound (20 min)
- [ ] Bead spray adhesive
- [ ] Sanding sponges or 120-grit screens
Sheets, mud and screws for the whole room are in the drywall calculator; wood baseboard and casing are in the trim calculator; then the paint calculator covers the finish.
Next you will need
Show your build
Finished the corner bead and drywall trim? Snap a before and after. The photo maker lines them up into one image you can post, and a free Blueprint account keeps the photos with your measurements and materials.
Drywall corners, 8 corners and 0 ft of edges
Bead 4 outside corners and 0 ft of exposed edges, and tape 4 inside corners on 8 ft walls. Includes 10% waste on every bead and three coats of mud.
- Materials
- $80
- Time
- 1 afternoon
- Level
- Easy
- 1
Prep the room
Cover floors, open windows or set a fan for dust, and check that every corner and edge is solid. Screw any loose drywall near the corners first.
- Drop cloths down
- Loose board screwed tight
- Damaged corners cut back to solid paper
- 2
Cut and set 8 pieces of corner bead
Measure each outside corner (about 8 ft), cut bead 1/2" short of the floor, and set it with adhesive or a thin mud bed. Sight down the nose so it is straight.
- 4 outside corners beaded
- Bead nose straight and tight
- 1/2" gap at the floor
- 3
Install 0 ft of J-bead
Slip J-bead over the exposed edges and fasten every 8 to 10 inches.
- Edges fully capped
- Fasteners every 8 to 10 inches
- Joints between pieces butted tight
- Corner bead
- 8 x 8 ft
- J-bead
- 0 x 8 ft
- Inside tape
- 36 ft
- Est. cost
- $80
7 steps · 8 tools · 7 materials
4 more steps, the full tool list and a shopping list you can check off as you go.
Your plan is 60% built. Save it.
3/5Drywall corners, 8 corners and 0 ft of edges
Finished in 1 afternoon · $80 DIY
Built for your corner bead of 8 x 8 ft. Your first plan saves free. No card needed.
Or save it with just your email
We send a link; open it and this plan is your first project. Your first plan saves free. No card needed.
Worked example: a 12 x 14 room
8 ft ceiling, 4 outside corners, 2 window returns of 3 x 4 ft, 4 inside corners, metal bead in 8 ft pieces, 10% waste:
- Count outside corners. A 12 x 14 room with a closet bump-out often has 4 outside corners. Each one is the wall height: 4 x 8 ft = 32 ft, or 4 pieces of 8 ft.
- Add window and door returns. Each wrapped window takes bead around its perimeter: a 3 x 4 ft window is 14 ft. Two windows = 28 ft, plus 10% = 31 ft, or 4 pieces.
- Add edges and arches. Exposed edges get L- or J-bead by the foot. An arch through a wall takes 2 x 3.14 x radius of flexible arch bead plus 4 legs of corner bead.
- Tape inside corners. Inside corners get paper tape, not bead: 4 corners x 8 ft = 32 ft, plus waste, about one 250 ft roll.
- Fasten and coat. Nail metal bead every 9 in on both flanges, or set paper-faced bead in mud. Budget about a gallon of compound per 25 ft over 3 coats.
| Item | Feet | Pieces | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal corner bead | 32 | 4 | $14.00 |
| Metal corner bead, window and door returns | 28 | 4 | $14.00 |
Which bead do I need?
| Profile | Where | How it is fastened | Price per 8 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal corner bead | Outside corners, budget jobs | Nails or crown staples | $3 to $4 |
| Paper-faced metal | Outside corners that must not crack | Bedded in compound | $4 to $6 |
| Vinyl corner bead | Bathrooms, basements, high-traffic | Spray adhesive and staples | $3 to $5 |
| Bullnose | Rounded outside corners | Adhesive and staples, or mud | $5 to $8 |
| L-bead / tear-away | Edges against ceilings, beams, windows | Screws or staples, tear strip after mud | $4 to $6 |
| J-bead | Edges against tile, paneling, stone | Screws through the back flange | $3 to $5 |
| Splay bead | 135° (bay window) corners | Mud or adhesive | $5 to $7 |
| Flexible arch bead | Arched openings | Staples, flange snipped to bend | $8 to $10 |
Doing the whole room? The drywall calculator counts sheets, mud, tape and screws. Wood baseboard and casing are in the trim calculator, and the drywall texture and repair cheat sheet covers patching dented corners. The drywall cheat sheet has the corner treatment diagram.
Corner bead calculator FAQ
How much corner bead do I need per room?
Metal or paper-faced corner bead?
Do inside corners need corner bead?
What length of corner bead for 9 ft walls?
How do you bead an archway?
How many nails per stick of corner bead?
Related calculators
All calculatorsRelated cheat sheets
All cheat sheetsDrywall Cheat Sheet
Materials estimator, screw spacing diagrams, screw length, coverage per sheet, which board where, set times, knife sizes, taping and repairs
Drywall Texture Repair Guide
Texture picker, repair method planner by patch size, mud ratios and PSI, timeline, why the patch still shows, DIY vs pro cost and FAQ
Soundproofing Guide
STC ratings, mass-loaded vinyl, resilient channel, green glue, and door sealing