Repair a Damaged Drywall Corner
Outside corners take a beating from vacuum cleaners, moving boxes, and pets. The trick is replacing the metal/plastic bead — patching alone won't hold.
Tools
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- ✓For cutting corner bead to length
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Materials
- +Paper-faced (e.g., No-Coat) is more dent-resistant than bare metal
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Steps
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1
Cut out the damaged section
Score the corner bead with a utility knife about 1" beyond each end of the damage. Pry the damaged section away — it's usually only nailed every 8".
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2
Cut and fit replacement
Measure the gap, cut a piece of new bead 1/4" shorter so it slips into place easily.
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3
Attach
Press the bead into corner caulk or nail/screw every 8" along both flanges. Make sure the corner edge sits flush — sight down it.
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4
Mud, dry, sand, repeat
Skim joint compound over the bead, feathering 4–6" past each edge. Dry 24 hrs, sand smooth, second thin coat 6–8" wide, dry, sand, third feathered coat if needed.
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5
Prime and paint
Spot-prime the patched area before painting, otherwise the patch will "flash" through the topcoat.