How to Bullnose Sheetrock.

Bullnose corners are rounded.

It sounds like something you wouldn’t want in your home, but “bullnose” is just a term for describing a rounded wall corner.  Traditional wall corners are square with a crisp vertical seam but a bullnose corner offers a gradual transition between one room and the next. Sheetrock is a brand name of drywall panels, manufactured by USG Corporation. In addition to using special rounded corner bead, you’ll need to adjust the way you install the Sheetrock panels just a bit.

Drywall Installation for Bullnose Corners

On a traditional square corner, one drywall panel typically laps the other, but when you’re taping out bullnose corners, this creates an extended corner, over which the rounded corner bead won’t fit. Instead, when you install the drywall panels, only run them to within 1/2-nch of the corner stud. This gives you enough room to fit the corner bead.

Using Bullnose Corner Bead

There are a couple basic types of bullnose corner bead. Paper bead fits over wet joint compound and the moisture from the compound holds it in place. Adhesive bead features adhesive strips, or you will spray adhesive on the bead before setting it on a dry corner. Joint compound goes on top of an adhesive bead, not underneath.

Pros use paper bullnose corner beads for taping speed, but unless you’re confident in your taping skills, use adhesive corner beads because they don’t slip.

Taping out a Bullnose Corner

A 6-inch drywall-taping knife is effective for scooping up wet joint compound and smoothing it over the corner. Push the wet compound into the holes in the drywall corner bead and through to fill the void beneath. Smooth more wet compound on the sides of the corner bead to create a smooth coat of compound.

Switch to a 10-inch drywall taping knife to feather out the wet compound flush with both walls. The larger knife blade spreads the compound thinner over a wider areas, making it less visible.

Pull a bullnose corner taping tool from the top to the bottom of the wet compound, over the bead. This tool is inexpensive, often made from molded plastic and it forms a uniform rounded shape over the corner.

Considerations

Once you begin applying the wet joint compound, work quickly and don’t take a break. The compound can begin to dry and set up in 15 or 20 minutes, especially on a hot dry day.

Don’t fuss with getting the wet joint compound perfect. After the mud dries, you can sand away rough spots with a drywall sander and apply another thin coat of compound