(pronounced KOR-ner beed)

If when you hear the word “bead” you think of colorful little baubles for jewelry, then hit your reset button. In this case, the bead is linear and functional rather than spherical and decorative. Corner beads are metal or plastic pieces — most often bent in sharp 90-degree angles or formed in softer, rounded bullnose shapes — that protect corners in construction. (For special applications, other angles are available.) Used with drywall or under plaster and stucco, the goal of corner beads is to help vulnerable edges withstand the impact of regular wear and tear on a building’s interior or exterior.