How to Finish Around Archways Like a Pro

There are many imitators, but Trim-Tex’s flexible vinyl archway corner beads are still the best you can get to finish drywall on curved surfaces. Pre-notched along the bead’s mud legs, archway beads are your key to elegantly execute anything from arched entryways to intricate ceiling designs. But let’s start with the basics — here’s how to finish around archways like a pro, with a demonstration from a master of the craft, PRC Taping.

PRC Taping finishes drywall like a star athlete, moving quickly and just generally making the whole thing look easy. But you don’t have to be the Muhammed Ali of drywall to finish around archways like a pro. We wouldn’t exactly call drywall finishing an “easy” trade, but these adaptable vinyl solutions do make this part of the job far simpler.

To start, PRC Taping sprays the archway down with 847 Spray Adhesive, a must-have part of any professional finisher’s toolbox. The bead (for this project, PRC is using Jumbo Archway, which is an extra-large spin on our original corner bead design) is carefully pressed into place, evenly applying pressure along its entire length.

Then he uses a cordless electric staple gun — but any ole staple gun with half-inch staples should do here — and applies staples into the bead. Normally, we’d say you only need to apply staples every six to eight inches, but because he chose to forgo spraying both the drywall and the bead with spray adhesive, here PRC Taping doubles up on these numbers to really make sure the bead is permanently affixed to the archway.

Once this has been completed, PRC Taping finishes off the archway by using traditional Jumbo Corner Bead (installed in the same manner as the archway version) on the purely vertical sections of the entryway. Now you would simply apply a few coats of mud to each side of the jamb as you would anything else — just watch for stray drips from the apex of the arch!

Once you master an how to finish around archways like a pro, you may be ready to pull off more ambitious designs, like this insane ceiling using our 350 Bull Archway bead on all its edges.

Want to see PRC Taping finish mudding his archway? You can check out those videos on his Instagram, which is very much worth following for more demonstrations of pro drywall finishing. And while you’re at it, hit the button below to visit our own Instagram page, and give that a follow to never miss a post from us!