Baseboards have been around in construction for as long as they have for a reason. They look nice enough, they protect the bottom edge of your drywall and, most importantly for some finishers looking to move on to the next job as quickly as possible, you can always bust out a baseboard as a last-ditch effort to cover up your mistakes. But there’s also something so clean, modern and unique about a trimless look around your floor-to-wall joints — and you don’t have to sacrifice protecting the bottom edge of your drywall sheets to pull that look off. Here’s how to use Shadow Bead like a pro, with some help from our friend PRC Taping!
Check out the short video below to see how PRC uses this stylish corner-bead solution — specifically, our Architectural Z Shadow Bead, one of Trim-Tex's most popular products — to finish a sharp, trimless effect with clean lines and no mess.
PRC Taping is a consummate professional in the drywall finishing world, and his technique here is something to behold. First thing you’ll probably notice is those rolling kneepads he’s on; if you haven’t used them before, those are called Knee Blades, and they allow you to be way more mobile while on your knees, making it far easier to work on the base of the wall for a good chunk of your day. (No such luck on making that kind of work any easier on your back, though.)
The other handy little trick that PRC Taping demonstrates is to grab some kind of scrap — he uses a slim piece of foam here — that will fit right in the joint gap to catch any bits of mud that may drip down from the Shadow Bead while you’re finishing it. This way, when you’re done mudding, there will be very little to clean up behind you, allowing you to move on to the next thing that much more quickly.
Besides these small hacks, learning how to use Shadow Bead like a pro is a lot like learning how to install most other standard vinyl corner beads. The only huge difference here is that you have to make sure the drywall is hung to leave the correctly sized gap for the length of the Z Shadow Bead you’ve selected from one of our trusted dealer partners, and of course, that its return leg matches the width of your drywall sheet. There are a number of sizes for each surface of the bead to choose from to get the right fit for your walls.
To install a Z Shadow Bead, line the bead up with the base of your wall, fitting the return leg flush against the bottom edge of the drywall. Then use staples every 6 to 8 inches along the mud leg and/or spray adhesive to attach the bead to the drywall, and you’re ready for your first coat of mud. By the time you’ve applied your finishing 
mud coat, it will almost look like your wall is hovering above the floor. Since we’re talking about high-quality, highly durable PVC materials here, that Shadow Bead will be more than enough to take a ton of impact over time without getting noticeably damaged.
Of course, there are plenty of other areas that can benefit from the subtle flair of a Z Shadow Bead, like around windows, doors, ceiling details and even baseboards, if you do want trim around your floors (pictured above). Once you learn how to use Shadow Bead like a pro, there’s a whole world of sharp, clean edges you’re ready to tackle!
Want to get a close-up look at Architectural Z Shadow Bead for yourself? You can request a sample by hitting the button below!