Corner protection for vulnerable walls
Who would want to be the corner of a wall? In a hospital, school, office, car park or lift lobby you are a sitting duck for wheelchairs, furniture, post trollies, wheelie bins, suitcases and bicycles that can bump into you and remove a lump of plaster or leave a big scrape mark. Either way, if you don’t get repaired the damage will only get worse, and if you are patched and given a quick lick of paint, what is to stop it all happening again?
For the most vulnerable spots, use Plastic Angle. It is easy to fit, smart or neutral in appearance and a lot cheaper than repairing the wall again. If it gets smacked, remember that anything inflicting visible damage to the Angle would make a pretty mess of the wall if it hadn’t been there.
So what do you need to consider about using corner protection:
When to fit it?
The best time is onto a new wall, before any damage is done. It gives the best fixing surface, flat and secure, rather than crumbling underneath. A repaired wall is also fine, but using Angles to cover over physical damage could backfire. Consider any well-used public area, especially where wheeled objects are commonly passing.
How to fix the Angle?
Drilling and screwing is secure, but might not look smart enough. Contact adhesive will work, being good for porous surfaces, but in the hands of a novice it can be messy and slow. For quickest results use pre-applied adhesive tape, which is suitable for most surfaces and can often be supplied already on the Angles.
What colour choice is there?
The popular choice is usually white, hence most hardware shops will have a selection of sizes for you. But don’t give up there, as black, grey, cream, brown, red, silver and clear are available from the best stockists, such as Tubeway’s online store. Be careful to match the colour, as there are many shades of white for example, and a near miss can look worse than a complete contrast.
Can you get invisible Angles?
Not quite, but clear Angle is a good choice for brick and dark surfaces. It can also be good for ornate wallpaper and arty installations, where the eye should be drawn to the designer pattern or marketing slogans, not the corners of the wall. Clear PVC Angle is not glass clear however, and will have a faint tint caused by its chemical composition, so check first for lightly coloured surfaces.
Will corner Angles make my office look like a hospital?
If you are getting or likely to get damage, it might be better to consider what it will look like without protection. With a bit of thought you could even make the corners a colour feature.
Do Angles come in different sizes?
Yes, to take account of the likely damage or match other fittings. Different thicknesses as well, for heavy-duty areas like car parks and hospital corridors. There are also different styles, with square or rounded corners, equal or unequal leg lengths.
How high should they be fitted?
Most damage to a wall will occur below waist height, so if you have a dado or running rail along the wall, it can look smart going just from floor to rail. The alternative is full wall height.
Are spare lengths a good idea?
Recommended, in case the odd one or two get damaged. It could save a lot of hunting around trying to find the same size later on.
Should I buy in bulk or do an area at a time?
There can be big price advantages to buying and fitting in bulk, so if you are going to need them eventually, it is well worth considering. Tubeway offer discounts on multiple Angle packs, and for 500m+ there are significant savings from having them made to order.
If you have any other questions, contact the Tubeway Sales team at [email protected]
For Angles visit https://www.tubewaysales.com/cat/plastic-angles/
For Tapes visit https://www.tubewaysales.com/cat/self-adhesive-double-sided-tape/