Vinyl, Plastic & PVC Corner Guards

Wally and Floora:

Wally Says:

Floora, did you know vinyl corner guards are the workhorse of the corner protection world? They cut clean, they install fast, and they carry more colors than anything else we stock. An office corridor, a school hallway, a hotel elevator lobby: vinyl suits all three without looking out of place. Most corner jobs start right here.

Here is what to think about when you choose vinyl corner guards:

• Profile Type
  Rigid PVC mounts flat to the wall. Flexible vinyl bends about 10 degrees to fit a corner that sits out of square. Retainer systems let a damaged cover snap off so a new one snaps on, with the retainer left in place.
• Surface and Color
  Textured surfaces hide scuff marks between cleanings, and smooth surfaces look sharper in a finished room. Colors run from 30 shades on the Roppe line up to 86 on the InPro flexible profiles.
• Where It Goes
  Busy corridors take rigid PVC or a retainer system. Wood grain and paintable profiles suit a lobby or a trim run where the guard should blend into the wall.

Buying Tip: Choose the color first, then the profile. Johnsonite millwork guards match Johnsonite wall base colors, which keeps a corridor consistent from floor to corner.

Floora Says:

Thank you, Wally! Installation is where a vinyl corner guard earns its keep, and what sits behind the guard decides the method. Here is how to get it right:

• Check the Paint
  Peel and stick tape bonds to a clean, dry, cured surface. Give fresh paint the full 30 days and the tape holds.
• Match the Mounting
  Adhesive and peel and stick suit finished drywall. Retainers take screws, then the cover snaps over the top. Flush mount profiles drop into 5/8 inch drywall before the wall is finished.
• Order the Extras
  Plain back profiles ship without tape, so add adhesive to the order. Retainer systems arrive with the retainer, the cover and two end caps included.
• Cover the Impact Zone
  Four feet protects a room. Eight feet protects a corridor where carts and gurneys ride high on the wall.

Buying Tip: Keep a spare cover or two for your busiest corridors. A cover swaps out on its own, so the retainer behind it stays on the wall.

Vinyl Corner Guards For Commercial Walls

Vinyl covers most commercial corners. It cuts clean, installs fast, and carries our widest color range. We stock 21 vinyl and PVC profiles from InPro, Koroseal, Johnsonite, Roppe, CS Acrovyn and Koffler. Offices, hotels, schools and clinics all use them. Rigid PVC handles busy corridors. Flexible vinyl bends to fit a corner that sits out of square. Retainer systems pair a vinyl cover with an aluminum backbone for corridors that take cart traffic. Corners that take vehicle traffic do better with rubber corner guards. For every material we stock, start at corner guards.

Vinyl Corner Guard Profiles: Rigid, Flexible, Retainer And Flush Mount

Four profile types cover almost every job.

1. Rigid PVC mounts straight to the wall. Our Koffler textured corner guard line runs from 3/4 inch to 4 inch wings, in 4, 8 and 12 foot lengths.
2. Flexible vinyl from InPro measures .110 inch thick. It flexes roughly 10 degrees in each direction, which covers a corner that is slightly off square.
3. Retainer systems screw an aluminum or vinyl retainer to the corner. The cover snaps over it. Koroseal-Korogard G100 and our own aluminum retainer line both work this way. A damaged cover lifts off and a new one snaps on, with the retainer left in place.
4. Flush mount guards drop into 5/8 inch drywall during construction. The retainer needs no pre-drilling, so the finished corner sits level with the wall.

A 135 degree profile handles wide corners, and the retainer lines add a bull nose for rounded ones.

Vinyl Corner Guard Colors, Finishes And Wood Grain

Textured profiles hide scuffs between cleanings. Smooth profiles give a cleaner edge, and colored PETG holds a crisp line in a finished room.

Wood grain is the decorative option. The InPro Woodland line comes in 24 wood grains and 11 patterns. Johnsonite millwork guards skip priming and painting, so a trim run stays consistent.

Two profiles take paint. The paintable plastic line carries a texture that matches drywall. The flexible polyurethane line accepts paint or stain, in oak or pine grain. Our guide to paintable corner guards installation covers the order of work.

Clear polycarbonate keeps the wall finish visible. See the clear and colored smooth corner guards for sizes.

One vinyl line glows in the dark. Embedded crystals mark an exit path during a power outage.

Colors run from 30 on the Roppe line to 86 on the InPro flexible and aluminum retainer profiles.

Class A fire rated lines: Korogard G100, Korogard G800 and the flush mount system. Flush mount also offers optional 1 hour and 2 hour ratings tested to ASTM E-119. Confirm current test data with our team before it goes into a specification.

Vinyl Corner Guard Specifications

Thirteen vinyl lines give you plenty of choice. Mounting type is the fastest way to narrow them. Retainer systems suit busy corridors, since a damaged cover snaps off and a new one snaps on. Rigid surface mount guards attach straight to a finished corner. Flexible adhesive guards, meanwhile, bend to fit corners that sit slightly off square.

Once you know the mounting type, look at wing size. Wider wings protect more wall where carts and beds pass. Next, choose a length that fits your wall height. Finally, compare color counts if you're matching an existing finish. Every figure below comes straight from that line's product page.

Retainer Systems

A vinyl cover snaps over a hidden aluminum retainer. Most lines offer 2 in and 3 in wings at 90, 135 and bull nose angles.

Aluminum Retainer (A676)
Rigid PVC cover. 4, 8, 9, 10 and 12 ft lengths. Surface mount. 80 colors.

InPro Aluminum Retainer (A685)
.080 in vinyl cover on a .070 in retainer. 4, 8, 9 and 12 ft lengths. Pre-slotted holes. 86 colors.

Flush Mounted (A465)
.100 in vinyl cover on .070 in aluminum. 8, 9, 10 and 12 ft lengths. Drops into 5/8 in drywall. 59 colors.

Korogard G100 (A136)
2 in wings at 90 degrees only. 4 and 8 ft lengths. Hardware and end caps included. 52 colors.

Rigid Surface Mount

These attach straight to the corner with no retainer.

Corner Guards Textured (A677)
Rigid PVC. 3/4 in to 4 in wings. 4, 8 and 12 ft lengths. 90 and 135 degrees. Nails, screws, adhesive or peel and stick. 77 colors.

Korogard G800 (A670)
.078 in textured rigid vinyl. 3/4 in and 1-1/2 in wings. 4 and 8 ft lengths. 90 degrees. Adhesive or peel and stick. 52 colors.

CS Acrovyn VA (A231)
PVC-free Acrovyn at .060 in or .090 in. 3/4 in, 1-1/2 in and 2-1/2 in wings. 4, 8 and 10 ft lengths. 90 degrees with a 3/32 in nose radius. Factory-applied tape. 59 solid and 30 patterned colors.

Plastic Paintable (A679)
1/8 in rigid plastic, 3/16 in with tape. 3/4 in and 1-1/8 in wings. 4 and 8 ft lengths. 90 degrees. Self-stick tape. Paint to match.

Flexible Adhesive Mount

These install with adhesive at 90 degrees unless noted.

InPro Flexible (A686)
.110 in PVC. 3/4 in and 1-1/2 in wings. 4, 8, 9 and 12 ft lengths. 90 and 135 degrees, flexing 10 degrees either way. 86 colors.

Johnsonite Millwork (A681)
Vinyl. 3/4 in, 1-1/4 in, 1-1/2 in and 2-3/8 in wings. 4 and 8 ft lengths. 32 colors.

Roppe Vinyl (A693)
1/8 in vinyl. 1-1/2 in wings. 54 in lengths. 30 colors.

Glow in the Dark (A590)
Vinyl with photoluminescent crystals. 2-3/8 in wings. 4 and 8 ft lengths. 32 colors.

Wood Grain Polyurethane (A1125)
Flexible polyurethane. 3/4 in to 1-1/2 in wings. 12 ft lengths. Construction adhesive or epoxy. Paint or stain.

Class A fire rated lines: Korogard G100, Korogard G800 and the flush mount system. Flush mount also offers optional 1 hour and 2 hour ratings tested to ASTM E-119. Confirm current test data with our team before it goes into a specification.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between vinyl and PVC corner guards?

PVC is the plastic that vinyl profiles are made from, so both names describe the same product. The form is what changes. Rigid PVC holds a fixed shape. Flexible vinyl bends to fit the corner it covers.

Are vinyl corner guards fire rated?

Several are. The Koroseal G100 and G800 lines are Class A fire rated. The flush mount system is Class A as standard, with optional 1 hour and 2 hour ratings tested to ASTM E-119. Confirm current test data before you specify.

Do textured or smooth guards hide scuffs better?

Texture is the usual commercial pick, and our textured PVC line cleans easily. Smooth profiles look sharper in a finished room. Both wipe down, so choose on appearance and on the wall finish around them.

What is a retainer corner guard?

It is a two part system. An aluminum or vinyl retainer screws to the corner. A vinyl cover snaps over it. When a cover gets damaged, a new one snaps on and the wall stays untouched.

Do vinyl corner guards come in wood grain?

Yes. The InPro Woodland line offers 24 wood grains and 11 patterns. Johnsonite millwork guards match trim with no priming or painting. The flexible polyurethane line takes stain in oak or pine grain.

Will peel and stick vinyl guards hold on fresh paint?

Give new paint 30 days to cure first. The tape bonds to a clean, dry, cured surface. Over vinyl wallcovering, use adhesive or screws instead of the self-stick line.