What is beading?

A bead is a decorative woodworking feature which comes in strips, similar in appearance to a moulding. Although they look very similar, there are several differences between the two:

Material

Beading is usually made of wood, whereas a mould is often made from plaster or plastic, as well as wood.

Profile

The shapes created on beads are usually less complex than those on moulds.

Beading usually consists of rounded edges of different sizes, in the style of a string of beads, hence the name. The term reed is sometimes used for beading with two or more curves in its profile.

Use

Another difference between the two is that a bead is most commonly used for practical reasons, such as to hide cables or wires, or to conceal the joint between two materials.

Beads are often used to cover the seam where a wall meets a floor.

However, they can also be used around the inside edge of window frames. This creates a more pleasing finish between the glass and the frame.

Although a mould can also be used in this way, because of its more elaborate design, it is usually used as a purely decorative feature.