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Drywall taping?

Becca

Members
We are thinking of finishing off an unfinished-ish section of the lower level of our house.

My father is an architect/DIY/mad genius type and thinks he could manage the bulk of it in a few days with some help (me, yay!) provided that someone does the drywall taping. He hates drywall taping.

My (completely unfishy) question - what the bleep is drywall taping? How does one tape drywall? Why is it so detestable? Does anyone here know how to do it well? Could you offer pointers? Is this a skill someone could learn or is it better to hire someone to do it?
 

ddavila06

Members
i hate doing drywall, hate the taping part the most!! :/ if its not done properly, it cracks and its easily noticeable ...
 
Yep it's a pain in the butt.

To conceal the seams in drywall you will put drywall tape over the seam. Then spread joint compound over the tape. After it dries you have to sand it smooth to conceal the seam.
If not done properly it will crack or appear lumpy and expose the seam. Done right you would not be able to tell there is a seam there at all after painting.
 

Localzoo

Board of Directors
Yep it's a pain in the butt.

To conceal the seams in drywall you will put drywall tape over the seam. Then spread joint compound over the tape. After it dries you have to sand it smooth to conceal the seam.
If not done properly it will crack or appear lumpy and expose the seam. Done right you would not be able to tell there is a seam there at all after painting.

Yea you can speed or slow drying time based on the mud or type of tape your using. They sell different kinds.
If your good at frosting you can probably do the mudding easy peasie... Susie was good at mudding bc she bakes so often. If you but the drywall up really well the taping process will be easier. Sanding is easy but if done wrong you will need to apply more compound. Dep on when we might be able to help
Also if it's the room I'm thinking of the weather will be a factor also too hot or cold effects the drying time speed etc causing it to crack also.


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FishEggs

Well-Known Member
DRYWALL TAPING PARTY AT BECCA's YAY!!!

It's not hard. It's just a process that takes lots of practice just like anything else. Yes it can be a pain in the butt.
I'm guessing the lower level means partly below ground with masonry walls? In that case i recommend using a powder mix, that sets up chemically instead of just drying, to set the tape and then you can do the finish coat with the premixed mud in a bucket.
How soon will you be taking on this project?
 

Becca

Members
Yea you can speed or slow drying time based on the mud or type of tape your using. They sell different kinds.
If your good at frosting you can probably do the mudding easy peasie... Susie was good at mudding bc she bakes so often. If you but the drywall up really well the taping process will be easier. Sanding is easy but if done wrong you will need to apply more compound. Dep on when we might be able to help
Also if it's the room I'm thinking of the weather will be a factor also too hot or cold effects the drying time speed etc causing it to crack also.


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Yeah, thinking in the fall bc of temps.

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ricksnipe

Members
Make sure that you apply mud over the seems than apply the tape. After that ensure you smooth it out in 1 smooth swipe. if not it wont stick well and will cause you issue in the long run.
 

Becca

Members
Make sure that you apply mud over the seems than apply the tape. After that ensure you smooth it out in 1 smooth swipe. if not it wont stick well and will cause you issue in the long run.

Sort of like silicone seams in a fish tank... My seams usually look lovely, but I can't say much for how well they hold :-(
 

xny89

Administrator
Staff member
I don't mind the taping part, I dislike the sanding part. Also, getting quality taping knives is important as well. Practice makes perfect, and remember that it shrinks as it dries. My experience is that you fill the joint with compound, lay the tape on the surface (I've been using the mesh tape over the past several years - don't even know if the old perforated paper still exists) and go back over it with the knife and embed it into the compound leaving it as smooth as you can and then leave it alone. Come back after it's dried, sand smooth, find low spots and fill, usually with a wide knife to get the joint flat. In the sanding part, the dust will go everywhere! Would be glad to help, but I can tell you that I have yet to perfect my ability, so I do ALOT of sanding. LOL
 

carl_d_c

Members
Sorry that you live so far away, or I'd come up and finish it for you.
Paper tape in the corners, fiberglass on the bevel joints, and butt joints. Use a6" knife to start, and to second coat the corners (one side at a time works best) and then a 10 or 12" knife to feather the edges of the bevel joints, and butt joints.

They make wet sanding systems, to minimize the dust, I use a sander attached to a vacuum... it's virtually dust free.

Good luck
 

Becca

Members
Sorry that you live so far away, or I'd come up and finish it for you.
Paper tape in the corners, fiberglass on the bevel joints, and butt joints. Use a6" knife to start, and to second coat the corners (one side at a time works best) and then a 10 or 12" knife to feather the edges of the bevel joints, and butt joints.

They make wet sanding systems, to minimize the dust, I use a sander attached to a vacuum... it's virtually dust free.

Good luck

Thanks for the tips. Survey says I shouldn't attempt it until the weather cools a bit (but not too cold) so maybe I've got time to get some practice in.
 
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