I read somewhere the mesh tape should only be applied with setting-type compound you mix yourself. Use pre-mixed compound only for paper joints and additional coats. Never combine mesh tape and pre-mixed compound. But a guy I worked for said it was OK and we applied the mesh tape and all three coats with CGC brand pre-mixed compound.

Is he right or wrong? It seems to come out all right. I have work of my own to do here can I do it the same way? If not what is the preferred method?

Should I use the setting-type compound and mesh to tape the walls? Or paper tape and pre-mixed compound? I like how the mesh tape settles into the putty and I can scrape off the excess with the knife. But I'm not keen on working with a product I have to mix myself and will dry in such a short period of time. Is the recommended setting-type compound difficult to mix and work with?

Also what are your thoughts on sanding v. sponge? I sanded my walls and the results were very nice. But it was awfully dusty. The sponge wasn't as messy but it left little lines in the compound. Was I not using the correct technique? Did I not let it dry enough? Or is that normal? Would the primer cover that up?

Look forward to hearing all your suggestions.

 

I personally do not like the mesh tape. Yes it is good for problem areas where the joint is more prone to crack. I don't think it makes a difference on what type of mud you use. I think he was telling you that, because you have to use a heavier application with the mesh, so drying time would be slower with a premix. The sponge works fine for the bulk of removal, but I would still follow up with a fine light sanding.
If you develope the art of feathering, there really isn't much sanding to do.

When I gutted my entire house. I hired someone to spackle. I don't consider myself good enough to spackle an entire house. For a small price they were in and out in two days, Which would have taken me at least a week and a half. Pluse they were much cleaner than I would have been.

 

Well I have used both and I like the paper tape best. I have not found that the type of mud makes any diff. in the tape. If you take your time and lay the mud on thin and build coats you can spoung as good as sanding. If you have any high or very rough areas then you need to sand. The mesh is great in areas that will crack but will split out in time.

Rod

 

Mesh tape has glue on it so no mud is needed to apply it to the drywall.Its good for stress cracks,so they don't come back.
Tape you need to apply mud to the drywall.but mesh you can't fold in half for the corners.Most of the spacklers i see use tape.they have a machine which
puts tape and spackle at the same time real quick.Its all pre-mixed out of the pail
quick drying spackle is powder.

when i spackle i put it on with a shovel.Than remove it with a belt sander.

 

I am a contractor and i find its all a matter of preference. I use the mesh cause it sticks to the drywall and if it lifts its usually like a bubble that i can cut out and re compound. You can use any type of compound on the mesh. Here they sell large rolls of the mesh 36 inches wide that you can oil prime plaster walls and then put this stuff on and compound over a cracked wall and it will resurface the wall and make it look great . I wouldnt use the paper anymore it raises sometimes and personally i dont think it makes as good a bond cause you can use the mesh and the compound fills the entire joint not just covers it.. plus you can use compound and mesh to fill in odd sections of the wall where there are holes in plaster walls. (were i live there are alot of lathe and structolite walls with plaster overlay on them )

 

I found the mesh so much easier to work with for that reason because I don't worry about applying a first coat to hold the paper in place. I cut my lengths of tape to length for each joint, and press the tape in place as I apply the first coat of putty over top, working the tape down into the seam with a few strokes of the knife. Once it dries it shrinks enough there's lots more room to fill more putty in the little dip between the sheets of drywall.

So how thick/wide a coat do you recommend for the first coat to hold the mesh in place? Thin dries quicker but is it ok if the tape is still showing thru the first application of compound?

Thank you

Also what is the best way to prep the wall between coats? is a light sanding required, or can I use a sponge. I'm thinking I'd rather practice using the sponge than keep cleaning up all that dust.

 

Some Other Tips,
If you use paper Make sure to use enough Mud to Embed the tape "Dont skimp"
DO NOT sand on the paper where you dont have the mud.
Float out about 12 inches on eather side of tape joints
Alot of guys I know mud the hole wall
Buy a corner Knife if you have any of them to do.
I like the paper tape best, It works for me.

 

i put a real thin coat on first. second coat is thick and i use a four inch knife for the first coat and i use a twelve inch on the second one. I try to do it in such a way that sanding is at a minimum. usually after the second one i scuff it down some and then apply a third real thin coat to fill in imperfections. the third coat is so thin its barely there. and after that its a real light sand if necessary and then prime and paint
the guy who taught me how to tape and mud as he called it was an old Italian guy from the other side. He was a professional plaster contractor. He used to get called in to landmark houses and was paid to replicate plaster moldings and all in corners and around light fixtures ( commonly sold as plastic medallions in Lowes and Home Depot today) i swear this guy was the Michaelangelo of plaster.
Another trick i learned is that if you want compound to dry quicker just mix in some plaster of paris into it and it helps dry quicker. it also gives it more body if you want to patch a crack or something

 

The key to getting paper tape to stay put is to bed it in a good, wet ready-mix (add a little water to the bucket), and don't use so much force on the knife that you squeeze all the mud out from behind the tape. If I'm doing just a patch, I'll even get the paper tape wet first in the sink. Mesh tape doesn't work well in corners, and corner knives will often cut through whatever tape you put there.

It's always easier to put on another thin coat than to do some extra sanding...

Jason

 

That's called a banjo.
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I prefer the mesh tape because I find it faster and easier to apply then putting a thin bed of mud, then applying paper tape.

I also prime the walls before I tape and mud.

That way, when I sand, I don't sand into the sheetrock paper.

 

Whew! I hire someone to do our drywall work. I did one room and it took forever and I was not happy with the results. I just pay someone to do it now. It is the kind of thing that is worth it to me to have someone who is experienced and skilled do it rather than me fumbling around and getting less than desirable results.

 

I prefer tape for joints and the mesh for cracks like the house settling kind.
With paper I apply a thin base layer. Moisten the tape in water. Apply thin top layer. Then blend with a large, rectangle, damp sea sponge virtually no sanding.

 

That's what I plan to do next time, hire someone to mud and sand.

My last house project involved roughly 150+ sheets of 1/2" and 5/8" sheetrock.

The vaulted ceilings were a "beach", especially over the stairwell.

Luckily I rented a sheetrock lift. Just lost one sheet, but still used it for the smaller sections.

What killed me was the sanding. I wanted a smooth finish.

Yep. I'll sub it out next time.

 

just keep practicing it gets easier and easier its not that hard to get a real good look while doing it

 

Well here's the story. I had put an ad on the internet that I'm looking for a renovation job. Somewhere I could work for a contractor that needs a helper. I got experience, I'm hard working, I can work without supervision and all that.

So this woman calls asks if I can finish her drywalling. Says all the drywall is up all she needs is someone to tape, finish and paint. I did that before, I'm not a bad painter, always turned out nice. And she's willing to pay cash. So I said sure.

Well when I got there, let me just say it's all f'd up. The sheets of drywall are all hung crooked, the cut ends are crooked, there's huge gaps between the wall and the ceiling where the wall is too short by like 4 or 5 inches. She wants me to just pack it all full of compound. And all the screws are crooked with the head sticking out. Maybe not all of them, but at least 80% of them. I mean whoever did this work for her is either the world's worst drywaller, or he was drunk that day. I know I'm not a contractor or anything, but I know what I know how to do and I can drywall better than that.

I told her I'd have to drive home all the screws before I could tape anything and I'd have to come back tomorrow with my drill cuz I'm not doing all that with my screwdriver. But she insisted I start taping today cuz she's taking time off work. Well it's her money, so I went ahead and taped the ones that were not too wobbly with not too many screws sticking out. I'll have to do some of it over again when I go back tomorrow with my drill and fasten all those drywall screws. But she's paying me by the hour so its her money right?

Anyway she had a big roll of paper tape for me, I wet the strips in a bucket of water and diluted the compound some and put it on thin. That worked really good. I don't have one of those corner trowels, I use the wide putty knife and apply it perpendicular to the corner seams. I got a pretty good touch from years of doing cement.

Where she wants me to fill those huge gaps between the wall and ceiling full of compound I used some mesh I brought. I hope once it dries, it'll hold the compound like she wants. If it doesn't, I'll cut the loose ends straight and hang up some more drywall so the seams are nice and snug and tape it right.

I think I might have bit off more than I can chew saying I could finish this for her. But the guy who did the drywall before me is really bad... so I don't think they're that fussy. I'm charging her $15/hour which is pretty cheap. She said she paid him for the drywall job and was gonna get him to come back and fix all those crooked screws... (yeah good luck lady I thought

Anyway they were happy with my results. I only put in 3 hours today and I got one room all taped.

I want to know what to do about those big gaps between the wall and the ceiling. Can I fill them up with lots of putty like she wants, or should I cut the ends straight, hang some more drywall and fix it right?

Also tomorrow I'm gonna put the second coat of mud on the room I taped today... should I rough sand or sponge between each coat? I put the first coat on pretty even.