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Had to choose between mesh tape or paper tape for a ceiling repair last week

I was doing a 12x14 ceiling patch job and couldn't decide which tape to use. Mesh tape is faster but paper tape is stronger for flat seams. I went with paper tape because the guy at the supply house said ceilings sag if you cheap out. Big mistake - the paper tape bubbled up on me after the first coat. Took me an extra 2 hours to sand it down and redo it. Should have just used mesh tape and been done with it. Has anyone else had paper tape fail on a ceiling like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

blakem3715d ago

Did you pre-fill the paper tape with mud before laying it down?

mia74815d ago

blakem37 asking about pre-filling the mud before laying it down, that's the exact kind of detail that's supposed to save you. But here's the thing I've noticed with everything in life, not just drywall. People always tell you the "right way" is slower and stronger, but half the time the "wrong way" works fine and doesn't give you grief. Like how everyone swears by cast iron pans for eggs, but I've been using nonstick for years without a single stuck egg. Meanwhile my buddy followed the cast iron instructions to the letter and ended up with a burnt mess. Sometimes the faster option is actually the better one when you factor in how much time you waste fixing the "proper" method.

wright.lisa15d ago

Fair point, but I think there's a difference between fixing a mistake and cutting corners that come back to bite you. Pre-filling the mud isn't about being fancy, it's about not having bubbles or cracks show up six months later when the tape lifts. Your buddy's cast iron struggle sounds more like a learning curve than proof the method doesn't work, no?