15
Rant: Old timer told me to stop using mesh tape on inside corners, tried his way
Been doing drywall for about 5 years now, always used mesh tape on inside corners because that's how my first boss taught me. Last week I was working a basement job in Cincinnati and this guy in his 60s who was doing the framing next door came over and watched me for a minute. He said "you're making extra work for yourself with that mesh, just use paper tape and a mud knife." I told him I always got cracks with paper tape but he said I was probably not embedding it right. So I let him show me his method on one corner. He wets the tape first, then pushes it in with a 6 inch knife, then runs a thin coat over it. Let it dry, then second coat with a wider knife. That was 10 days ago, I came back today to sand and that corner is still perfect no cracks. The mesh tape corners I did earlier that week already have a hairline crack starting. I'm kinda pissed I wasted years using mesh now. Anyone else stubbornly stick with one method and then find out the old way actually works better?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
jordanc3218d ago
Yeah Gavin's right about that. Wetting it softens the glue layer too much and can make it lift later on. Better to just get the mud thin enough so it soaks through the paper on its own.
10