drywall taping

[gerambio]

I recently purchaced a 3 bedroom home that has been vacant for 3-4 years,
I need to replace some drywall, I have hung drywall before but never had to do the taping. I could really use step-by-step instructions on how to do this project.
any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Bruno1949]

Wall joint compound, MUD as it is known, comes in various set-up times. 90 minute mud is rock hard when dry and it’s a pain to sand. Stick with something around 30-60 minute set-up time, that’s your standard mud. Buy it in 5 gallon buckets because you will be using a LOT of it! Tape can be either perforated paper or plastic mesh. It’s your choice, both work fine.

As for the actual taping and mudding: stir the mud and never let the dry mud on the top or sides of the bucket get into the fresh mud. You don’t want lumps in the mud.

Use a 6-8 inch wide blade to put down a 1/2″ thick layer of mud on the joint. Lay the tape over the layer of mud and sweep smoothly down the joint with the blade at a 45 degree angle to the wall to embed the tape into the mud. Don’t press too hard, you want a layer of mud under the tape but you don’t want the tape and mud to stand out from the wall. Go to both sides of the joint and smooth off the ridges you will normally get. Get off all the big ridges but don’t be too worried about getting the joint perfect.

Let the joint dry for a few hours or overnight if possible. If the joint is fairly smooth you can apply more mud. If the joint is lumpy you will have to sand it smooth first. Use sandpaper on a wall sander and wear a mask! You will be amazed at how much dust you create!

This time use a wider blade, 10-12″. Fill the blade with a good amount of mud and sweep it down the joint. The mud should end up as a very thin layer at the outside with a smooth heavier center over the joint. That’s called feathering. This time try to get the mud as smooth as possible and as wide as possible. The joint should be about a foot wide by now. Look the joint over and be sure you don’t have any high spots. The joint should extend above the wallboard by no more than 1/8″. Ignore the low spots for now.

Let dry and sand and re-mud the low spots. By now you should be very close to the end. Let dry, check, touch up anything that doesn’t look right, and sand again if necessary. When you run your hand over the joint you shouldn’t feel it. It should be smooth and level with the wallboard.

All the screw holes only take a quick swipe with the smaller knife. The mud shinks as it dries, so you will have to go back two or three times to get them level with the wallboard.

Once you get the hang of it mudding isn’t all that bad. It takes a lot of time, it takes effort, and it’s messy, but it’s worthwhile doing yourself.

[Author]

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