TAPING DRYWALL

Taping drywall is one of the most crucial elements to any successful drywall installation. However, this is one of the most common areas where mistakes are often made. At LA Drywall Company, we have a preferred process for successful drywall taping which relies on a number of basic factors; All of which, when employed correctly can vastly improve the quality and the performance of a drywall installation.

First and foremost, it is important to install all corner bead prior to taping drywall, and to check that all screws are countersunk (just enough so as NOT to tear the paper however). This is normally achieved by simply running a knife over the surface. At LA Drywall Company we ensure that all of our drywall is hung and secured with absolute precision in mind. A solid installation is crucial to a quality finish.

"Mud" should be mixed with a sufficient amount of water used to create a "pudding like" texture, which is easy to apply and spread. Enough mud should be used to ensure that no air bubbles are left behind, as these will cause headaches further down the line. Air bubbles are almost always the result of a shortage of compound and "wiping tight". We spread at least 6" of mud across a joint to guarantee successful drywall taping.

When taping drywall, the "butts" should be taped before the recessed joints; this way when taping the recessed joints, you will be covering up the ends of all butt joints. "Detail" work should be taken care of after taping the butts and the recessed joints. Detail work should be described as any areas around electrical outlets, pipes or other or other "cut-outs".

Taping drywall should be completed with an adequate number of coats as it will continue to shrink for months after it is painted – often displaying a well defined valley as a result! Taping drywall should be performed in at LEAST 3 coats, utilizing and 8-10" broad knife for the first two coats, and a 12" for the third. For our level 5 finish, a FOURTH coat of joint compound is applied in TOTALITY, in order to promote the highest level of quality and performance. Please visit our Drywall Level Finishes page for further details.

If you would like further information on taping drywall, please do not hesitate to contact one of our technicians today. We will be only too pleased to discuss our methods of taping drywall, and why LA Drywall Company is so highly rated within the drywall industry.