Shabby Inside Corners

Sometimes the interior corners of drywall taping look ragged and need to be fixed in order to give the project a nice finish. You can improve the look of the interior corners by using a tape made of metal in the interior. Most tapes are made using paper which tends to crease quickly. However, if you find one that is made of metal or plastic, you’ll have a nice and smooth finish on the inside corners.

Chipped Outside Corner Beads

Paper tape may seem like the most commonly used drywall work but plastic or metal tapes can have a better finish. Unlike paper which tends to chip and crease with time, plastic or metal outside corners will stand the test of time. They do not chip easily. It may cost a lot more but having plastic on the outside corners, especially on areas that receive a lot of traffic, can make the drywall look good for a long time.

Mud Dries Too Fast

When taping drywall there’s always the risk of mud drying long before you apply the paper tape on the inside corners. To avoid this, make sure everything is ready before you start laying the mud. Cut out the paper tape to length and make sure it fits perfectly. Don’t wait until you’ve laid the mud to begin cutting the paper tape. You’ll prevent it from drying too soon.

Tape Shows Through The Drywall Mud

When you have drywall tape that is showing through the mud, you end up with a terrible look. To avoid this, make sure you apply 3 generous coats of mud. Apply the first coat and wait for it to dry out before applying the filler coat. The final coat should be the 3rd one and with this, you shouldn’t see any tape. The tape can show after the second coat. In fact, if it doesn’t show, you need to be worried because it could mean that you applied a very thick second coat. It’s at the final coat where the tape should be completely covered by mud.

Tape Cannot Be Hidden On The Butt Joints

Hiding tape on butt joints can be rather hard because there are no tapers. To make sure the tape is properly hidden on the butt joints, first make sure you use paper tape instead of mesh tape. Use a 10“ or 12” knife to apply the final coat and spread it out gently. Using a 4” knife to apply the filler coat can be problematic. Use a wider knife to make the process easier.

Cracked Drywall Seams

Cracking drywall seams are also a common problem. To fix this, you’ll have to start by using the right taping technique. Every aspect of taping should be done well because it will affect the resulting project. Cracking problems can be avoided by using a mesh tape properly. Do not apply a lot of mudding compound in a single coat. You may assume that a thick coat will help to conceal the tape but it only makes the seams prone to cracking.

Difficulty Repairing Holes

Holes in drywall can occur due to several reasons. It could be a door knob that shuts forcefully and hits the drywall drilling a hole. Because drywall is a fragile material, having holes from time to time is quite common. Before you even start fixing the hole, make sure you carve away any pieces of paper or material that is protruding on the surface of the wall. Once the section is perfectly flat, use mesh joint tape to cover the area together with joint compound. Press the compound gently beyond the mesh. You can also extend the compound to the neighboring surface of the hole using a putty knife and sand it down after that first layer dries.