Sheetrock Repair....what tape do I use?

Sheetrock Repair....what tape do I use? Does it really matter what tape I use to do a sheetrock repair? It depends on how many sheetrock repairs you will be making. If you are doing alot of little sheetrock repairs, I would suggest using a webbing tape. Here's another reason:

Webbing tape comes with an adhesive on the back of it. You simply put the webbing tape on your sheetrock repair area & you are ready to apply the sheetrock mud. It's a pretty simple process & one that keeps your hands clean from the sheetrock mud you will be applying as you don't put any mud on until you have completed putting on the webbing tape.

I usually put the tape on then use a 4" sheetrock putty knife to cut the end of the tape with. Unroll & put the tape on your sheetrock repair area then place your 4" knife on the tape end. Hold the remaining roll of tape at a 45 degree angle & quickly "rip" it off. This may take you a couple of times to master but you'll get the hang of it. Now gently wipe down the applied tape with your knife. That's it.

If you have an open seam area at your sheetrock repair (I'm talking a fairly large open seam), you might want to think about applying 2 overlapping layers of the webbing tape. This will give it a little more support than just one layer. Once you apply the sheetrock mud to the sheetrock repair area, the mud will penetrate through the little holes of the webbing tape & will make a good bond to this area.

You can even patch over large sheetrock repair areas like an unused light switch or old electrical plug location. You will want to put several overlapping layers of webbing tape here. Apply the sheetrock mud & presto. Make sure you apply at least two coats of mud over this sheetrock repair area to get a great bond, then apply a final thin layer of sheetrock mud over that (called a skim coat).

Read my article/post: "Drywall patch.....what material do I use" for installing "quickset" to your patch areas (as a suggestion). For all your sheetrock repairs, webbing tape is the way to go, hands down.

Yeah, you can use paper tape for your sheetrock repairs. You have to install the mud first then apply the tape then wipe the tape down. The trick here is making sure you have applied enough sheetrock mud to your sheetrock repair area before applying the tape, as you do not want any air bubbles under the tape or your sheetrock repair area will have ripples in it when you are done.

You may get some sheetrock mud on your hands while doing the paper tape process & once this happens, it starts getting worse (depending on how many sheetrock repair areas you will be completing). I like to keep my hands clean, when completing sheetrock repairs, & don't like to stop & start, stop & start between tape, mud, tape, mud, if you know what I mean.

The webbing tape will accomplish the same thing but cleaner & in some cases, you will get a stronger sheetrock repair. Paper tape also will not properly cover large sheetrock repair areas like old electrical box locations or gapping holes in your sheetrock. Now you're seeing what I'm talking about huh? Webbing tape just makes so much more sense for your sheetrock repairs......doesn't it?

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Patch On!

VideoJoeKnows