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Drywall Tape Coat – How to

Drywall tape coat is a coat of mud that covers your taped seam. Drywall finishing may seem to be a can be a frustrating, gut-wrenching experience, especially if you are unprepared for it. However, with the right information, skills, techniques, and guides, you can achieve excellent results with minimal tears. Be sure to get the correct information from your drywall supplier and follow the guidelines as outlined so as to get desirable results.

Mudding Preparation

Preparation is the key to great results. Before embarking on any project, it is wise to fully prepare than simply rushing into action. Here are the steps you should follow when installing drywall finishing:

  • Inspect the walls and replace any damaged drywall
  • Clear all dust from the walls, so that you can start the process with sparkling clean walls as opposed to covering up dirty walls with drywall.
  • Cover the edge of the walls with newspaper and the whole floor if you are mudding the ceiling.
  • Make sure all the seams and corners of the walls are flat and secure.

The other issue on the preparation that you should be very careful of is on tools and equipment tools. Experts of drywall supplies are the best to help you through this.

Golden tip: Always try to use old-fashioned tried and tested tools. This is what the experts use.

Drywall Tape Coat Application

The main objective of applying the drywall tape coat is to make sure that the seams are invisible, by applying a complete cover of about 4-6” on either side of the seam. Then apply mud to your flat seams and complete them before tackling the corners. To achieve a smooth coat, apply constant pressure on the tip of your knife and keep moving. It is advisable that you carry two knives to allow you to clear the knife used to smooth the seams making the work a lot easier.

Allow your mud to dry for about 24-36 hours before continuing to the next step-sanding.

Sanding The Drywall Tape Coat

The main purpose of sanding a drywall is to achieve a beautifully attractive finished drywall. It is expected that sanding should be done between each coat but it is labor-intensive and a dusty practice. However, experts have come up with perfect ways of applying mud hence sanding is now mostly done on the final coat of drywall mud. The final coat, in this case, is the drywall tape coat.
For health consciousness, it is advisable to use a dust mask in order to protect yourself against inhalation of dust. Moreover, a sanding sponge is strongly recommended over a dusting block. A dusting sponge helps eliminate excessive dusting since it is slightly damp.

Good sanding results are built on the foundation of good taping and final sanding is the last chance to get the whole process of drywall installation. While doing the final sanding, it is important to sand with a light touch. Remember you only want to smoothen the ridges or high spots in your mud. Control the sandpaper with an easy, light touch to avoid scuffing and gouging the surface finish.

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