Most homes here in the US have drywall instead of plaster for the interior walls. Drywall provides a nice looking finish when painted, and can be repaired if damaged using tape and mud. Here are a few tips to consider when taping drywall whether you are doing a new install or repairing existing drywall.
Mix The Compound
Joint compound is the main material used for hiding seams, holes, and tape. Making sure your joint compound is mixed properly is very important in order to reduce clumping or uneven compound when smearing. In order to get the best finished look possible, compound should be consistent to eliminate air bubbles. One easy way to ensure that your compound is mixed properly is to buy pre-mixed joint compound.
Thin The Compound
Buying pre-mixed joint compound can help ensure that the mix is consistent; however, pre-mixed compound is usually way too thick to apply straight from the pail. Before you smear pre-mixed compound on your walls, make sure to thin it first by using some water in a mixing trowel.
Apply Compound First
When you have two pieces of drywall that are touching each other, you need to fill the seam in with compound first. Many people make the mistake of applying tape first, and then putting compound over it. The right way to do this is to apply compound to the joint first, and then put tape over the compound. This ensures the tape will be free of air pockets which will give you a smoother finish.
Scrape Ridges
Many people use a DrywalPro to scrape away debris, but you can also scrape away ridges or clumps using your trowel. Making sure that you scrape away debris between coats is the best way to ensure that your finish will come out in the best way possible. Too many people make the mistake of covering debris with more mud. The issue with this is that when you do sand or start to level out the compound, it can quickly tear away huge chunks if debris is underneath it.
Tape Over Metal Corners
You will get a much better result if you tape over metal corners instead of just trying to cover the corners with drywall. Using tape will help eliminate future cracking and gaps.
As you can see, these tips can help you the next time you need to install or repair some drywall.