Taping & mudding · Calgary, AB
Drywall taping and mudding in Calgary
Tape bedded over every joint, then coat after coat of compound, each one wider and thinner, so seams and screw heads vanish once the walls are painted.
Free estimate · No obligation
Common requests
- Newly hung drywall ready for finishing
- Seams showing through paint
- Bubbling or peeling tape
- Outside corners needing new bead
- Board hung by a homeowner or another trade
- Patches and additions that need blending in
- Coats
- Usually a bedding coat plus two finish coats, dried in between.
- Materials
- Paper or mesh tape, corner bead, drying or setting-type compound.
- Priced by
- Linear feet of joints, corners, ceiling height and the finish level wanted.
In one paragraph
Taping and mudding turns hung drywall sheets into one continuous surface. Tape is embedded in joint compound over every seam and inside corner, corner bead goes on outside corners, and then two or more wider, thinner coats of compound cover the tape and screws. Each coat dries before the next. Done well, nothing shows through the paint.
The process
Coat by coat
The sequence is simple. The skill is in how flat and how wide each coat goes on, and in waiting for it to dry.
Step 1: Bed the tape
A layer of compound on the joint, tape pressed into it and wiped down firmly so no air is trapped behind. Inside corners get folded paper tape; outside corners get bead.
Tape that is not fully bedded is what bubbles or peels later.
Step 2: Fill coat
Once dry, a wider coat covers the tape and fills the taper along the factory edges of the sheets. Screw heads get their second coat.
Step 3: Finish coat
A thin, wide coat feathered out well past the joint so the eye cannot find where it starts and stops. Butt joints are feathered widest of all.
Step 4: Sand and check
Lightly sanded smooth, then checked with a light held flat against the wall to catch ridges and dips before primer.
Materials
Tape and compound
Drying compound
Pre-mixed compound in a bucket, which hardens as its water evaporates. Easy to sand and forgiving to work with, but each coat needs time to dry, which depends on thickness, temperature and humidity.
Setting compound
A powder mixed with water that hardens by chemical reaction in a set time. Used for bedding tape, filling deep gaps and speeding up repairs. Harder to sand, so it is usually covered with a drying-type finish coat.
| Tape or bead | Common use |
|---|---|
| Paper tape | Common useFlat joints and inside corners. Strong once bedded. |
| Fibreglass mesh tape | Common usePatches and some flat joints, usually with setting compound. |
| Metal corner bead | Common useOutside corners that take knocks. |
| Paper-faced bead | Common useOutside corners; resists edge cracking well. |
| Flexible or off-angle tape | Common useVaulted ceilings, angles and bulkheads. |
Why seams show
Common taping problems, and what causes them
Most visible seams trace back to one of these. They are also the usual trouble spots with DIY finishing.
A ridge down the joint
Coats not feathered wide enough, or tape sitting proud of the surface.
Bubbles or blisters in the tape
Not enough compound under the tape, or it was wiped too dry.
Seam visible only after paint
Compound and paper absorbing paint differently. Primer fixes it.
Dips over screws
Compound shrank because it was coated or sanded before it was dry.
Hairline cracks in corners
Too much compound in an inside corner, or movement at the joint.
Sanding scratches and fuzzy paper
Over-sanding through the compound into the paper face.
Started a DIY taping job that is not going well?
That is a common request. Tell the contractor what has been done so far and they can take it from there.
In Calgary
Drying time and the season
Calgary’s dry air generally helps drying-type compound dry, but a cold, unheated space slows it right down, and a very hot, dry room can dry the surface of a thick coat before the inside. Basements and additions are often the spaces where this matters, because the heat may not be fully running yet. Steady, moderate heat and some air movement give the most predictable results.
Once the coats are done, the next step is sanding and finishing to the right level for how the room will be painted and lit.
Common questions
Taping and mudding questions
Question not answered here? Ask it in your estimate request.
What is the difference between taping and mudding?
How many coats of mud does drywall need?
Paper tape or mesh tape?
Can you finish drywall that someone else hung?
Why can I see the seams after painting?
Related
Also worth reading
- ServiceDrywall finishing and finish levelsWhat comes after the coats: sanding, finish levels and skim coating.
- ServiceDrywall installationHow the sheets are hung decides how many joints there are to tape.
- ServiceBasement drywallTaping a basement development, bulkheads and all.
- ServiceRepairing failed seamsCracked, bubbled or peeling tape on existing walls.
Free, no-obligation estimate
Get a free taping and mudding estimate
Tell the contractor what stage the drywall is at and what finish you are aiming for.
Useful to include
- Is the board hung already, and by whom?
- Roughly how many rooms or square feet
- Ceiling heights and any bulkheads or arches
- Finish: ready for paint, or ready for tile
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