Drywall tape completely disappears when applied correctly.
Drywall is a type of wallboard made of gypsum and covered with paper. Because it is fire-resistant, its use is mandated by most local building codes for covering interior walls. Drywall is sold in 4-foot-wide sheets, and when it is installed, the edges of these sheets must be covered with tape before the application of joint compound, or mud. Common tape materials are paper and fiberglass, and proper application will ensure the seams are hidden and the wall is flat when the mudding is completed.
Instructions
1. Make sure the drywall seams are securely connected to the studs and that the edges of the two sheets of drywall are even with each other. Make sure all screws and nails are sunk sufficiently into the drywall. Their heads should be below the surface of the paper, ideally without breaking it.
2. Mix some powdered joint compound with water, or use the pre-mixed variety. Scoop some onto a tray, and examine it for dust or chunks of dried material. Remove any of these you find.
3. Use a drywall blade to spread a row of mud along an entire seam, either from top to bottom or from left to right. The width of this row should be slightly larger than the width of the tape. It doesn't matter if you spread too much mud, but don't spread too little and leave voids along the seam.
4. Roll out enough tape to completely cover the seam, and tear or cut it off of the roll. Lay the tape on top of the seam, and let it stick to the mud.
5. Use the edge of the drywall blade to scrape along the surface of the tape, squeezing mud out from underneath and flattening the tape against the wall. Deposit the excess mud back onto your tray as you go. When you are finished, the tape should be flat against the wall, and there should be no bubbles. Lift the tape from the wall at places you see bubbles, add a little more mud underneath, and then scrape the tape flat.
6. Tape inside corners in the same way, spreading a line of mud on each wall, laying on the tape, and scraping off the excess.
7. Overlap the end of the tape covering a perpendicular seam directly on top of tape that has been previously applied.
8. Let the mud dry overnight, and apply two or three coats of mud on top to feather the seam into the wall.
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