After you have hung Sheetrock, or drywall, you need to apply paper tape and mud to cover the seams and any metal brackets put up to protect corners. How you apply the tape will determine how much work you will have to do after the paper tape and mud have dried. There are a few guidelines on the proper way to apply paper tape to Sheetrock and smooth it out.
Instructions
1. Buy enough supplies for the whole job. You can buy two or three rolls of paper tape for most projects and you may have some left over, but the tape is inexpensive. The joint compound usually comes in a 5-gallon bucket. For a 500-square-foot project, you would need at least one bucket, maybe two, so buy two and return one if you don't use it.
2. Use the 3-inch putty knife to apply a thin coat of joint compound over the seams of the drywall and the metal corner pieces. Start at the ceiling and work your way down. Make sure to keep the compound as smooth as possible for later work. Note: Only do one seam at a time so that you can apply the tape while the compound is still wet.
3. Start the roll of paper tape at the ceiling. Press the end to the joint compound. Use one hand to guide the roll downwards and the other hand to follow the roll, making sure the paper is wrinkle free and flat to the compound.
4. Apply a coat of compound over the paper tape. Again, make sure that the coat is applied as smoothly as possible so that you have less sanding to do when the final coat has been applied. Let the joint compound dry overnight.
5. Apply another coat of joint compound on the second day. Again, make sure to keep it smooth. Allow to dry overnight.
6. Use fine grit sandpaper or a damp sponge to smooth over the dried joint compound and remove any raised compound. The feel and look that you want is flush with the drywall and smooth, with no imperfections. Note: If you have divots or imperfections, use a little joint compound to fix and allow to dry overnight. Then repeat the sanding or sponging.
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