when repairing sheetrock in a ceiling?

Question

are you supposed to mud up the area before you apply the paper tape or after or both?

Answer 1

mud, install tape, push tape into the mud to set it to the sheetrock then cover with mud to fill the tapered indent. re coat and spread the seam out about another inch. repeat again. on end of sheet joints, cover the seam, lay tape, set, recover. repeat as above, twice, widening the mud to make the seam invisible. on corners mud both sides, tape, set, recover. the next day, just do one side of the corner, do the other the following day. repeat for the next two days, and the corner joints will be easy. you should have a 4", 6", and 10 or 12" knifes to do this well. the tapered seams will be about 4-6" wide, the end seams about 12" or more. take your time, don't sand the paper face of the sheetrock too much, use 100, and 150 grit sand paper, and you should be set to go. use a clean dust mop to wipe the dust off, and shine a light on the walls from different sides to see if you have the wall nice and flat. add more mud until it looks good. i have found that the joints and seams show up so primer them and then primer the whole wall or ceiling before you paint. when sanding, set a bow fan in a window and set it to blow the dust out, and hang plastic sheets over the doorways will help keep the dust confined. some goggles and dust masks, too. good luck, take your time and have fun!! lol.

Answer 2

First, choose a perforated tape, not the solid as you need to soak it first (most people don't know that). If your patch job left a good size crack, that is good. Use a sharp blade and trim the edges so that you have a little grove. Fill in the grove and smooth the mud out until there is none on the surface, just in the crack. Let it dry a bit then mud a thin layer down on the two surfaces, apply your tape, smooth it out, the mud will push up through the perforations. Let it dry and lightly sand, don't ruff the tape. Start applying your coats now, working the edge of the mud out by about 6" on each side, let dry, sand. Work your next coat out about 12" on each side, let dry and sand. Repeat this until your 'hump" along the seam is not noticeable and your edge is smooth. Paint with a base then apply your top coat.

The reason that you have to do it this way is because you are using what is called a butt joint. Cut edges of the wallboard butted up against each other so when you apply the tape it will leave a little mound. You must carry this out so that it's not noticeable. The mud shrinks unless you get a non-shrinking type but it still shrinks, just not as much. Take it nice and easy and you will have a good product. Hint; a damp sponge will knock some of the ridges on the dry mud down and won't creat dust, but you still need to sand that finish coat. For a gloss painted ceiling you need to get a little pail of Topcoat for your last coat.

Answer 3

Mud it first..lay the tape and press the 6" knife into it and then smooth out the mud that comes out of the side....you can also use fiberglass tape that is self adhesive...then you just put mud over the top...that is what i do on seams....but in corners I use paper

Answer 4

It's the same as when your doing walls, you mud in the joint, set the tape in the mud, then mud over it all to fill the recessed edge in the drywall. Sand smooth and ready for paint.

Answer 5

Both.

mud
wet the tape
apply the tape
press tap down hard with blade
mud over tape

Answer 6

both=the tape is not actually sticky. you put a thin layer of mud down, embed the tape, apply another thin layer of compound and then let it dry. sand it down and paint. voila!!

Answer 7

Both

Answer 8

It depends on what it looks like, is it damaged or did you barely put the sheetrock up.

Answer 9

hole or crack? how large?