What's the best way to deal with butt joints when drywalling?

Question

I live in a high-rise, and the building moves a lot in the wind. Just mudding results in cracks, but I am worried that taping will create a bump in the wall.

Answer 1

The tape (believe it or not) is what prevents cracks. Apply the joint compound and then the tape with a 4" knife. Smooth out the tape and compound and let dry. When dry, sand lightly and apply more mud with a 6" knife. Let dry, sand and apply more compound (mud) with a 10 or 12" knife. This wider area is what blends the tape in with the wall and makes it look smooth and not like a lump. It's called feathering a joint.

Answer 2

an addition to above answers which are good, if you are a novice at drywalling, you might inadvertently get too much mud on the wall , or lumps. what i am trying to say is, there is an alternative method to sanding. just before the mud is completely dry, you can use a damp sponge to level it down to a fairly smooth surface. no dust to contend with. in fact i have used a damp sponge on my walls completely. except for a little touch up.

Answer 3

Chop the edge of the sheet rock so you end up with an indentation to put the mud and tape in.

Answer 4

with mud and tape... let it dry do some light sanding.. more mud.. and repeat until it looks good...