New Project First Timer on Dry-Wall

9735 Views 55 Replies 14 Participants Last post by ToolSeeker, Mar 29, 2013

bote110

Discussion Starter · Feb 16, 2013

Will this is my first time in doing this , My wife's uncle is helping me in doing a 12'x13' with 9' ceiling. I ordered 10'x12' dry wall {x12} I pick up some dry-wall screws with auto stops a small box of screws a dry-wall "T" Square and knife.
Now for tape is the paper better to use for seams and inside corners? What about mud better to mix or premix ?
Now do I kneed 3 coats of mud and sand between coats?

Need your input pleas , Thank you

1 - 20 of 56 Posts

Bumpr1080

· #2 · Feb 16, 2013

I haven't had as much experience as many of the other guys here by far- but from my working I strongly recommend mesh tape and pre mixed mud.

For one thing the mesh tape does not require pre-muddying to make it stick and its far easier to use and apply; and more forgiving for novices like us.

I find that the cost is almost equal for pre mixed and dry mud, and the big buckets can be much more easily sealed up and stored for future use. Make sure you get a nice drywall hawk and a concave ~14" knife for the big spreading. Larger your knife, than usually the less sanding you need to do.

I like to use a damp sponge between coats and I sand at the end. I find the sponge softens the ridges and smooths everything out nicely between coats.

Nailbags

· #3 · Feb 16, 2013

bote110 said:
Will this is my first time in doing this , My wife's uncle is helping me in doing a 12'x13' with 9' ceiling. I ordered 10'x12' dry wall {x12} I pick up some dry-wall screws with auto stops a small box of screws a dry-wall "T" Square and knife.
Now for tape is the paper better to use for seams and inside corners? What about mud better to mix or premix ?
Now do I kneed 3 coats of mud and sand between coats?

Need your input pleas , Thank you

Mesh tape yuck! if you use the wrong one you will have a mess on your hands. Best place to get better information is youtube type in drywall Myron Ferguson the Drywall guru.

Bumpr1080

· #4 · Feb 16, 2013

Well, I'm sticking with mesh. But YouTube is a great place to learn- there's tons of great videos.

joecaption

· #5 · Feb 16, 2013

If you use mesh you have to have much more build up and a wider joint to blend it in.
Dry wall finishing always takes at least three coats even if your a "pro".
The key is use thin coats, no sanding needed between the first and second coats, just knock off the high spots with the drywall knife.
The green top premixed will work fine.
Work out of a drywall pan not the bucket.
Add a small amount of water for the last coat to thin it for a smoother finish.

Davejss

· #6 · Feb 16, 2013

I use paper tape. Good tools make a difference too. I do my taping with an 8" knife. I use a concave trowel for the second coat, and a flat trowel for the final coat. I use a sanding pole with mesh and I keep a triangle grit sponge with me for small areas. I usually work off a hawk rather than a pan but to each his own.
After sanding I wipe the surfaces down with a damp sponge to get the dust off and to feather any edges I may have missed while sanding. Next I prime. After the primer dries I go over the project with a light held near the wall and mark any imperfections with a pencil and touch-up as needed.

princelake

· #7 · Feb 16, 2013

1. prefill any gaps that are 1/4" and larger with powdered setting compound (20,45,90)
2.apply paper tape with green lid bucket mud(it has an adhesive and your tape will also suck in)with a 4-6" taping knife
3. apply 2nd coat with a 10"knife using a premixed compound (blue lid, red lid, etc.)
4. apply 3rd coat with same mud as 2nd coat using a 12" knife no thinning is required all comes down to type of mud and personal taste.
5. sand with a sanding sponge and a hand held light shining on your work to see imperfections

for inside corners prefill anything over 1/4"
apply tape with 3-4"taping knife using green lid mud.
coat one side of the corner with a 4-5" knife using a premix the same with what you used on 2nd/3rd coat
when the first side is dry coat the other side
sand the same way with a light.

you can use mesh tape but its more prone to cracking.
apply the tape to the joints
for first coat use a powdered setting compound (20,45,90)
then coat it the same way as i said with second and 3rd coat then sand.
i do not recommend using mesh tape for inside corners.

once everything is sanded i go over the walls with a broom.
in the top corners i take a dry paint brush to dust.
then finally apply your primer

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Beepster

· #8 · Feb 16, 2013

To jump in and offer a question to the pros: do you always use the paper tape on the inner corners?

What about the outer corners? Do you always use the metalic corner piece, or do you sometimes just use paper tape if it is unlikely to be bumped (soffit edge)?

B

joecaption

· #9 · Feb 16, 2013

Beepster said:
To jump in and offer a question to the pros: do you always use the paper tape on the inner corners?

What about the outer corners? Do you always use the metalic corner piece, or do you sometimes just use paper tape if it is unlikely to be bumped (soffit edge)?

B

Paper tape for everyting except the outside corners.
Metal corners hold up the best.
Going to be one sloppy mess if you just used tape on an outside corner.

princelake

· #10 · Feb 16, 2013

yup always use paper for inside corners.
metal corners do hold up well.
the best product for outside corners is no-coat ultra flex 325

Dorado

· #11 · Feb 16, 2013

Use paper tape if the compound container says to. I think you have to use paper for pre-mix. When you're applying the tape, make the compound a little thinner than for the other coats. For corners you can use metal beading that has paper pre-applied.
I never taped drywall but I'm planning to soon so I did research recently.

bote110

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 17, 2013

Thanks for all the great info's , My only concern now will be inside corners.
Do you apply a coat of mud on one side then apply the tape fold in half and apply the coat on the other side then the usual 3 coats ?
Should a 10" and a 4" knife be ok to use for my mud?

princelake

· #13 · Feb 17, 2013

there should be no need to thin your mud when bedding the tape. all premixed compounds say you can tape with it but when you go to the cgc website it will say if its excellent or only good for taping. i recommend using only the green lid for bedding the tape because it has the most adhesive in it and its already pretty soupy. i also dont recommend the metal with paper outside corners. i recommend no-coat or good old metal bead.

when doing inside corners coat both sides with mud then fold your tape and push it into the corner and then run your knife down squeezing out the mud(not to much) then coat one side of the corner on the second and on the 3rd coat do the other side of the corner.
you could probably get away with just using a 4" and a 10" knife but you may run into a few issues. bedding the paper tape on your butts and flats will be a pain having to scoop mud apply 2' then scoop again but can be done. i recommend taping with a 6" because you can get 4-5feet with a scoop.
second and third coat you'll have zero issues using a 10" for both.
for inside corners if you bed your tape with a 4" knife you will end up with a ridge at 4inches and when you are coating it with the second coat you can run into problems. so if you bed the tape with a 4 i recommend moving up to a 5-6" for the second or bed the tape with a 3" and coat with a 4"
drywall knifes are cheap. buy a 4,5, and a 6.
oh and inside corners only need to be coated once. all you are really doing is skimming out the thickness of the paper.

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bote110

Discussion Starter · #14 · Feb 18, 2013

So tape or metal bead for inside corners? The metal bead you screw on with dry-wall screws and apply mud with 3 coats.
I found in Lows some paper tape with sticky on one side any good?
Will a 5gal bucket of the green lid mud be good for 12'x13' with 9' ceiling room ?

ToolSeeker

· #15 · Feb 18, 2013

I would sure love to see how you are going to get a nice crisp 90º corner with mesh tape. And on inside corners how your not going to cut it with your knife. Since you said 9' ceilings and nothing about 54" drywall I don't know what the 12' sheets are for since you are probably going vertical and not a belly band. Also on a vertical seam mesh tape is very weak so in a couple years if your seams start cracking you will know why. Also mesh tape doesn't work well where the wall meets the ceiling either. That's why paper tape has the crease down the middle that you can't get with mesh.

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bote110

Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 18, 2013

The paper mesh was for the seams , Trying to find out what is best for inside corners and was planning on going with belly band with the 4x12 my length of my room is 11' 5"

ToolSeeker

· #17 · Feb 18, 2013

OK for inside corners you can use the NO-Coat 325 a little pricey but easy to use or just use regular paper tape, then you can use it on your flats to there is no advantage to mesh tape. You are going to be trying something pretty hard with a belly band. But if that's what you want when you use 1/2" for the top and bottom your belly band should be 3/8" if not you will end up with a big hump. Either way it's hard to tape. If you can take that drywall back and get 54" then you end up with 1 factory seam down the middle. Easy to mud. On the outside corners I like the vinyl bead or you can use metal or the metal covered with paper.

Nailbags

· #18 · Feb 19, 2013 (Edited)

Beepster said:
To jump in and offer a question to the pros: do you always use the paper tape on the inner corners?

What about the outer corners? Do you always use the metalic corner piece, or do you sometimes just use paper tape if it is unlikely to be bumped (soffit edge)?

B

Always paper tape. For out side corners I use products from this company.
http://trim-tex.com/index.php
best of luck

Reactions: 1

Nailbags

· #19 · Feb 19, 2013

bote110 said:
The paper mesh was for the seams , Trying to find out what is best for inside corners and was planning on going with belly band with the 4x12 my length of my room is 11' 5"

I would go with 54" wide and just have one seam to mud and tape.

bote110

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 19, 2013

I have no outside corners only insides in my room, Had to cancel the drywall delivery due to snow and bad driveway . Will post pic's of room before applying drywall and after. Have a question thou , When inspector came in he had us put fire proof plastic over the insulation with the paper cover . He said to remove the plastic when we drywall the room because then there will be 2 fire barriers behind the drywall can I leave the ceiling on encase of water leaking from the roof

1 - 20 of 56 Posts

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