[KurtP]

Is there any practical way to use pieces of drywall which has lost its tapered edge and finish the butt joints smooth? I know it's inexpensive to buy new but thought I could minimize waste and material transport.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

Kurt:

Go read my posts in this thread:

Question about Inside and Outside corners in Drywall repair work

which you should find on the 2nd page of this Drywall & Plaster forum.

You need to buy something called a "curved trowel" to make easy work of butt joints.

 

[Fix'n it]

home made "butt boards". if, you have the scrap wood to make them.

 

[Bud9051]

Hi Kurt,
Butt joints are unavoidable so getting used to doing them right is a plus in the long run. A trick I use is to bevel the but edge of both pieces. I use a utility knife and drag a 45° on each. Then, I don't push them tight together. If there is a 1/8" gap and the bevel, then there is a place for your initial layer of mud. Otherwise, you get very little mud under the tape, unless you use too much.

My other routine is to push hard to force the mud out from under the tape, at least as much as I can. By holding the blade at an angle as I drag it the length of the tape the excess mud squeezes out the low side. In addition to forcing excess mud out, you are forcing the mud into the paper tape and that prevents lifting.

I've seen drywall contractors throw out 2/3rds of a sheet, two reasons. One, they don't have to mess with salvage and two, they charge by the sheet .

Bud

 

[KurtP]

Thanks. Now I understand the butt board technique - a board to bend the drywall edge to a taper while providing a solid backing for the fasteners. All my scraps will now get a second life.

 

[oh'mike]

It has been my experience that whatever you save using scraps is lost ,several times over, when you tape and sand the finished wall----

I suggest you chuck the cut offs and hang full sheets.