[Twister]

OK, let's hear it.

My goal is to fix existing drywall cracks on two game room walls, each below a decent sized window. Unknown if they are at flat joints or butt joints.

I'll start this off by saying I've read stuff on the internet, plus here on THIS site via the search function and YouTube that generally is in favor of paper tape. To add to my confusion is a well-respected pro named Myron Ferguson who is seen on YouTube using both paper AND FibaTape. USG Tech Support says their testing shows that paper tape is stronger in 3 of 4 possible types of mechanical movement between sheets of drywall. However, I'm a little suspicious when a company says the product they sell is the best, like they all do.

Here's the link to USG's claims:

http://www.usg.com/content/dam/USG_...roper-joint-tape-white-paper-en-usa-J2140.pdf

And......in the other corner, weighing in at almost nothing because, hey, it's mesh, is Adfors Saint-Gobains' webpage on the FibaTape and FibaFuse products I'm considering:

http://www.adfors.com/us/building-products/wall-finishing-tapes

I am intrigued by Adfor's "FibaTape Extra Strength" tape. It's wider than standard mesh tapes and it adds a diagonal/diamond-shaped weave in addition to the square grid weave, both to give the mesh extra strength. If you'll look on Adfor's site it has a video clip of Myron showing how to embed the FibaTape. Is he now a fan of mesh tape?

One request in this title fight is I'd prefer not to hear "Use "X" because that's what I've always used and anyone else is an idiot". One thing I've learned is drywallers get vicious very fast when it comes to techniques. What I DO want to hear is "why" you like what you use, particularly if OVER TIME it has resulted in, hopefully, zero seam cracking.

Mesh is easier to install, should be embedded only with hot mud and will give no bubbles but I'm still not sold.

Many thanks.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

use the tape, the mesh leaves furry stuff on the finished wall....lol..when you sand down the mud, the mesh tape gets soft and has fibers that stick out...

 

[joecaption]

And also requires a wider joint to taper it out so the mesh does not show through.
99% of the time the reason it cracked is because the drywall was installed wrong.
There should never be a seam along side of any window, should have been cut so it ran near the middle.

 

[ben's plumbing]

forget the mesh...use the tape...plain and simple its better..imo...

 

[Twister]

And also requires a wider joint to taper it out so the mesh does not show through.
99% of the time the reason it cracked is because the drywall was installed wrong.
There should never be a seam along side of any window, should have been cut so it ran near the middle.

1 - Tapering: I've got some "USG Sheetrock Paper Joint Tape" and some "FibaTape Ultra Thin Drywall Joint Tape" sitting in front of me. The thickness of each tape looks the same to me. Granted, I do have the "ULTRA" thin brand of the FibaTape. Anyway, I think the feathering distance should be the same.

2 - Agreed, drywall seams around a window are generally a bad idea but it is what it is. The 2 walls I need to repair each have 3 windows on each wall, and the 3 windows on each wall are fairly close together. Installing drywall without any joints near a window was not possible. For what it's worth, each wall has one crack underneath the center of the center window and the crack runs downward from the center of the window down to the floor about 20" below.

 

[Twister]

use the tape, the mesh leaves furry stuff on the finished wall....lol..when you sand down the mud, the mesh tape gets soft and has fibers that stick out...

Thx for replying but it sounds to me like you're sanding off too much mud.

Anyone else?