Question about repairing taped sheetrock joints on garage ceiling

[Louis Brandt]

Hello,

Let me first start by saying that I’ve never done sheetrock taping before.
I need to “repair” most of all of the taped sheetrock joints on my garage ceiling. Over the years, some of the tape has come loose, and even where it has not come loose, it has split in places, so I’d like to clean it all up and make the ceiling look good again. There is no “texture” on the ceiling.

I’d prefer to use the adhesive tape, rather than the paper tape.

I have two basic questions.

One, should I thin the mud (joint compound) before applying it?

Two, can I get by with removing only the tape that has actually come loose and is hanging down?
For the tape that hasn't come loose, I’d like to just tape over the tape that has split, etc., because I’m afraid that if I try to remove all of the existing tape, I may damage some of the sheetrock itself.

And of course, I’d appreciate any other suggestions that you may have to help me in this.

Thanks,
Louis

[Jim O'Dell]

I have found in the houses I've lived in, if I can catch an edge of the tape and pull, it will come off, even the sections that aren't damaged. The problem with trying to go over the cracks with the joint compound is it will just re-crack. Within days. I've used the mesh fiberglass that has some stickiness to it with good results. The other problem is the joints are always proud of the sheet rock, so going over it makes it harder to feather out to diminish the rise. I wouldn't thin the compound for this purpose. If you were using it to create texture, then yes, but not for doing joints.
The thing I have learned doing this stuff is to not get in a hurry. Use several thin coats. Don't use thick coats. Feather out with knifes that start with a 6" and work up to a 12" blade on each side of the joint to help feather it out to disappear. Jim.

[Eric Gustafson]

I use the fiberglass tape. Only use setting-type joint compound to place the tape. It has more glue and once set, joint compound will not loosen it.

[David Prince]

You can thin your mud a bit with water to make it more workable. You can replace only the bad tape. If the other is secure, leave it and just topcoat the whole works to blend it in. I have used the fiberglass mesh and the paper tape and will pick the paper tape any day of the week. There are places for the mesh, but in general for what you are doing the paper is easy, cheap, will match what you have, and will give you good results.

Scrape off the loose stuff. Lay a bed of mud in the joint. Lay the tape in the bed of mud. Press it in with a 6 inch knife and skim coat it with a thin layer of mud on top. Let it dry and top coat with a 2 nd and 3 rd coat.

Amateurs always go for the mesh!

[Eric Gustafson]

Amateurs always go for the mesh!

Heh! I read that the pros use the paper tape on the ends and fiberglass mesh on the seams. As a self confessed amateur , I have tried both and found that the fiber glass is easier for the novice. I don't feel so bad, though, after hiring some pros to do my garage ceiling and darn it if they didn't use fiberglass! Best two hundred bucks I ever spent. I figured I could have hung the rock and taken maybe four times as long in man hours for that. But taping? Those guys did that twenty times faster than I can do!

What I don't get is that the books said the paper is stronger than the fiberglass, but it sure doesn't seem that way to me.

[David Helm]

Generally, properly installed paper tape is not only stronger, but is less prone to cracking than the fibreglass. Since this is an attaced garage (is this true?) that taping is important. It is called firetaping and is not only required but a very important safety feature. As someone above said, use setting compound to apply the tape, and don't thin it.

[Louis Brandt]

David,
Thanks. Yes, this is an attached garage. Both the house and garage are on a concrete slab, and the only place I've had the problem is on the garage ceiling.

What is "setting compound"? What I've seen at Home Depot and Lowe's is just called joint compound.
Louis

[David Helm]

You may have to go to a real building supply store to get what you need.

[Rob Fisher]

Setting type joint compound is the type you see in the bags. It should be in the same area where you see the premixed buckets. The premixed stuff wont set. It will get hard but if you get it wet it will go back to being mud. The setting type will get hard, similar to plaster, and stay hard. It will never go back to being mud.

They are usually labeled by their open time 30 min, 45 min or 90 min are the typical I think. There is also one that is easier to sand. That's what I used and I use it for all three coats. Setting the tape and then the two top coats. Sands almost as easy as the premix stuff. I also try to get the longest open time as I am only and amateur.

Also I would do as Jim suggest and grab a corner and rip it all down. Should come down pretty easy.

Rob

[Louis Brandt]

Rob,
Thanks. Here are a few more questions. Can I use the adhesive tape with the type of joint compound that you're referring to, or should it be the paper tape?

I think that if I use the adhesive tape, that I can put it on first, then the coats of mud, but if I use the paper tape, I have to put the mud on first, then the tape, then more mud. Is that correct?

Louis

[Jason Roehl]

The key to getting paper tape to stay put is a good, WET coat of mud underneath. I always thin bedding mud when I use paper tape. I even wet the paper tape before I put it into the bed mud. Also, you want to use firm pressure when bedding the tape with your knife, but you don't want to squeeze all the mud out from behind it, either.

When I first started painting, I always used mesh tape, now I almost never do. Paper is thinner and easier to cover. If you accidentally sand down to it, it can be painted over without showing, unlike mesh tape.

The problem you have in your garage is moisture--that's why the tape is coming down. Using the setting-type joint compound (that's the stuff in the bags--you want the white bags marked "Easy Sand", not "Durabond", which is like cement) might help keep the tape up, but painting your finish job will go a long ways.

Don't rule out calling a drywaller. The construction industry has taken a huge hit over the last couple years, and there may be plenty out there chomping at the bit to get any work, so you could get a great price on it. Around here the going rate when construction was booming was $0.40/s.f. for finishing, or about $0.80-0.85/s.f. hung and finished.

[Jeff Mackay]

Take a look at Drywall School. He's got instructions on the site for just about anything you'd want to do with drywall.

[David Helm]

Jason has a good idea. I know that back in the late seventies, when I was still early in my building career, drywall contractors were bidding jobs below cost just to have work. You may find a good deal. Check around. Incidently, I just finished painting the drywall in my office today, well on the way to my complete shop rebuild.

[John Coloccia]

Want to get good at drywall? Yeah, me neither. My opinion is just hire someone and get it done. If you're like most of us, another project is just what you DON'T need.

[Eric Gustafson]

Nice link, Jeff.