There are several drywall joints that need to be covered with tape, putty and smoothed after laying. These elements are the beveled ends, edges and cut lines of the panels; in most cases they are rounded and not flat, such as the junctions of the corners, edges, holes left by the screws or nails that fix the panels. This is a job any homeowner can do with the right directions and tools.
Steps
Step 1. Cover the nail and screw holes
Start with the ones you find near the floor and work your way up.
- Fill each hole with ready-made plaster putty and a 5 cm putty knife.
- Let the mixture dry and sand the rough spots; apply a second thinner but wider layer using the 6 '' spatula (or the one for the tape), smoothing or blending the edges.
Step 2. Sand again and smear the third thin layer
In this case, use a 15-23 cm spatula; once dry, rub the last layer with sandpaper to even the edges with the rest of the surface.
Step 3. Begin to spread the tape over the beveled or tapered edges of the panel seams
- Apply a 3mm layer of putty to the area, taking care to fill in any crevices in the process.
- Wet a segment of tape; the mesh one is easier to handle, but is also weaker than the paper one.
- Start from the bottom and spread the tape over the joint and the mixture with the help of a 10 cm spatula. Continue like this until you have covered the entire joint with a layer of putty and tape; then wait for the material to dry.
Step 4. Spread a second, larger layer of putty
Use a 6 '' putty knife and gradually increase the width of the successive layers until you have filled in the beveled or indented edge of the seam and it appears flat.
Step 5. Cover the second layer with a thin coat of putty
Proceed only when the second layer is dry; smooth the area by blending the edges up to 30-35 cm from the joint. In this case, you should use a 23 cm or larger spatula.
Step 6. Wait for the last coat to dry
Smooth out any rough spots with 100 grit sandpaper before evening the dry grout with the rest of the panel.
Step 7. Repeat the same process with the raw edge seams
In this case, the profile of the panel is not beveled and you need to look for the lines at which it was cut. Your goal is to spread each layer of compound so that it is always wider and smooth it so that the edges are blurred; this technique prevents the formation of bumps on the flat wall.
Step 8. Apply the tape
Smooth the inside corner of the drywall using the tape folded in half lengthwise and insert it as you would on a flat joint.
- Fill the corner with putty.
- Take the folded tape and spread it across the corner, making sure each half rests on each side of the seam. For this operation it is best to use a special angular spatula; always start at the base of the wall moving upwards.
Step 9. Spread a second layer of putty on the tape as soon as it has dried
Use the angular spatula to apply it right on the coupling point of the two panels and the 15 cm one to blend it and smooth it on the sides.
Step 10. Wait for the mixture to dry
Then apply the third and final layer. Also this time it is better to use the angular spatula to work in the narrowest point and then move on to the 23-30 cm one to smooth the grout along the walls. Before sanding and blending the surface, let the mixture dry.
Step 11. Use a metal profile to reinforce the edges and openings for the doors
Don't use tape as you usually would; the metal profiles prevent the edge from splintering when it is bumped or accidentally hit by passing close to it.
- Secure the profile with staples or screws; apply two thin layers of putty to the mesh, until it is level with the profile itself.
- Smooth the edges using the 6 '' trowel for the first coat and the 23 '' trowel for the second.
Step 12. Let the area dry between applications, sand rough areas and blend outlines
Step 13. Wet the paper tape by dipping it in a bucket of water
In this way it adheres to the filler.
Advice
- Use small amounts of joint putty by placing it on a tray or concrete board to avoid drying out an entire bucket of compound.
- Use ready-made putty; it is easier to use and store between applications.
- When you've finished the day's work, clean the inside of the bucket of putty. Cover the surface of what's left with a light layer of water to prevent it from drying out.
- Before applying the tape, make sure that all screws or nails are below the level of the panels; nothing is more frustrating than spreading the tape over a joint or defining an edge and having to extract too much protruding or stripped hardware.
- The most important part of the tape application process is to get enough grout on the wall before pulling the tape; if there is a gap or gap between the panels or you see the panel under the grout layer, you will have problems later.
- Spread the grout with a 10 cm spatula and rub the tape to make it adhere not too tightly.
- The tape must be applied in a certain direction. If you unroll it to apply it on the wall from the bottom up, the correct side is the one on the fingers and not the thumb! When you cover the corners, it should be automatic to find the right side; if you apply it the wrong way, the tape will fold over to one side. Some manufacturers print "this side goes to the wall" on the tape itself for ease of operation.
- You should spread the tape over the butt joints of the walls and ceilings in each room first and then take care of the flat ones.
- The corner profiles have three coatings: the tape, the fixing one and the finishing one.
- The screws should be treated three times before applying and scrubbing the compound as you follow the corners with the tape, spread the fixing layer and the finishing layer.
- The tape should dry in one day.
