Finishing Drywall – Mud and Taping

Now that all drywall is up, next is the process of applying mud and tape creating a smooth wall look. This always appears a bit daunting to me. I always wonder how they get the wall so smooth in the end. If you have a large wall with many seams, this is especially the time you want the best person for the job so the wall is smooth and not wavy.

Mud is basically the “glue” holding the tape to the drywall. Every seam, nail and screw is covered in mud and then the seams have tape over them. Usually, you add mud at least once, but more often a couple of times, but you always have to make sure the first application is dry before doing additional coats. Then, you’ll need to use sand paper to rub the joints gently and ensure the wall is as smooth as possible.

Sanding Tips

Some drywall companies use a wet sanding method, which keeps dust and grit from filling the home as much as dry sanding will. There is a wet sanding method which is better if you don’t want a dusty interior, or if you are remodeling and have your furnishings already inside the home, or choose to dry sand, then you will definitely want to cover the vents to avoid dust going into every room.

The process will repeated in order to get “smooth as silk” walls. I can imagine with home layouts like ours, or home plans with open floor plans getting the ceiling and vault ceiling seams perfect is a tedious process. Anytime you have to work overhead like that must be tough. But, so far as you can see, the process of finishing the drywall is turning out terrific.

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