Drywall Mudding and Taping – A Simple Process For Do-It-Yourself Homeowners

Drywall installation is one of the most common home improvement projects many homeowners find themselves faced with.  Whether you’re replacing drywall in your home or adding a new wall as part of a bigger home improvement project, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to replace drywall in your home.  This article covers a few tips for making sure the finish on your drywall repair is done correctly so it will blend in with the rest of your home.

Gather the Right Tools and Supplies

There are a few tools and supplies you’ll need to take on your Drywall Contractor Sacramento.  First, you want to have enough joint compound for the job…roughly 1 gallon for every 100 square feed of area.  Of course, you’ll also need a mud pan or similar container to hold the joint compound as you apply it.  In addition, you’ll need a couple of taping knives or putty knives.  I recommend having a narrow one and one that’s a bit wider for feathering out the seam.  You’ll also need drywall tape to run along the seam.  Finally, you’ll need sandpaper or something similar to sand down the joint compound between coats after it dries.

Applying the First Coat of Mud

The first thing you want to do is apply the drywall tape along the seam between the two pieces of drywall or sheetrock.  Try to do this so the seam runs along the center of the tap.  Once the tape is in place, you can start applying joint compound using one of the putty knives.  Liberally apply the joint compound as you run along the length of the seam and be sure the joint compound gets pushed into the seam to fill the gap.  Also, be sure you cover all of the tape with joint compound.  You may want to run across the length of the seam several times with joint compound, feathering out the mud as you continue to do so.  You can take care of the corners the same way, by taping and applying joint compound to the seam that forms the corner between the two pieces of drywall.  Last, you’ll want to also apply joint compound to any nails holding up the pieces of drywall.  Simply use your putty knife for this while applying a liberal amount, then smoothing it out with the edge of the knife.  Then let the joint compound dry.

Applying the Second and Third Coats

You’ll want to apply about 3 coats of joint compound.  After the first coat dries, be sure to sand down the joint compound on the seams and the nails before continuing.  This will ensure that the surface is smooth as you apply the next coat.  Then apply a second coat of joint compound to the seams in the same manner as the first coat, but spreading the joint compound out wider as you run along the seam.  Do the same for the nails and let this coat dry.  As you probably guessed, applying the third coat is the exact same process.

Getting Ready to Paint

Once you’ve applied the third coat of joint compound and let it dry, be sure to sand around the edges of the seams and nails one last time to ensure the surface is as smooth as possible.  You’ll also want to wipe down the wall with a dry rag to get rid of any dust that is on the surface.

Now you’re ready to prime and paint your walls.