Basic Techniques for Finishing Your Drywall

In order to get your vinyl siding Greensboro, NC ready to be painted or for a textured finish, you will, first of all, need to do what’s known as taping or mudding. During this process, paper tape or fiberglass is applied on joints where the pieces of installed drywall meet. This is usually followed by the sanding process once the compound dries in order to smoothen out the edges. When you do this right, then you will have a smooth finish and nobody will be able to see the joints.

However, this is not a simple task. You should learn how to do it well if you want a good end result.

Here is how to do it.

Prepare the Surface

Ensure that there’s nothing that is protruding on the surface. Drive in any nails or screws that might be protruding well above the surface.  Take a taping knife and then drag it over the surface. If you notice that there’s something lose, tighten it.

Cut off any torn paper that might be on the surface and is creating spots. Use a sharp knife or razor.  Spots can interfere with the smoothing and mudding process.

Choose Your Tape and Mud

There are different types of siding Greensboro, NC tape; fiberglass mesh and paper. For the inside corners, paper tape works best. But for any flat surfaces, you can use either of them. There are also inside corner beads and outside corner beads that you can use.

You can get joint compounds in either pre-mixed form or in powdered form. There are various formulations that some experts might prefer to use, even though the pre-mixed one can work in most cases.

Always stir up the compound really well before you use it, regardless of whether you are using the pre-mixed variety or the powdered one.

Apply the First Coat of Mud

The paper tape needs to be fixed in a layer of compound, whereas the fiberglass tape is a self-adhesive that can stick on the vinyl siding Greensboro, NC seams.

When using the paper tape, put some mud into a compound tray and then smoothen a thin layer over the joint by using a 6-inch taping knife. Then press the tape into the mud in the center of the joint.

Keep the tape firmly pressed into the mud with one hand, as you pull the taping knife over the tape. Then cover the tape with another thin layer of compound.

When using fiberglass mesh tape, apply enough compound to cover the mesh, while still being able to see the fiberglass fibers. Feather the edges after you have smoothened out the surface.

After taping the joints on flat surfaces, the next step is to work on the inside corners. Then spread out the compound on every nail and screw head. Let the compound dry overnight.

Apply the Fill Coat

Sand the compound once it has dried, and feather the edges. Spread another compound layer over the joints with the help of a 10-12 inch knife. Then sand lightly once it has dried. Wear a dust mask while sanding.

Apply the Finish Coat

This should be applied lightly so that you can have a smooth finishing, and should be done using a large knife or a trowel. Water the mud a little before applying the last layer. Give the compound time to completely dry, and then sand the dried compound.