Paper and Fiberglass Mesh Drywall Tape

Although various specialty tapes exist, the choice of tape in most drywall installations comes down to two products: paper or fiberglass mesh. Most joints can be taped with either one, but before you start mixing compound, you need to know the important differences between the two.

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Paper Drywall Tape

&#; Because paper tape is nonadhesive, it must be embedded in a layer of joint compound to stick to the drywall surface. This is easy enough to do, but if you&#;re not careful to cover the entire surface with compound and then to squeeze it out evenly, air bubbles will form under the tape.

&#; Although mesh tape can be used on inside corners, paper is much easier to handle in these locations because of its middle crease.

&#; Paper is not as strong as fiberglass mesh; however, it is nonelastic and will create stronger joints. This is especially important at butt joints, which typically are the weakest areas in a drywall installation.

&#; Paper tape can be used with either drying-type or setting-type compound.

Cost: $1.55 per 250-ft. roll

Fiberglass-Mesh Drywall Tape

&#; Fiberglass-mesh tape is self-adhesive, so it doesn&#;t need to be embedded in a layer of compound. This speeds up the taping process and ensures that the tape will lie flat on the drywall surface. It also means that you can apply the tape to all seams in a room before putting on the first coat of compound.

&#; Although stronger than paper tape in ultimate load, mesh tape is more elastic, so joints are more likely to develop cracks.

&#; Mesh tape should be covered with setting-type compound, which is stronger than drying type and will compensate for fiberglass mesh&#;s greater elasticity. After the initial coat, either type of compound can be used.

&#; With patches, where joint strength is not as much of a concern as with a full sheet, mesh tape allows for a faster fix.

&#; Manufacturers approve the use of paper tape for paperless drywall, but mesh tape provides the best protection against mold.

&#; For an inside-corner gap wider than 1/4-in., mesh tape and a layer of compound to fill the gap provide a good substrate for finishing the corner with paper tape. If you&#;re doing an airtight-drywall installation (see &#;How to Hang Airtight Drywall,&#;  FHB #229), however, be sure to fill the gap with canned foam before finishing.

For more information, please visit Fiberglass Mesh Tape Bulk Purchase.

Cost: $4.85 per 150-ft. roll

For more information:

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Naturally, this means that paper tape also takes a good deal of time to apply, since you have to first do the adhesive layer, embed the tape, wait a few hours for the adhesive layer to dry, and then apply a second coat of mud. This process also takes considerable practice to master and if you aren&#;t careful to embed the tape perfectly, you&#;ll end up with air bubbles under the tape that will weaken the joint. That said, a perfectly finished paper tape joint will have less movement &#; and thus less potential to form cracks &#; than a mesh tape joint, thanks to that extra mud coupled with the nonelastic nature of paper.

Fiberglass tape, on the other hand, is comparatively easy to work with. It is self-adhesive, so it can be applied to all the joints in one go and then mudded over in a single pass, skipping the first layer of mud entirely. As an added bonus, because it skips the adhesive layer, you don&#;t need to worry about air bubbles causing problems down the road. All this makes mesh tape easier to work with, especially if you&#;re not an expert. It can also save you time and is particularly well suited to patch jobs where the strength of the finished joint is slightly less important. The downsides of mesh tape, though, are that it is much more difficult to apply by hand (it can easily get crooked without an applicator and needs a different, special applicator for inside corners) and that you&#;ll need to finish it with setting-type compound (rather than standard compound), so you&#;ll need some extra supplies. The setting compound protects against cracks that can develop from mesh tape&#;s comparatively high elasticity, which can otherwise give joints more movement than they would have with paper tape.

Bottom line: paper tape is a perfectly good choice which leaves a slightly stronger joint thanks to the additional steps it requires, but those extra steps take time, practice, and patience. Mesh tape has a much shallower learning curve and can save you significant time on the job but you&#;ll need some extra tools and materials to work with it and it can leave a slightly weaker joint even though the material itself is stronger than paper.

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