Drywall joints are finished by filling the space between the individual sheets with a joint compound. To strengthen and prevent it from cracking, paper or fiberglass tape is added to the joint.
When properly finished, the tape is virtually invisible.
While taping and finishing a joint is not difficult, your skills will improve with practice. With proper drying time between coats, a good joint may take several days to complete.
Materials and Tools
The only materials required for drywall joints are joint compound and paper tape. Joint compound can be purchased as a dry powder or a premixed paste. The premixed paste is easier to work with and provides a more uniform material.
Several tools will be required. A chuck power drill, 1/2-inch, and a drywall compound mixing paddle is essential to prepare the drywall compound for application. A mud pan and a series of drywall knives are also required. Drywall knives, or trowels, in widths of 3, 6 and 12 inches will prove helpful.
Finally a sanding block and drywall sandpaper will be needed to smooth joints between finish coats.
Preparation
Make sure all drywall sheets are securely fastened to the studs. When dry, drywall compound becomes hard and brittle and will crack if the underlying drywall sheets move.
Be sure all drywall fasteners are buried slightly below the surface of the drywall. They should not be driven deep enough to tear through the paper covering on the front of the drywall. Run a trowel or drywall knife over the surface and listen for a pinging sound, which indicates a fastener above the surface.
Attach the drywall mixing paddle to a 1/2-inch drill. Open the drywall compound bucket and mix thoroughly with the paddle. The mixture should be soft and easily spread, with a consistency resembling sour cream.
Taping and Finishing--First Coat
Place a small amount of finishing compound in the mud tray. Never return material from the tray to the bucket as chunks of hardened compound will make smooth joints impossible.
Use the smallest knife and place a coating of drywall compound over each fastener or screw. Run the trowel over the surface and make the coating flush with the front of the drywall. Allow to dry, sand lightly, then repeat.
Use the smallest knife to apply a thin coating of drywall compound over the joint. Use the knife to force drywall compound between the sheets of drywall. There should be about 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch of joint compound over the joint. Place a piece of paper tape over the joint, and work the paper into the compound with the drywall knife.
When you are finished, the paper tape should appear slightly damp. Continue with the other sides of the joint, but do not overlap tape from one joint to another.
Feather the ends of the joint compound. You do not want to have any rough edges or ridges, but don't be too concerned about a smooth finish.
Let the joint compound dry until it is hardened, typically several hours.
Discard any unused compound in your mud tray, and wash all tools with water.
Taping and Finishing--Top Coats
Sand the joint lightly to remove any trowel marks or ridges. Drywall dust is very fine powder, so wear a mask when sanding. Also consider sealing off the room you are working in from the rest of the house.
Apply a thin coating of joint compound over the joint, using a wider knife. The second coat may or may not completely cover the tape. Feather the ends of the joint to provide a smooth transition, and don't be afraid to make the joint wider. After the second coat, the joint should be six to eight inches wide.
Let the second coat dry thoroughly. Clean all tools and discard any unused compound in your mud pan.
Lightly sand the compound, again removing any trowel marks or ridges. Also sand the ends of the joint to smooth the transition between joint and drywall.
Continue to add additional coats, always sanding between coats. A good quality finished drywall joint may be 12 inches or more in width, and may require three or more coats. Multiple thin coats are better then fewer thick coats.
A Few Tips
Don't be discouraged by your first joint. It will take practice to obtain good good quality work, but a little bit of extra sanding can overcome most errors.
As the joint gets wider, use larger drywall knives to apply and smooth the compound.The final coating and smoothing may be done with a knife, 12 or 13-inch.
Drywall compound shrinks slightly as it dries, so multiple coats are required.
Drywall often contains a slight depression along its long edge. Known as a mud joint, this indentation makes it easier to create a taped joint flush with the surface.
Don't worry if the joint bulges out slightly from the wall. This is very difficult to detect, unless you examine the wall from a very oblique angle.
Even if you plan to add texture to the wall, the joint should be finished to a smooth surface, otherwise imperfections will show on the finished surface.
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