Drywall tape stabilizes wet joint compound.
When drywall cracks, you can repair the damage and repaint the wall and no one will be the wiser. For the best results, you'll apply semi-solid drywall compound and smooth it into the cracks to form a flat surface. While this alone will fill in the cracks, it's not a long-term solution because bumps to the wall or a shifting foundation can reopen the crack, and the dry joint compound can crumble and fall out. Using paper or mesh drywall tape strengthens the repair joint.
Paper Tape
The oldest, and least expensive, drywall tape option is paper. It's also the option chosen most often by professionals. Paper tape comes in long rolls, and you cut it to the desired length. The tape is not self-adhesive, and you will apply it over a thin coat of wet joint compound.
Fiberglass Mesh Tape
Fiberglass mesh tape is self-adhesive, and is easier for do-it-yourselfers to use. You will cut a piece of tape that covers the crack and press it in place on the dry wall. You will then apply wet joint compound, using a drywall-taping knife to coax the compound through the holes in the mesh tape and into the crack beneath.
Small Cracks
Cracks less than 1/8 inch wide are easily repaired with paper tape. You'll fill the crack with compound and smooth off the wall surface, leaving a thin coat of wet joint compound that extends two inches on both sides of the crack. Tear or cut a piece of paper tape the length of the crack and stick it on the wet compound. Smooth the tape in place and add more compound over the tape, smoothing it level with the wall.
Larger Cracks
Larger cracks respond well to the application of fiberglass mesh tape. For cracks wider than 1/8 inch, but less than 1 inch in diameter, cut and stick fiberglass mesh tape over the bare crack. When you apply the joint compound, the mesh will keep it from slumping out of the crack.
Don't tape cracks wider than 1-inch. Instead, cut out the damaged drywall and replace it with a new piece. Then, tape the joints with either paper or fiberglass mesh tape.
Taping Process
For both paper and fiberglass mesh tape, you should apply multiple, thin coats of compound. Drywall compound shrinks slightly as it dries, and thick coats can buckle and warp. Professional tapers may apply three or more very thin coats of compound over the tape, letting each coat dry completely and sanding away rough spots before adding subsequent coats.
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