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Print TapeBuddy® FAQ Sheet
What steps should I take to prepare the room for taping? Make sure the drywall sheets are properly fastened and check that all the screws are below the surface by passing a trowel over the drywall. If the knife hits a screw, use a driver to turn it below the surface. Do I need to fill wide joints before taping? Yes.Any joint over 3/16” should be pre-filled with a drywall setting type compound. Setting compounds have less shrinkage and less cracking because they set up by chemical reaction. It still needs to air dry but can be recoated much sooner. How do I mix the setting compound and how soon can I tape over it? Setting compounds come in different drying times. Follow the mixing instructions on the bag for best results. The 45 minute setting compound gives you enough time to work and yet can be taped over quickly. How do I assemble TapeBuddy so it is ready to use? Remove the bridge insert from the end of the machine and snap into the out-feed table wording facing down. Feed the paper tape through the machine and fill the mud compartment with prepared or thinned compound. Set the tape machine on two stacked mud buckets or a table about waist high for good working height. How do I know which end of the insert to use? Each end of the insert has a different thickness. By reversing this insert, you can change the amount of mud being applied to the tape. Inserting the thicker or “less mud” end, you will have a thinner coat of mud applied to the tape. This end works well for the majority of the taping tasks. The “more mud” end can be used when your joints are wider and need more compound. You'll need to decide which end works best for you. How do I know the drywall compound is the right consistency? Add approximately one cup of water per gallon of mud and mix well. This mixture has the proper consistency for the tape to stick to the drywall. If the mud is too thick or dry, it will be hard to squeeze out from behind the tape making it difficult to embed correctly. If the mud is too thin, it will squeeze out too easily and may run off the side of the trowel. Remember, you can always add more water to the compound. If you are using a new bucket of mud, try adding 1 or 2 cups of water and mix just the top portion of the bucket. As the mud is used, you can add more water and mix the remaining compound. How much tape should I pull out at a time? Look at the seam you are ready to tape, estimate the length needed and pull out that approximate length. Make sure you pull the tape straight out then raise the end before cutting. This will make sure the paper has the proper amount of mud on the tape. Cut, place mudded side on the wall and embed on seam. Butt joints are around 4 feet long and are easier to estimate. Apply the piece to the seam, embed with your drywall knife and continue with next piece. Position the drywall knife to tear off the excess tape and discard it. Long seams can be done with several pieces. The pieces can be butted end to end and don't need to overlap, so only pull out what you can easily handle. Which drywall knife should I use for taping? Use a 4” to 6” drywall knife to embed the tape. The 4” knife will work well for doing the drywall beveled edges. For butt joints and corners, a 5” or 6” drywall knife works well. The 5” flexible drywall knife may give overall best results. How do I apply tape to the inside corners? Start at the top corner with a length of tape you can easily handle. Tuck the tape into the corner with your drywall knife or fingers. Holding the tape in place, start at the top, embed the tape on one side, then the other working your way down. Smooth off well and continue. Estimate the length of tape you need to finish the rest of the corner, pull it out and apply. Cut off any extra tape at the bottom by holding your drywall knife in the bottom corner and pull the tape to cut. Smooth the tape and you are done. You can use a flat knife or corner trowel for this process. If you prefer to use one length of tape, pull the tape out and fold mudded sides together until you have the proper length needed. Start at the top of the corner and let the tape unfold to the floor. How do I finish outside corners? Plastic outside corners work very well and can be purchased wherever drywall supplies are sold. Metal corners tend to rust, especially when used in high moisture areas like bathrooms, basements or under wall paper coverings. Plastic corners are fastened on the corner using setting compounds, are easy to use and give you a nice corner for the finished product. You can run a piece of drywall tape over the edge of the corner bead for a better buildup and stronger grip but make sure it stays below the surface of your finished wall. Is it hard to tape ceiling joints? TapeBuddy makes it easy to tape ceiling joints! Position your bench under the seam you are working on, pull out your tape (about 5 feet), and step onto your bench. Press one end of the tape to the seam and align the other end with the seam. Because the mud is on the tape, it will stick instantly. Embed, smooth and you're ready for the next piece. What are some “tricks of the trade” that will help as I use TapeBuddy? • Some new drywall knives or trowels may have a sharp burr on the edge. This edge tends to pull the mud rather than smooth it out correctly. Try sanding the edge with a file or sandpaper before starting. • Many professionals apply the tape in this order: wall and ceiling edge joints, butt joints, vertical corners and then ceiling corners. • Before taping corners, apply coat of mud about 12 inches out from the corner as a second coat over the seamed joint. This will level out the beveled edge or butt joint before applying the tape in the corner. • You can also use TapeBuddy for taping around shower fixtures, windows, doors, or anywhere you need to straighten out a rough edge. • If the mud compartment is full of mud and you notice that the tape roll is about to run out, you'll need to empty the mud compartment to feed the new roll of tape. Or you can try this: use duct tape to join the new roll to the end of the old...pull it through the mud compartment...and keep going. • Compound will dry out over night even in a sealed bucket. To help prevent this, pour a little water on the mud before sealing with the lid. • You can decrease compound applied on the tape even more by applying one or two layers of duct tape over the insert decreasing the mud gap. |
How to Tape
