My uncle swore by taping drywall with mesh tape, I finally learned why he was wrong

So I've been mudding my own drywall for years (garage, basement, small stuff) and always used paper tape because my uncle told me mesh was a gimmick. Last month I did a patch job on my living room wall and decided to try mesh just to see what happened. Yeah, that crack came right back in like 3 weeks. Paper tape on the same spot? Still holding perfect. My uncle was right all along. Has anyone else had mesh tape fail on them or did I just get a bad brand?

4 comments

4 Comments

beth_park12d ago

Mesh tape is the flat pack furniture of the drywall world - looks good in the picture but falls apart when you actually try to use it. Sounds like your uncle was saving you from a world of frustration with that advice. That crack coming back in three weeks is brutal though, at least my IKEA dresser lasted a whole year before the drawer fell off. Paper tape is like the old school wooden furniture, it actually holds together because it becomes part of the wall. Mesh just sits there like a lazy guest at a party, not helping with anything. You definitely didn't get a bad brand, you got the full mesh tape experience.

nathankim12d ago

Man paper tape is the real deal, mesh tape just lets you down when it matters most. Your uncle knew what he was talking about, sometimes the old ways are the best ways. At least now you know why pros dont mess with mesh, its a harsh lesson but a good one.

jennifer_jones1712d ago

Read somewhere that mesh tape was originally made for stucco, not drywall. Makes total sense now because stucco is a lot thicker and can hold it in place. Thin drywall mud just slides right through all those holes and leaves you with nothing but a crack waiting to happen. Paper tape actually relies on that chemical bond with the mud, which is why it turns into one solid piece. No wonder mesh fails every time on flat seams and butt joints.

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henryt1813d ago

Stick with what the paper tape does best, no question about it. I've seen mesh tape fail on ceiling patches where the compound just pulled away from the board after a few months. Paper tape actually bonds into the mud and becomes part of the wall, mesh just sits on top waiting to crack.