I know everyone says to tape before you mud, but I tried it the other way on a ceiling patch.

Had a 4x4 foot repair in a kitchen where the old tape kept bubbling. After the third scrape-off, I just buttered the joint with mud, let it set for an hour, then pressed the tape into it. It stuck way better and feathered out smooth with almost no ridge. Anyone else ever flip the order when a joint is being stubborn?

3 comments

3 Comments

carter.mila9d ago

You're basically doing a modified bedding coat. The mud acts like glue to hold the tape down tight against the ceiling, which stops the bubbles. It's a solid trick for problem spots.

jason_stone599d ago

Yeah, that's the only way I've ever gotten tape to stick on those old, bumpy ceilings. You gotta really lay that first coat on thick and press the tape into it hard, like you're trying to glue it down for good. If you try to just skim it on, it'll definitely bubble up later and you'll be fixing it forever. A wider knife helps you get more mud under there to lock it in place.

olivia6709d ago

My old house had ceilings like that, and the same rule applies to fixing anything broken. You have to commit fully to the first repair step or it just fails again later. Half measures always come back to haunt you.