# Must I tape?



## RichTibo (Jan 26, 2013)

Do I have to tape the drywall i just put up in my garage? What will happen if I don't? Can i just caulk it?


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

RichTibo said:


> Do I have to tape the drywall i just put up in my garage? What will happen if I don't? Can i just caulk it?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using diychatroom.com


Why on earth would you just want to caulk it? Once it is screwed up with caulk it isn't likely it can ever be taped later without serious repercussions.


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## RichTibo (Jan 26, 2013)

Ive never taped
Just not sure how good of a job taping I would do
I can also just leave it.
I will be putting a shelving unit which will cover most of the wall so aesthetics is not really a concern.
Or is it highly recomended to tape and mud it


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## mmhendrie (Mar 13, 2009)

sounds like the perfect location to learn how to tape...


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## RichTibo (Jan 26, 2013)

What are the cons of leaving it untaped?


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## ratherbefishin' (Jun 16, 2007)

Is the garage attached to the house?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Makes 0 since to not tape.
Want a half assed job that will need to be redone at some point, then caulk it.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

RichTibo said:


> What are the cons of leaving it untaped?


Keeping the FIRE in your garage from being contained.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

ratherbefishin' said:


> Is the garage attached to the house?


Where he is going with this....if it's an attached wall to the house...it has to be taped for fire reasons

As for taping? If you don't want to...don't. But then again, it's going to be so ugly that you would be just as well off not even bothering to put up drywall.

Cons?

If your doing it for temp control....air is going to go through the cracks.

Bugs will crawl in behind the drywall and make a home

It will be ugly

Unpainted drywall looks like crap after only a short time.

And if you paint it without mudding? Still looks ugly.

And foremost....it looks ugly.

Now, if the below is the look you're going for....have at it...


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## mmhendrie (Mar 13, 2009)

just to clarify my earlier position - tape it. Absolutely. As others have said, not taping; looks ugly, will look much worse soon, will damage easily, will allow bugs in, will allow fire to spread quickly (and may not be code on your area), and will take value off your property.
Spend a little time, watch a couple of videos on youtube of pro's doing it. It doesn't cost much if you're doing it yourself, mud is cheap, tape is cheap, water..well - spend a few dollars extra and get a good quality drywall blade, it's worth it. And the skills you'll learn will keep you in good stead for future drywall repairs etc. - start in the most least visible area and go right through the process there so you see everything that's involved, then move out through the rest of the garage. Absolutely do it. If you still desperately don't want to do it, hire somebody to mud and tape and paint it yourself. Depending on the size of the garage, it might only be 1 1/2 days work for a pro.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Frankly, if you do not like to tape, and a lot of people don't, you are usually better hiring a pro to hang and tape the drywall, because hanging it correctly is very important to taping it correctly. Use the self sticking green waterproof fiberglass tape in the garage, it will be much easier for you. Stick the tape to the drywall seams centered on the seam, then mud the seam with a GoldBlatt 6, and run a GoldBlatt 10 to pick up the swarf. Add a cup of warm water to your mud and mix it well with a paddle mixer. Get it nice and creamy. scrape the inside of the can and level the mud, then put that piece of cellophane they give you on the mud after you pour some water on the mud. Wipe the area above the cellophane with a wet washcloth. This keeps those annoying solid lumps out of your work. 

Good Luck


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## RichTibo (Jan 26, 2013)

So i taped it. Im applying the third coat today. Its not as difficult as i thought. Its not perfect by any means but it wasn't as bad as i thought. The toughest part was the top where the wall meets the ceiling.
Thanks for all the advice.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

RichTibo said:


> So i taped it. Im applying the third coat today. Its not as difficult as i thought. Its not perfect by any means but it wasn't as bad as i thought. The toughest part was the top where the wall meets the ceiling.
> Thanks for all the advice.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using diychatroom.com


Attaboy!


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

RichTibo said:


> So i taped it. Im applying the third coat today. Its not as difficult as i thought. Its not perfect by any means but it wasn't as bad as i thought. The toughest part was the top where the wall meets the ceiling.
> Thanks for all the advice.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using diychatroom.com


Now make sure you pint it with a good primer, and an exterior latex paint. Do not use interior paint in an unconditioned garage. Good Job!


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