# Firewall tape/mud



## buysalot (May 22, 2013)

New addition to house includes attached carport (enclosed on 3 sides) which will become garage in a few years when we have time and $$ for a garage door. Currently have fire-rated sheetrock on the 2 walls common to living areas (mudroom/entry area, and hall & husband's office). 

Want to put (old) storage cabinets on walls, so need to tape and mud sheetrock seams before they are covered. Do I need special materials to keep the fire rating? Somewhere on this site, I saw a post mention of "fire-rated tape." Would self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape meet requirments? Can I use a regular taping compound?

Thanks for your good advice.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Reguler drywall tape and mud is all I've ever used.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Paper tape is fine. Fire taped means that the joints were all taped and have a minimum of one coat of mud over them. For fire resistance, no paper from the tape can be exposed, but the joint doesn't need to be finished. Most times the tape can be seen through the mud, but is completely encased in mud. All penetrations must be mudded as well and usually the inspector will require a first coat over the screws.


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## buysalot (May 22, 2013)

*Thanks!!*

I really appreciate your postings about taping for the fire wall. The job is done (even the screw-heads) and all went well. Sometimes it's the little details that make the nastiest bumps in the road because everyone is focused on the 'big' stuff. Thanks for volunteering your expertise. 

I've added my location to my data. I assumed that the answer this type of question would be general and based on the National Building Code. Sorry I gave you a hard time.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

I'm confused. You have Type X drywall (or similar) on the garage-to-be side instead of sheathing/siding with an open garage vehicle door hole. So it is a carport which requires sheathing/siding for an effective fire wall per code as it is still an exterior wall to the outside, or did you sheet it in; *15-1.15,16* and *16-1.1* or others; http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ibc/2009/icod_ibc_2009_7_sec020.htm (paper tape only)

Gary


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