# taping question



## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

Hey everybody..I have some questions I hope you people can help me answer..I hired a taper to tape my ceiling..he put the first coat on but none of the cornerbead is covered with compound except the nail holes. Is that the proper protocol?..he told me he is going to put paper tape over the cornerbead and mud the tape..I thought that's not the way its done..Also none of the corners where the ceiling meet the wall are taped..he said that he will come back and tape those tomorrow..I feel like I'm not getting what I am paying for..can someone please let me know if this is the right way to do this?....there is tape and compound over the finished seams that run lengthwise across the kitchen but nothing on the corners???...am I right to be a little skeptical here?...I'm going to try to post pics so you can visualize what I'm saying


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## orange (Feb 19, 2008)

Sounds to me like a work in progress. If he hasn't finished the job, he may have some idiosyncrasies about the order of events and/ or he may be working on other projects at the same time.
I'm not a drywaller, but I've seen stuff done in some strange ways -- leave corners to the end...

Here are some videos (highly rated) that show how someone does some of these corner beads, butt joints, factory joints etc.

If you watch these you may get some ideas and ammunition when discussing your project with the "taper/drywaller".

http://desormeauxdrywall.wetpaint.com/videos


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

Yes I thought it was a little strange to do it that way but I'm just hoping it comes out clean..I was wondering if I should've fired him and hired someone else cause thats not the proper protocol...he just put some mud on the drywall nails of the cornerbead but none on the rest...so it seemed strange..thanks for the links.I will check them out


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Let the poor guy finish before jumping to conclusions and firing him


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## tatanka (Aug 7, 2012)

give him a shot.. 40 years in const. seen many things stranger


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

yup sounds strange. if im doing a just one room i prefill, tape butts, flats, then corners and the left over mud in my pan goes on the screw heads. then the same on second coat but i only mud one side of the corners then 3rd day the same and other side of the corners.


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

Ok I'm going to give him a shot and see how the second coat comes out before I pay the guy..he wants me to pay him as soon as he walks in the door but I'm going to hold off until I see some progress..is that a good idea


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

chrisn said:


> Let the poor guy finish before jumping to conclusions and firing him


I understand what toy are saying and I agree with you but I don't want to be out 800 bucks with a crap tape job so that's another concern of mine


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## orange (Feb 19, 2008)

brises said:


> I understand what toy are saying and I agree with you but I don't want to be out 800 bucks with a crap tape job so that's another concern of mine


What sort of agreement with him do you have?
Does he know exactly what is expected?
Surely you wouldn't pay full agreed price upfront. Always structure payment to have some holdback - to be paid following a "final inspection". That way you won't be out $800.

I'd be more cautious of the "pay upfront" than the "funny" way he's approaching the taping, filling.....

Did you look at any of the videos I recommended? They should give you some ideas/thoughts re speaking with the taper.


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

The agreement we had was that I would give him 150 up front and then 200 a day so long as the tapinglooks clean..clean edges..clean seams. etc...just an overall good Job...he had said to me that if I didn't Like the way the job came out I wouldn't have to pay him..I don't like paying someone right as they walk in the door before they start work..show me some good progress and I don't mind paying but if he has money in hand already then he could just leave doing minimal work and I don't want that..I don't think thats being unreasonable..I am going to watch the video now so I have more knowledge and thanks again for the link


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

Some other information the taper told me which made me kinda scratch my head...he told me that he didn't tape the corners cause he was going to come back on day 2 and give it 2 coats of mud..he also told me for the cornerbead that he just covers the nail holes to make it all smooth and then put paper tape over the cornerbead..he keeps promising me that it will come out beautiful..I guess I will find out when the second coat goes on and is sanded down and then I will post some pics and you guys can let me know what u think


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## scottktmrider (Jul 1, 2012)

I have never used paper tape on corner bead,allways use mesh because its eaiser to work with.But as long as its taped i guess it does not matter.Every taper has thier own system when it comes to the order of taping as long as it gets down and its right.


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## Costa Rica Sun (Aug 9, 2012)

*taping corner*

The corner bead can be held in place with the tape but you only have one shot to get it flat and below the taper. Watch for this.


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## oldrivers (May 2, 2009)

its not uncommon to put a really tight coat of hotmud on the beads because it is stronger than regular mud , but you dont need or want to fill the bead with it . maybe thats what he did. sounds a little unorthadox the way he is taping but that dont really matter on the final product .


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

Here are some pics of where some of the mud just looks real sloppy..please tell me what you think


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

I don't think thats the way a first coat is supposed to look so that's why earlier in the post I was thinking of just letting him go..do you think I should bring in another taper and have him look?


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## Costa Rica Sun (Aug 9, 2012)

*messy first coat of mud*

The mud should have gone on smoother than your pictures are showing. It can be sanded but on the taping coat there shouldn't need to be any sanding. If he goes over these corners with any tape, it's going to raise past the surface of the corner. Make sure he embeds the tape tight.

For getting another taper? I'd try it yourself. It's not hard to tape with the right tools and a little practice. I stopped using meter corners because they tend to rust over time and just use plastic corners. Plastic also has a little more bead to them so they stick out just a little farther. The taper is easier to work with.


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## scottktmrider (Jul 1, 2012)

I hope you didnt give this guy any money.Iam with costa it doesnt look like theres going to be enough fill in the corner bead.How did you get hooked up with this guy have you seen any of his work hes done before?A little late but mabye learn from this.Hes not done mabye it will turn out ok,but he has alot of extra work and sanding ahead of him.


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

scottktmrider said:


> I hope you didnt give this guy any money.Iam with costa it doesnt look like theres going to be enough fill in the corner bead.How did you get hooked up with this guy have you seen any of his work hes done before?A little late but mabye learn from this.Hes not done mabye it will turn out ok,but he has alot of extra work and sanding ahead of him.


I gave him 150 so far but I'm having 4 other tapers with at least 10 yrs experience come in and give me estimates and finish up the job properly so I'm just going to let this guy go..I sanded his work until 230 am cause I was disgusted in the worksmanship


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## oldrivers (May 2, 2009)

what made you hire this guy ? did he have no references ? what did he tell you his qualifications were ?


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

oldrivers said:


> what made you hire this guy ? did he have no references ? what did he tell you his qualifications were ?


I got him through an ad in the paper..said he does carpentry sheetrock taping etc...so I hired him..he told me he does taping..I asked him how long and he said 5 years ..he came in and saw the job and said what he was going to do so I felt comfortable that he had some skill..well it looks like he has none and I take full blame for hiring him..I have a guy coming in who's done taping for 20 years whom I happen to know through a good friend so I'm going to go that route..I'm just disgusted that there are actually people who will bite way more than they can chew just to make money..I got hustled. What can I say but on the bright side I'm only out 150 instead of 800 if that's even a brightside..I'm trying to cheer myself up a bit but thank you to all posters who commented..it feels good to know there are honest folks who genuinely like helping other people.


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

wow! i feel sorry for this guy! probably has 6 different kids with 6 different mommys and just stressing taking any work he can even if he has no idea how to do it just to make a couple bucks. he needs to go back to school for hairdressing. sad sad sad


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## brises (Apr 7, 2012)

It is sad that there are people like this that do these kinds of things..I would never bite off more than I can chew and screw someone out of hard earned money..well I guess you live and you learn


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## orange (Feb 19, 2008)

Wow, those pictures indicate little to no experience.
The pictures really tell the story - I've never seen that much mud left on tape(first) coat or on any coat as far as that goes.
Glad you're getting at at the $150 level -- better than $800 for sure.


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