# Mesh tape causing problems



## Vicanic (May 10, 2011)

I have a couple holes I'm trying repair in a bedroom, and I have been having the most difficult time with this mesh tape that the guy at Home Depot got me to buy. I'm using it exactly like all the articles I've read say to use it, and all the tutorial videos say to use it, but I cant seem to get it to stay out of sight. I put on the joint compound, and when I start sanding it, the tape shows up and makes a mess of everything. So I put on more putty, and then I need to sand it to make it level, and the tapes all poking out again. I'm pretty sure I'm dealing with an irregular wall though, it isn't/wasn't perfectly flat to begin with, but I really need to get these holes fixed.


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## tcleve4911 (Nov 6, 2010)

Go back to paper tape and stop listening to the guy at Home Depot.....:furious:

Did you notice how thick the mesh is????
It's not made for this application.....


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## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

I have had good success with the mesh tape but you will have to float your patch out much wider than with paper tape.

Try 3 coats, each successively larger than they last. Do not sand anything but your highest ridges between. I usually just scrape the ridges with the mud knife after they dry. Less dust


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

If these are large holes you may want to use a patch material like the wire mesh stuff. Your HD expert will be clueless as to what it is even if the store carries it.

Try hot mud as well. You can get it in set up times from like 5 to 120 minutes. Try the 20 minute as the 5 minute takes some getting used to and remember it starts curing the moment water hits the powder.


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## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

Good point. Drying type compounds are not compatible with mesh tape (usually pre-mixed in a bucket). Use a Setting type powder and don't wash it down your drain.


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## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

Actually ready mixed compound is very compatible, no offense.. it is the person applying the compound which is the err... uhm... the problem. Try leaving more mud and coat wider.

PS. Paper tape is better.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Come on kids. I don't care if it is mesh or paper. We have not been told how big these holes are? If they are half inch, he should be able to use mesh and a few coats of something other than lightweight pre mix joint compound. And he will wait it out for days for the compound to dry. I hate mesh tape. For anything but long cracks in old walls. 

I would do 5 minute Durabond/hot mud plunked in the holes with paper tape over it. This is a DIYer though and 5 minute is not where you start the learning curve with hot mud. And I would only suggest this if the holes were no larger than the width of the tape. Plunk the whole full, put the tape over. One pass with a knife and fill the divot left the next day with whatever.

If the holes were larger I would use that metal stuff we all use for dead electrical boxes and so forth. Hot mud, wider knife. I would not attempt that with lightweight compound either. 

If it were larger yet? I would cut a square larger than the damage and do either a real drywall tape and mud patch or try a winged one.

I have forgotten to mention the OP should get a wide knife. Something tells me he is trying to accomplish this with a 4-6 incher or something. And he is overworking the situation?


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

tcleve4911 said:


> Go back to paper tape and stop listening to the guy at Home Depot.....:furious:


:thumbsup:


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## ltd (Jan 16, 2011)

mesh tape is good ,their is a certain skill to do good patches with that said when using mesh you must use a setting compound such as easy sand,or durabond ,you mix these with water .these are called hot muds.


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## Vicanic (May 10, 2011)

well, I have done a bit more research and have found I've been doing it all wrong. I had been using mesh tape, with lightweight premixed compound, on holes that are 19in/6in, 11in/10in, 2in/2in, and 9in/7in. And I was sanding down between layers FAR too much. I stripped them all down today, got some paper tape, and have been doing them over from scratch all day. I just put on my 3rd coat and their looking great. way better. also, I was trying to use plastic knives. I picked up a set of metal ones today. thanks.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

See now we know. You are never going to hold a 19x6 inch hole in wall together with all the tape of any kind and mud you can imagine over the top. Nor the 11x10 one or the 9/7 one either. The 2x2 repair will work as we have described so far. 

Did you have fun playing us with this thread? If you really are just naive, what the H happened in that room? Sounds like somebody needs some anger management classes?

Do you now expect us to help you to fix large head bashed holes in drywall? Or did you forget to tell us these are lathe and plaster or something? Is the lathe fractured?

Are all the body parts in contractor bags and away from the property?


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## Vicanic (May 10, 2011)

well, if you were under any impression other than that I was naive and absolutely new to this, you need to re-read the original post. I jumped into this feet first with no prior experience and was taking advice from some high school kid at home depot, who really had no idea what he was talking about either. I'm sorry if you feel I've wasted your time, but you all have helped me out loads, and so have other threads on this board, so I got what I wanted. I asked for advice, not for you to come over to my house and do it all for me. Don't be so butt hurt.

*EDIT* and I got lucky, because the 9x16 was DIRECTLY inbetween the corner stud and the next stud down the wall, so I was able to screw it in on both sides. Also, I'm not sure my personal life is any of your business, however FYI the mess was made 3 weeks ago by my 15 yo brother with full-blown autism, and the incident severely injured my mother, who just got out of the hospital a couple days ago.


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

Fwiw, on the bigger holes, I usually put a backer board (1x4) behing the patch, especially if the location is one that might get bumped from time to time.


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## chrisBC (Dec 28, 2010)

so then with these big holes did you patch with drywall before applying the mesh tape? 

that would be first thing, then tape the joints, do 3 coats each time use more mudd and feather it out further along the wall, if you are seeing the tape then you are sanding too much or you need to bring your mudded area out further, adding a deeper layer of mud over the tape, if that makes sense.

For mesh tape you do need to use a "setting compound" or hot mud, to imbed it anyways, or else you risk cracks. It often says on the premixed stuff to not use to imbed mesh tape with. However you may want to use premix for your topping coat, as it will sand much easier than hot mud.


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## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

My first drywall job was a total disaster. I thought I was supposed to sand between each coat and I used a work light to help me do it :laughing:

I had an orbital sander running the mud off the walls and ended up using almost a full bucket of pre mixed on a SMALL BATHROOM! I must have done six coats. Almost ended my dry wall career right there.

Hey, live and learn. For the DIY'ers remember, "I don't know everything, but if I wait 'til I do, nothing will ever get done."


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## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

You are suppose to sand between each coat... but not with a power sander or a light. You just want to brush off the high areas, lap marks, etc.


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## Vicanic (May 10, 2011)

Thank you guys for all your help. Ive got the majority of the holes ready to paint, including the large one. I just finished applying a 6th coat to the 10/11, I'm trying to fill in the small valley on one of the patch seams that I can't seem to get rid of. And to the guy who asked, yes I put in drywall patches ;D


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