# Drywall tape sticking out



## missfixer (Sep 4, 2009)

*it will be a lot of sanding*

You can smooth it out by using more mud... You have to taper out far enough so the bump created by the extra mud will not be visible... a larger taping knife will make the finish smoother and reduce the sanding.

Depending on where the work is being done, if you are worried about a big sanding mess or just don't want to get the bigger taping knife, wait half the drying time and use a DAMP sponge to smooth out the edges. Make sure it dries before the next coat.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

A couple more coats of mud and make the joint wider and thicker to taper it out.


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## vancouver (Sep 8, 2009)

I was planning on applying mud over the tape with my 6" knife and then smoothing it out with a 12" 
I dont have one right now, but I'll just go out and get one. 
Otherwise I have a 10" 5-in-1 Richards hard plastic knife, however it doesnt have the rigidity of a metal knife.


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## missfixer (Sep 4, 2009)

*bigger may be better*

If you don't have the 12" knife yet, get a larger one, of course this depends on the size of the area. You can taper out with a larger knife by putting the mud in the middle, but with a shorter one you are limited by it's width, and that will require more strokes and more sanding. If you're talking about a wall that is not high visibility, take your chances with a shorter knife. If you want a very smooth, invisible finish, go with a larger one for a few extra bucks.


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## vancouver (Sep 8, 2009)

This area is highly visible with a light that shines over this area. I exposed the walls to hide wires for a wallmounted tv.

So, I'll go with the larger 12" knife and I plan on having bright lights available. It needs to be a high profile type finish.


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