I chose fiber tape over paper for my last 3 jobs and I'm not going back

Everyone at the supply house keeps telling me paper tape is the only way to go for flat joints. They say fiber tape cracks and bubbles. But I did a whole house remodel over off Memorial Drive in Houston back in February, 14 rooms of new drywall, and I used fiber tape on every single seam. Not one callback. Not one crack. The mud bonds way faster and I don't have to wait for paper to soak through. Maybe it's different in other climates but down here with the humidity paper tape just wants to curl up on me. Has anyone else switched and stuck with it?

3 comments

3 Comments

young.michael7d ago

You used fiber on 14 rooms in Houston humidity and had zero issues? What was your process for getting it to lay flat without bubbles forming?

charles7207d ago

Why would anyone use fiber mesh in Houston humidity instead of just going with a good quality paper tape? Paper tape lets the mud breathe and bond naturally with the drywall, while fiber is basically plastic that'll trap moisture and peel right off when the AC kicks on. Sounds like you got lucky with those 14 rooms but that's not something I'd bet my time and materials on.

green.noah7d ago

Yeah but @charles720 I think you're overthinking the moisture thing. I mean down here in Houston my AC runs like 8 months out of the year and I've never had fiber tape peel off. The trick is you gotta skim the mud on thin and then let it tack up a minute before you lay the tape in. Don't drown it like people do with paper. I just wet the tape on my knife real quick before I press it into the mud, that keeps the bubbles from forming. And I use a wider knife for the embed coat, like a 6 inch, to really push that tape down flat. Maybe it's just me but once you get the feel for fiber it's way faster than messing with paper that wants to curl up the second you look at it wrong.