Taping a hole in drywall ceiling?
Question:I moved an electrical box for a light fixture. I have put the sheetrock patch in and I am about to tape the piece - it's square and obviously has 4 sides. At the corners, to I overlap the tape? Or should I make sure NOT to overlap and cut the tape so it doesn't end up on top of another piece?
Answers:
I do things like this for a living and have a suggestion. BTW both 1 and 2 are OK, we all do things differently.
I'd probably not overlap, and I use the light adhesive backed mesh tape. I also want that I'll have minimal sanding and a Flush finish, so very often I tap a slight depression into the surrounding area to allow that tape and mud, when sanded, need not be feathered way out from the patch and will be invisible again once painted. The effect I get is similar to the finished butt joints of two sheets of drywall.
Steven Wolf
Either way is fine. I usually overlap them because i think it helps to prevent cracking.
NOT to overlap
You can get a hole patch kit at Home Depot. They come in different sizes, pick one that verlaps your hole. They are self adhesing so you don,t have to worry about the tape. apply dry wall mud over it spreading well over the hole this will allow you to feather the edges to make it disappear completely.
Either way in fine. Once you mud and sand it, it wont matter
Overlapping is fine.
I wouldn't use tape at all. I would buy a self stick metal patch at a home center, stick it on, and cover with mud. Much easier.
I have cut a piece of drywall bigger than the hole on the width and just smaller on the length. tie a piece of string to the center of your cut piece. Fish it through the hole in the wall. pull it tight with string and screw through wall into patch piece (on long sides) of drywall. Remove string and mud up hole.
Do not use the homex or any other brand patch kit made of screen. Cut a piece of drywall to fit in the hole and secure a lath strip in the hole then place the drywall to the lathing. Tape the exposed crack lines and overlap and float with 20 set mud. Screen patch kits will only allow a thin skim over top and will eventually crack. Sooner than later.
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