23
Why I stopped using mesh tape after a 8 foot ceiling collapse
Had a job last month in a house where the previous guy used mesh tape on all the butt joints. I came in to do a repair in the same room and noticed the whole ceiling was sagging. Turns out the mesh tape let the mud crack under the weight of two coats. Switched back to paper tape on my own jobs and that stuff holds way better under pressure. You ever had a call back from a mesh tape failure or am I the only one who learned this the hard way?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
lewis.finley1mo ago
Wait has anyone actually tested how much weight paper tape can really hold compared to mesh? I remember reading some article online years ago that said the paper bonds way deeper into the mud because of how it absorbs moisture, while mesh just sits on the surface like a screen. That would explain why it peels off so easy in bathrooms where the humidity changes all the time. The fiberglass might be faster to slap on but it seems like you're just asking for trouble on any ceiling over 4 feet wide.
2
elizabethmason1mo ago
Did that ceiling collapse completely or just start sagging? I had a bathroom ceiling come down four years ago because of mesh tape on the drywall joints. The mud just popped right off the tape after a year of humidity from showers. Paper tape is all I use now and I sleep a lot better at night. Never had a single call back since I switched. You are definitely not the only one who learned this the hard way.
1
Three years ago I had a 4x6 section just drop in my master bath, and I used mesh tape too lmao. @elizabethmason it was the same exact thing, that mud just slid off like it was greased after a couple summers. Switched to paper tape and never looked back, even for basic garage patches. The fiberglass stuff is fine for quick fixes but that humidity kills it every time.
2