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Switched from paper tape to mesh tape on my last big job and it saved me 3 hours of sanding
I had to pick between speed or durability on a 2000 square foot basement reno and went with mesh because the homeowner wanted it done in 2 days, but now I'm worried about cracking down the road - any of you guys stick with paper for that reason?
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aaronsullivan1mo ago
Saw a video from a guy who does 50 year old house restorations and he swears paper tape is the only way to go for basements because mesh can cause tenting where the edges lift up. I never thought about that until I saw the comparison. He said mesh is fine for small patches but on big flat walls the paper gives a stronger bond and less chance of cracks showing up later. I've also seen people mix it up and use paper on the butt joints and mesh on the flat seams to get the best of both worlds. Might be worth looking into if you're already worried about the durability.
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charles6401mo ago
Wait, wait, wait... hold up. Did you say the homeowner wanted the whole 2000 square foot basement done in TWO DAYS? That's insane. I don't care if you're using magic tape from a fairy, that's not enough time to mud, tape, let it dry, and sand. No wonder you went with mesh just to get through it. You'd have to be running three heat guns and a dehumidifier nonstop to even have a prayer of paper tape drying fast enough. I'd be more shocked if you DON'T get cracks, not because of the tape, but because no way that mud had time to properly shrink and cure before you slopped another coat on top of it.
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