Old timer at the supply house changed my mind about pre-filling

I used to just mud and tape everything in one pass, but this guy named Hank at Builders Supply in Phoenix told me to pre-fill my butt joints first. He said "give it 20 minutes to set before you tape" and I swear my corners came out flatter than ever. Has anyone else had luck with this trick on the first coat?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia57316d ago

I've been doing this for almost 15 years and I honestly think the pre-fill thing is overrated. @jason562, that's cool it worked for you, but I tried that method last summer on a big job and it just added an extra trip around the room for no real benefit. Most butt joints I see aren't that deep to begin with, and if you're using a decent setting compound and a tight tape bed, the shrinkage isn't enough to make a difference. Plus, if you let that pre-fill dry even a little too hard, your tape won't bond right and you're just creating a weak spot that'll crack later. My corners come out flat just fine with a normal two coat method and a good sanding block. Save the 20 minutes and do something else.

jason56216d ago

Hank knows his stuff. Pre-filling those butt joints makes a HUGE difference with those deep gaps. I started doing this a few years back and my mudding time actually went down since there's less sanding to do later. Five minutes to fill, twenty to set, tape it right on top.