chen.jade•1d agoMost Upvoted

A job in Portland last month has me rethinking how we handle ceiling seams

We were finishing a 12 foot vaulted ceiling, and the lead guy insisted on using paper tape for all the seams. He said the paper gives a stronger bond over time, especially with the house settling. I've always been a mesh tape guy for speed and less mess. We argued about it for half a day. He showed me a ceiling he did 3 years ago with paper, and you couldn't find a single seam. What's your go-to for high ceilings, paper or mesh, and why?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.joseph1d ago

Honestly, it's a drywall tape, not a marriage. People get so heated about paper versus mesh. That lead guy's three-year-old ceiling looked good, sure, but a lot of things look good after three years. My old truck looked good then too, before the rust set in. For a high ceiling, I just use whatever is in the van that day and make sure the mud is right. It's probably more about the skill of the person bedding it than the tape itself.

max9631d ago

Ever see a mesh tape job crack on a ceiling after a few seasons? Paper tape bonds into the mud, becomes part of the wall. Mesh just sits on top. For a high ceiling, you want that bond. I'll use paper on any joint that might move, corners especially. Skill matters, but you're fighting with the wrong tool if you use mesh on a big ceiling.