uma306•1mo agoTop Commenter

Hot take: mesh tape isn't always better than paper

I used to swear by mesh tape for everything, but after a big ceiling job in a humid basement last summer, the joints cracked in 6 months. Paper tape held tight on the other half I demoed, so I'm back to the old-school stuff. Anyone else find paper tape more reliable in certain rooms?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade_grant951mo ago

My buddy tried using mesh tape in his bathroom reno last year and it peeled right off the wall after a few months. He had this whole vent setup where steam would hit the joint and it just gave up. Paper tape on the other side of the same room stayed put through everything. He's been calling mesh "the liar tape" ever since.

dylanwilliams1mo ago

Calling it "the liar tape" is funny but honestly mesh tape works fine if you actually use the right mud and technique. @jade_grant95 your buddy probably used lightweight all-purpose compound instead of a setting type, which is a beginner mistake. Mesh is actually better for preventing cracks in certain spots because it doesn't bubble up like paper can when you don't get the mud perfectly flat.