PSA: Stop using mesh tape on inside corners if you want them to last

I keep seeing guys on jobs in Tulsa using mesh tape for inside corners and it drives me nuts. Mesh tape is fine for flat seams but it has zero strength against the stress of a corner. I had a homeowner call me back after 6 months because every inside corner in their hallway had cracks running down the middle. Switched to paper tape with a good bed of mud and those corners are still solid 2 years later. Anyone else run into this or am I the only one who sees it?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotl241mo ago

You see this all over the place actually. People grab the quick fix instead of learning the right way to do something, and then act surprised when it falls apart later. Mesh tape is great for speed but it's basically asking a corner to hold itself together with nothing but hopes and prayers. Paper tape actually bonds into the mud and gives you that real strength where things flex and shift over time. It's the same way with a lot of things in life - the shortcut usually costs you double in the end.

the_piper1mo agoMost Upvoted

Nah man I used to be all about mesh tape cause it was faster and easier to work with. But seeing how paper tape actually bonds into the mud and holds up over time makes a lot of sense, kinda changing my mind on it.