Can we talk about using mesh tape vs paper tape on inside corners...

I was at a job site in Austin last Tuesday and noticed the foreman insisted on paper tape for every inside corner. I've always used mesh because it's faster and doesn't bubble up as much. He told me paper holds up better in the long run and mesh can crack if the framing shifts. Which side do you guys lean on for durability?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_moore10d ago

...and that's exactly the kind of thing where you realize there's a whole philosophy behind something as simple as tape. I've noticed this with so many things, not just drywall. Like with cooking - everyone argues about using fresh garlic vs jarred garlic, and it's the same battle. The fresh stuff takes more time but holds up better in a slow simmer, the jarred stuff is quick and easy but can go bitter if you cook it too long. Or even with basic stuff like using a hand plane vs a power planer on a door that's sticking. The fast option usually means you're trading time for a potential headache down the road. That foreman in Austin probably learned the hard way from patching cracks in a house that settled funny.

tessa_rivera9d ago

Oh man, the jarred garlic comparison is a stretch though. Mesh tape is more like using a microwave for bacon - fast and convenient but it just doesn't hold up the same way as doing it the old school way on the stove.