I recently got a drywall job done, but it didn't turn out well, and I'm now hiring someone to fix it. One of the contractors I reached out to said they would need to re-tape everything because the previous contractor used mesh tape, which is now showing through what was supposed to be a smooth 'paint ready' finish. I'm wondering if paper tape would have been a better choice instead of mesh tape. I've heard that using hot mud can make it okay to use mesh tape on all seams, even butt joints. Is there any way to tell if hot mud was used? The contractor did the two coats a few hours apart, but given how poorly it turned out, I suspect they may not have waited for it to dry properly. I did notice them diluting some of the mud with water from the bathtub. Based on what I've read, hot mud is less prone to scratching, but mine is extremely scratched. Can anyone tell from the pictures if it looks like hot mud or not? Also, I was quoted $1750 CAD to re-tape and re-mud, sand, and finish the two walls to a level 4 finish. Does that sound reasonable?
2 Answers
It’s tough to tell for sure from pictures, but if that joint feels weak when you sand it, it’s likely regular mud. Hot mud is definitely harder to sand. Another way to test is dampening it slightly; if it gets mushy, it’s the regular stuff. And yeah, I’d say that price sounds a bit steep if they're just re-taping. Unless they’re smoothing everything out properly, you might want to shop around a bit.
Honestly, if they didn’t embed the mesh tape properly, it’s almost guaranteed that it needs to be re-taped. The way that tape looks floating up means it won’t hold up well, especially with regular mud. You might want to consider switching to paper tape or using a fibafuse mesh for a better finish. That said, it could be worth trying to skim a few coats to smooth it out if it's not too thick.