Asked on Aug 05, 2015

How to fix a bad taping/mud job without totally re-doing it??

Terry McMullen
by Terry McMullen
My husband used old tape and mud to fix a sheetrock replacement. It looks really bad! Is there a way to fix this without having to start completely over?
Bathroom wall with ridges where the tape/mud is on the sheetrock
  16 answers
  • Mommaduck Mommaduck on Aug 05, 2015
    Welcome to my world! (God bless him for trying!). Best I can offer is beadboard or wood strapping hung vertically to give a rustic look. Good luck!
  • Angle Nefolyn Angle Nefolyn on Aug 05, 2015
    Home depot, lowes and most larger hardware stores have textured paintable wallpaper that is easy to use and looks grate and covers those mudding problems in a snap I know been there before
    • Lagree Wyndham Lagree Wyndham on Aug 06, 2015
      @Angle Nefolyn That is what I did in bathroom update to hide bad Sheetrock work were vanity was taken out. Love that stuff.
  • Andrea R Andrea R on Aug 06, 2015
    This is not as difficult as you may think. Get some joint compound and a taping knife at least 12 inches wide, view some quick tutorials on You tube, and start applying thin layers of compound. You will have to wait several hours for each layer to dry thoroughly, so it is time consuming, but not difficult! I just learned to do this myself. Waiting for the drying time is the hardest part. Then, you scrape and sand the wall -- voila, you can seal/prime and paint. Your wall will look like new.
  • Terry McMullen Terry McMullen on Aug 06, 2015
    Thanks! I'll check the U Tube videos out!
  • Hope Williams Hope Williams on Aug 06, 2015
    It looks like there is air under the tape. Press on it, if it moves, it must be redone. But it definitely looks like air.
  • Dakota Dakota on Aug 06, 2015
    who ever did the original taping did not use enough joint compound under the tape, therefore the air under the tape. use a box cutter, or a putty knife and gently lift one side of the tape, put compound under the tape making sure it is under all affected areas, press the tape into the compound, it will squeeze out and remove the excess. this will take time but should not disturbe the texture.
  • Nola Connors Nola Connors on Aug 06, 2015
    Andrea R is correct. It is an easy fix but takes time - I mud a lot and have fixed worse places! Good luck1
  • Terry McMullen Terry McMullen on Aug 06, 2015
    Thanks for the encouragement!
  • Terry McMullen Terry McMullen on Aug 06, 2015
    We will definitely try this! It would be MUCH easier than starting from scratch. Thanks for the tip!!
  • Duv310660 Duv310660 on Aug 06, 2015
    Hang a curtain? I've learned to do many things, but good mudders just blow my mind.
  • Snapoutofit Snapoutofit on Aug 06, 2015
    find your old David Cassidy Posters and hang them over the flaw. Just kidding.
  • Lori Jackson Lori Jackson on Aug 07, 2015
    I would scrape or sand those seams and redo them with webbing and plaster.Patience will pay off. Reprime those areas and paint. You aren't going to be happy with less.
  • Huntington Henry Huntington Henry on Aug 07, 2015
    Sand area that has the bump and reapply mud with a wider blade then sand again feathering the edges and paint.
  • Terry McMullen Terry McMullen on Aug 07, 2015
    You are correct! Thanks for the info, T
  • Sue Sanders Sue Sanders on Aug 11, 2015
    I do my own wall cracks. First I make crack have a v shape with box cutter, for plaster I will spread over cracks.. I apply the mud with my trowel then I set my web type tape over the mud and then apply More plaster "mud" over the tape with a wide trowel. Keep smooth strokes. The old fashion solid tape is "out". Let dry. There may be some sunken in places so add more plaster with your wide trowel. Let dry. Sand smooth. Paint with primer. After that drys paint with your wall paint. Some paints have primer in them. Keep you mud application as flat as possible to avoid humps and making it easy to sand. The picture looks like maybe the tape was not pressed down flat on plaster that was spread flat...wide trowel is important tool to fill dented area and still be flat against the surrounding wall.
  • Cjl Cjl on Dec 30, 2020

    How do I fix a bad taping and mudding and Lumpy