"pakdog" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 21:23:52 -0800, Sev wrote:

You have to re-tape. Tip- if you are connecting tapered edges of new
sheetrock to cut/ untapered edges, taper the old edges by crushing them a
little with a hammer/ mallet. This way, when you add mud and tape, you
will be filling a gap, rather than building a bulge. You will be doing
that anyway with extra coats, but easier to feather it out if you don't
overdo it at the outset.

I'll taper and then tape them. It's my first major sheetrock job so I'm
learning as I go though I watched a pro doing it once. Just didn't catch
him
while he was taping. How bad is it to have 1/4" to 1/2" gaps by light
switches and outlets? I measured twice and still had to cut three times to
fit.

Thx,
Kevin

Kevin, don't try crushing the butt edge to make a tapered edge. Crushing
the edges separates the paper from the gypsum and down the road at some
point you'll see it through the mud. When you hang the rock and you have
defects you cut the loose paper away then fill and tape as needed. All
you're doing by crushing edges is creating defects. Don't crush, pre-fill
the joint so you don't have that ledge, then finish as a butt joint. As far
as your elec boxes are concerned, if the cover plates hide the gaps you're
fine. They also make jumbo cover plates that hide more. Otherwise you need
to pre-fill the gaps then flat tape and finish.


Tim