Debate: Should you pre-fill screw dimples or let the mud handle it?

I got into it with a guy on a job in Phoenix last week. He swears by pre-filling every screw dimple with a dab of mud before taping, says it stops bubbles. I always just let the tape coat fill them in and never had issues on 500+ sheets. Which way do you guys go and why?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony26d ago

and honestly the tape coat does the job if you're not skimping on mud pressure when you bed it in. the only time I'd bother pre-filling is if you're using quick set for the tape coat since that stuff shrinks way less than all purpose. save your wrists the extra work and just lay a heavy enough tape coat.

linda_dixon4926d ago

Yeah, I feel you on that. "Stops bubbles" is what gets me - I've never had a bubble problem either, and I've hung more sheets than I can count. Pre-filling every single dimple before taping just sounds like an extra step that slows you down for no real gain. The mud in your tape coat is plenty thick enough to fill those little dents if you're pressing it in right. I always figured that guy was just stuck in his old ways and couldn't let it go.

vera_robinson3626d ago

Let the tape coat handle it" is exactly right, I had a buddy try the pre-fill thing once and he ended up with more sanding than he would've if he just laid a fat tape coat like @the_anthony said. He swore by it for a week then went back to normal cause his wrists were killing him, lol.