How to Tape Drywall to the Ceiling

When attaching drywall to the ceiling, it's tempting to slap a coat of drywall compound on the joints, let it dry, then sand and paint. But to get a really smooth finish, take the time to put on a first coat of joint compound, apply taping to the joint and then a second coat over the tape. For the finishing touches, follow the directions below.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Joint compound
• Tape
• 6-inch spackling blade

1. Use a 6-inch spackling knife for this job. You'll need the width to feather out the compound without leaving unsightly grooves in the middle.

2. Scoop a large amount of compound into the center of the spackling knife, working it into a symmetrical lump.

3. Put the knife over the center of the tape, with your index finger behind the center of the knife, and draw it lightly down the joint between drywall sheets in the ceiling. Usually you'll have a slight bit of compound that oozes beyond the edge of the blade.

4. Smooth out the bit that oozed beyond the blade. Place the blade on the left side of the tape, with the left edge at the end of the compound. Apply light pressure on the back of the blade with your index finger left of center on the spackling knife.

5. Repeat Step 4 on the right side, this time shifting the index finger right of center on the back of the knife. You'll usually have a couple of slight hills toward the center after this step.

6. Center the spackling knife over the tape line on the ceiling. Place your index finger in the center behind the knife, and using light pressure, go down the line and smooth out the hills in the center.

7. Let the drywall compound dry before sanding and painting.