Bad Tape Cover-Up Options?

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AJH

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Hi guys,
Throughout my house I have all sorts of bad mud and tape work that's pretty nasty looking. I'm actually not sure on the tape if that just came loose over time as the house settled / shifted with the seasons? We live in IL so it will get anywhere from -10 to 98 degrees in a year. Upstairs there are big gaps in the ceiling and wall from the trusses shifting I believe... that's something for a later date...

So in my office, you can see that we have some pretty gnarly corners and mud (see attached).

1. Is there a way to fix this or is it a lost cause?

2. If there is no fix, is there a cover up option that might work?

There are layers of paint all over that mud and everything...

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. This is happening throughout the entire house unfortunately...

Thanks!

bad-tape-and-mud-1.jpg

bad-tape-and-mud-2.jpg
 
You are correct. It's a bad tape job, but fairly easily corrected.

With a strait-edge, using a utility knife, strike a line on both sides of the corner, the width of the tape and remove the tape, top too bottom.

With 100 grit paper, sand the edge to break it's sharpness, apply new tape and drywall compound.
 
Awesome - thank you - what do you think about fixing up the painted-over mud work?
 
Basically, sand so that they are smooth or can reasonably be feathered out to blend, then prime with a good oil based transitional primer.
 
The only thing I would add is there is two kinds of tape, paper like you have and mesh. Yours was done with paper tape but after I got the old tape out as suggested above I would use the mesh tape that has a sticky side to hold it in place.

Fill the joint let it dry sand and then repeat as many times as needed to get it smooth and flat then prime and paint.
 
The only thing I would add is there is two kinds of tape, paper like you have and mesh. Yours was done with paper tape but after I got the old tape out as suggested above I would use the mesh tape that has a sticky side to hold it in place.

Fill the joint let it dry sand and then repeat as many times as needed to get it smooth and flat then prime and paint.

I second the mesh. I've used both, and both work if applied right, but I just like the easy application of the mesh. I've even glued tape in the corners (Elmer's Glue) as sort of an experiament to see how it would work. Years later no cracks, so I guess the moral of the story is, whatever you use make sure it's going to stick before you mud over it.
 
Paper tape is supposed to have a bedding coat of mud first. It works fine but for a beginner it’s a tougher concept to get good at on new walls and is even harder on repairs. The down side to mesh is if it sticks up above the finished surface in a spot no amount of sanding will work it down flat and smooth. When you get a spot like that you have add mud and feather it out to cover it.

I always use the mesh now on everything but it really is nice on ceilings where gravity is working against you.
 
When we built the house, I bought a Drywall Taper Banjo. Mix up a slurry of mud, fill it up and go. For inside (like in the OP's pics) and outside corners, I used metal reinforced paper to get a nice sharp edge and a little protection for outside corners. Easier to apply than the nailed metal outside corners and seems to be holding up well.
 

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