# Tapers



## Probity Drywall (Mar 2, 2012)

Tapers are great!


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## skillman (Sep 23, 2011)

Welcome to the talk rocker .


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Sounds like you are hiring the wrong tapers.

There are more than a few tapers in your area (I think) here on CT. You might give some of them a call.:thumbsup:


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?

Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


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## onthelevel (Apr 6, 2011)

Yes everyone is a "pro" nowadays. It's just a SOB finding the right guys. But then you're all set. Keep looking you will find them.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

tedanderson said:


> Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?
> 
> Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


 Hey if that dont work for ya you can always apply for a Geek Squad position:laughing:


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## Mudshark (Feb 12, 2009)

tedanderson said:


> Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?
> 
> Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


You do that - then tell me what the painter who came in behind you thought of your work.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

iDAHOchris said:


> Hey if that dont work for ya you can always apply for a Geek Squad position:laughing:


He is gonna have to go for the Geek Squad. Not sure he could handle the sheep!:w00t::jester:


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> You do that - then tell me what the painter who came in behind you thought of your work.


How many painters are every truly satisfied with any drywall finishing?


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> How many painters are every truly satisfied with any drywall finishing?


Ones that know the tapers didn't use mesh tape!:laughing:

Oh no I didn't!:jester:


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## Mudshark (Feb 12, 2009)

TNTSERVICES said:


> How many painters are every truly satisfied with any drywall finishing?


Good point - those painters can be real cry babies at times. My point is there is more to taping than just keeping the area clean. We also need a paintable surface when we are done. If you do a hack job those painters are going to cry even louder.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> Good point - those painters can be real cry babies at times. My point is there is more to taping than just keeping the area clean. We also need a paintable surface when we are done. If you do a hack job those painters are going to cry even louder.


I agree...I was just poking at ya a bit. :thumbsup:


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

How's this for a first coat of taping?

Account for the fact I'm a tile guy first. :whistling


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## JMC1981 (Aug 27, 2011)

tedanderson said:


> Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?
> 
> Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


 It's not necessarily hard to tape drywall. But it isn't easy to tape drywall good. To further complicate the problem, good tapers usually don't have problems finding work. Thus, scheduling can become a complicated issue. To even further complicate the issue, at least here in the states, because the economy is so bad everyone is trying to pass themselves off as 'experienced' hangers and tapers. Problem is they're carpenters with little experience in drywall and their work turns out to be ****.


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

Mudshark said:


> Good point - those painters can be real cry babies at times. My point is there is more to taping than just keeping the area clean. We also need a paintable surface when we are done. If you do a hack job those painters are going to cry even louder.


this painter would just fix it and back charge. Can't just send my guys home and wait.


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## Probity Drywall (Mar 2, 2012)

I have 3 really good tapers. One I keep busy the other 2 are hard to book. Its the high production times I have to seek new talant, and I would like to be consistantly busier. 
I'm going to hire and train an in house crew. That way I can cross train them to assist in other areas when its slower keeping the good subs on. But that doesn't help audition new subs.

Some painters quote low and rely on extras. Some splash and dash doing as little as possible. Many expect that there is going to be trade damage & touch up. As a dw contractor i make everything my subs do better thats the kind of painter i refer.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

tedanderson said:


> Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?
> 
> Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


Yeah, Finishing drywall takes way less skill and is a lot easier than A/V & Home Theater installations.


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## SSC (Feb 8, 2011)

Probity Drywall said:


> Is anyone els frustrated with the general competancy of subcontract tapers. I can hire 10 tapers and out of that 2 of them I wont let finish the job because of quality & schedule issues. Of the 8 remaining maby 1 of them i dont have to clean up after or repair their work.


How are you chosing the tapers you hire? where are you getting them from?
if your hiring based on price that could be a problem and if your puling them from CL that could be another one


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## Probity Drywall (Mar 2, 2012)

They are usually refered by other subs. I meet them and interview them. Then try them out on little jobs first. We are located 30 min west of a major city (Edmonton) so to attract good subs we pay higher than average and pay with in 5 days of completion. 2008 brought a big slow down. alot of good trades couldn't endure it and took jobs. Now we are looking at trade shortages of 500 jobs per year until 2021. I feel bad for the rookies they think they know know it all untill the back charges come in or the phone stops ringing.


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## AARC Drywall (May 11, 2008)

tedanderson said:


> Pardon my ignorance.. but is it really that hard to tape drywall?
> 
> Shucks, if all I have to do is keep the site clean and make sure that the tape sticks to the wall, I might look for some taping work on the side.


lol maybe you should try it on a house worth 750000, could it be that easy to hide wires, and pull wires? 
Before you make stupid comments, you should try it, and not screw it up...
tell you what you do a house and post the pics..along with time and costs.

:whistling


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## Mudshark (Feb 12, 2009)

Probity Drywall said:


> Is anyone els frustrated with the general competancy of subcontract tapers. I can hire 10 tapers and out of that 2 of them I wont let finish the job because of quality & schedule issues. Of the 8 remaining maby 1 of them i dont have to clean up after or repair their work.


Maybe if you stopped bringing that cheap beer to your jobsite the tapers would get the job finished properly.
:whistling


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

Mudshark said:


> Maybe if you stopped bringing that cheap beer to your jobsite the tapers would get the job finished properly.
> :whistling


Hell! They'd work all day and all night! :laughing:


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

Here's my latest tape job. Yes, I used mesh at the vertical and horizontal seams, but paper in the corners.


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## JMC1981 (Aug 27, 2011)

tileman2000 said:


> Here's my latest tape job. Yes, I used mesh at the vertical and horizontal seams, but paper in the corners.



Well, good thing your screen name isn't "DrywallMan"


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## bazooka steve (Jan 30, 2012)

tileman2000 said:


> Here's my latest tape job. Yes, I used mesh at the vertical and horizontal seams, but paper in the corners.


That's horrible .i think you should stick to tile .


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

bazooka steve said:


> That's horrible .i think you should stick to tile .


:laughing: Thanks guys. It was my first tape job for a cousin. This is what free labor gets ya. :whistling

For the record, it looks better now.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Ouch Tileman....not the prettiest job I've seen. But at least you aren't afraid to show the world. Gotta give ya something for the guts factor.


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

tileman2000 said:


> Here's my latest tape job. Yes, I used mesh at the vertical and horizontal seams, but paper in the corners.


Saved time and labor not filling the bottom course of screws. All pro champiine!

Does take [email protected] to post that in the drywall section; thanks for the pic.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

In the spirit of Tileman, not being a full time drywaller, I will post one of my jobs.


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

You betcha fellas. I have much respect for tapers and painters. 2 things I'm equally bad at. 

There's a reason I'm a floor crawler. :laughing:


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## JMC1981 (Aug 27, 2011)

Metro M & L said:


> Saved time and labor not filling the bottom course of screws. All pro champiine!
> 
> Does take [email protected] to post that in the drywall section; thanks for the pic.


Hell, I rarely fill in the bottom screws unless I know there is no baseboard going in and the bottom of the drywall is the final finish.


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## DuFast (Dec 15, 2010)

Your tape job was fine. Had I mudded over your tape the wall would have looked just like it's supposed to.


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## tileman2000 (Feb 14, 2011)

There's tile and baseboard so the bottom screws will be covered.:thumbsup:


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