Taping and jointing creates a smooth finish on the plasterboard ready for painting and decoration. According to Robert, all the trainees did pretty well…
The process
Where plasterboard meets it forms an indentation which can be filled in with joint filler to give a perfect flat-wall finish. There are five main stages to taping and jointing.
1. Bedding the tape
After the joint filler has been applied, a paper tape is bedded
in. Our trainees learnt the importance of doing this properly. If
is done incorrectly you may get cracking, or the tape can bubble
and cause problems with later coats and the overall finish.
They bedded the tape spreading joint filler evenly over the joint. They then took the tape and pressed it into place at the top or the end of the joint. Using a trowel or filler knife, they pushed the tape in firmly and removed all excess filler.
2. Joint cement
Next a layer of joint cement goes in to blend the joints into the
wall and cover the tape. Care was taken not to overfill the joint,
as this would result in a bump which will need to be rubbed down
once dry. At this stage the trainees filled in the screw heads too.
3. Topcoat
The topcoat is a finer coat. Using a trowel or filler knife, the trainees spread joint cement over the joint, 'feathering' it out beyond the previous coat. The better the application of the filler, the easier it is to rub down.
4. Rubbing down
They then used a sanding block to rub down the filler to achieve a smooth surface. A further coat of joint cement was added to isolated spots where necessary.
5. Sealer
Once all the filler is rubbed down it was time to apply a coat of sealer to the entire plasterboard surface. The use of a sealer is always recommended as it gives an even adhesion ready for the application of paint. The jointed areas are now ready for decorating.
