Hello:

I have a finished attic, however who ever finished it drywalled the room, and then rather than use paper or mesh tape and mud over it, they appeared to just used wide maskting tape over the joints and paint over it with no mud at all.

Im wondering if it were to be wise to remove all of this tape, or can I just apply joint compound over the joints? Its not cracking or anything, just looks unsightly, and Im hoping to fix that. If I could just leave the exsisting tape on, its sure to knock a day off this job.

Thank you

Masking tape is not meant to be permanent. Different brands may vary. Some of it eventually falls off. Some of it petrifies becoming unremovable, or perhaps that is just a stage it goes through before falling off. You might try picking at it, and if it comes off, remove it. If you get nowhere, mud over it and hope for the best. Even if it loses adhesion, the mud may hold it on the same as paper style tape.

Thanks labman:

It has split in a few places, and has gotten brittle in others. I will see if I can remove it easily. Im not really crazy about drywall finishing, and I sure don't want to do it twice.
Ive actually considered just paneling over it, but I really wanted a smooth painted wall look up here.

When it comes to drywall mud, I am a bungler. I end up spending days sanding and reapplying before I finally have a nice job. When I was coordinating a Habitat for Humanity house, I got a call from a hard hat sentenced to community service. First question I asked was did he do drywall mud.

When it comes to drywall mud, I am a bungler. I end up spending days sanding and reapplying before I finally have a nice job. When I was coordinating a Habitat for Humanity house, I got a call from a hard hat sentenced to community service. First question I asked was did he do drywall mud.

I feel your pain. Some people just have a knack for it. They say "its all in the wrist". I still takes me several coats to get it looking halfway decent. Small jobs don't bother me two much, but Im preparing to re-mud this whole room, my mind keeps wanting to put it off. But my eyes are so sore from this tape and ugly 60's style green paint painted over it.

What a delima.