The debate on pre-filling screw holes before taping...

I got into it with a guy named Hank on a job site in Austin last Tuesday. He swears by pre-filling every single screw hole with mud before he even thinks about taping. Says it saves him time on the second coat and prevents bubbles. I've always just done my tape coat and let the mud fill the holes at the same time... it's how my old foreman taught me 3 years ago. But Hank's method seems to make the tape stick flatter with no air pockets behind it. I tried it on a small bedroom last week and I gotta say the finish sanded out way smoother. Still feels like an extra step that slows me down though. Is there a consensus on this or is it just whatever works for you?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_riley21d ago

Did you find you had to let the pre-fill dry completely before taping or could you hit it while it was still a little tacky?

emeryfox20d agoMost Upvoted

Hang on, you're telling me you've been taping while it's still tacky? That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen with the tape lifting or the pre-fill smearing everywhere. I always let mine dry until it's completely matte and non-sticky, feels way safer that way.