How to Finish Sheetrock With Self-Adhesive Mesh Tape

Center the self-adhesive tape at the top of a sheetrock joint. Apply the tape to the joint. Press the tape down firmly to create a good seal. Tear the strip off at the end, and continue until all seams and joints are covered with tape.

Apply joint compound over the tape with a drywall knife. Scrape on a thin, even layer of joint compound. Use the edge of the knife to scrape away any excess compound.

Try to get your layer of compound as smooth as possible to make the sanding process quicker and easier. Let the joint compound set until it is hard to the touch. This typically takes four hours, but high humidity levels may mean waiting six to eight hours.

Sand the compound smooth with a fine-grit sanding block. The surface of the compound should be level with the rest of the sheetrock, particularly if the wall is not going to be textured.

Remove all dust on the sheetrock with a shop vac before finishing the wall. The sanding process creates a lot of fine dust both on the sheetrock and the surfaces underneath.