How to Tape and Float a Wall

Open a plastic tarp and lay it on the floor, pushing it up as close to the wall as possible. The process of floating creates quite a mess, and the tarp makes cleanup faster and easier.

Locate a seam where two pieces of drywall meet. Open a tub of premixed joint compound and stir it up with a trowel. Insert a 5-inch drywall knife into the tub and scoop up 1/4- to 1/2-cup of the material.

Place the drywall knife at the bottom of the wall with the compound facing upward. Position the knife at a 45-degree angle upward as you move your hand up along the seam. Continue smoothing the compound over the seam until there is none left on the knife.

Scoop up an additional 1/4- to 1/2-cup of the compound and continue applying it to the seam until you reach the ceiling. Use a stepladder, if necessary, to reach all the way to the top.

Scrape the drywall knife on top of the tub to remove any excess compound. Position the clean knife at the top of the seam and pull it down over it all the way to the floor in a continuous stroke to smooth it out.

Place the end of a roll of paper drywall tape at the top of the seam above the joint compound. Make sure it is centered over the seam before pressing it down until it sticks. Continue unrolling the tape and apply it all the way down to the floor. Cut the excess tape off with a utility knife.

Set aside your 5-inch drywall knife and pick up an 8-inch knife. Use another 1/2-cup of compound and apply it to the top of the tape just as you did before. Continue applying the compound until no part of the tape is visible.

Repeat the process to install tape on all remaining seams in the room. Allow the joint compound to dry overnight until it is hard.

Sand all of the seams with fine-grit sandpaper until you can run your hand across the seams and they feel flat.