How to Repair Cracking Mud in Fresh Drywall

Joint compound, or mud, is applied to the seams between sheets of drywall in order to hide them and create the appearance of a solid surface once you apply texture and paint to the wall. When joint compound dries too quickly, it can shrink and crack along the seams. Before adding texture and paint, you must repair the cracks in the mud; otherwise, the cracks will appear on the wall through the texture and paint.

Joint compound
Taping knife
Drywall tape
Taping trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Spread a thin layer of joint compound, or mud, over the crack in the mud, using a taping knife. Make sure you use enough compound to completely fill the crack in the original drywall mud.
- 2
  Cut a piece of drywall tape that's long enough to cover the crack in the mud. Push the tape into the fresh joint compound, smoothing any wrinkles from the new tape.
- 3
  Apply another thin layer of joint compound over the new tape. Make sure you push the compound into the tape.
- 4
  Smooth the fresh compound with a 12-inch taping trowel. The wider trowel pushes the joint compound out and away from the crack, reducing the appearance of a bump where you repaired the crack.

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