The goal of installing drywall is to have a smooth, faultless finish. The process of taping the joints between drywall sheets is an important one. For this reason, both professionals and do-it-yourselfers tend to favor paper tape. However, not every paper tape is made equal, and the tape’s quality can have a big influence on the outcome.
A few producers are well-known in the industry for their excellent paper tape offerings. These well-known brands will help guarantee that your drywall joints are seamless and robust because of their dependability, strength, and ease of use. The top producers of paper tape for drywall joints will be examined in this post, along with the qualities that set them apart as excellent options for your remodeling and building projects.
These producers, which range from well-known industry heavyweights to creative upstarts, provide a selection of paper tapes to suit various requirements and tastes. There is a brand that suits your needs, whether you’re looking for tape that adheres well to particular drywall compound types or one that can resist particular environmental factors. Let’s explore the world of drywall paper tape and learn about the top brands that can consistently provide professional results for you.
- What does the concept mean??
- Why is it needed??
- Specifications
- Varieties
- How to choose the right one?
- Top 5 manufacturers
- Knauf
- Gyproc
- Danogips
- UNIBOB
- SD build
- Consumables
- Application rules and technology
- How to calculate consumption?
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Video on the topic
- What to glue paper tape on? Banjo from aliexpress – Homax banjo 6500
- Which masking tape to choose
- New. Tapes for drywall joints Fiba Fuse. Tests, conclusions.
- Knauf tape with perforation 4 #Experiments | Finishing a Drywall
- System Q1-Q4. Preparation of surfaces from Knauf sheets for finishing coatings
What does the concept mean??
Paper tape for drywall seams is one kind of consumable used in partition construction. It is made of cellulose fiber and elastic polymers, and adhesion is achieved by applying an adhesive composition to the back side of the tape.
This material, which helps preserve the integrity of the plasterboard partition’s finishing structure, is distinguished by its increased strength, dependability, durability, and environmentally friendly composition.
Why is it needed??
When building plasterboard partitions, paper tape is used to accomplish the following:
- Strengthening joints between gypsum board sheets after they are fixed to the supporting frame.
- Ensuring the continuity of the internal and external corners of the partition, which reduces the risk of cracks in the finishing elements.
- Increasing the elasticity of the finishing layer or non-woven wallpaper when the partition cladding elements move due to temperature changes.
- Compensation for impact impacts with subsequent vibrations of the sheet between support points.
- Sealing the joints of a plasterboard partition with an orthogonal load-bearing or enclosing structure made of other materials.
Reference: Although polymer serpyanka mesh is also used to reinforce joints, it cannot guarantee total impermeability of the assembly seam. This material is a superior substitute.
Specifications
There are several regulatory requirements for cellulose tapes used for plasterboard sheets when building partitions in apartments, private homes, or offices.
As a result, manufacturing companies produce products with the following technical attributes:
- Product width – from 40 to 100 mm.
- Tape length – from 30 to 100 m.
- Linear elongation coefficient without breaking – up to 5 mm per 1 m.
- Tensile strength – up to 0.5 MPa.
- Product thickness – from 0.2 to 0.4 mm.
- Degree of toxicity – no more than T1.
It is advised to always request a certificate of conformance and a quality certificate from the product supplier, which indicates the complete safety of the products, in order to purchase a product whose technical characteristics fully meet the operational requirements for these materials.
Varieties
It is common to find dozens of models of paper tapes for plasterboard sheet joints. The following criteria are used to classify these consumables into multiple categories.
In terms of chemical makeup:
- Pulp.
- Cellulose with polymer additives.
- Corner amplifiers with plastic base.
Breadth:
- Narrow – up to 50 mm.
- Wide – from 60 mm or more.
In terms of length:
- For local use – up to 30 m.
- For major repairs of premises – from 100 m2 and more.
Considering that reinforcement is present:
- unreinforced.
- Reinforced with polymer or glass composite threads.
- Reinforced with nylon or cotton threads.
Depending on whether a perforation is present:
- Without perforation – impermeable tapes.
- With laser perforation.
Depending on whether the reverse side has an adhesive coating:
- Without coating – for embedding into a layer of viscous putty.
- With adhesive coating – self-adhesive tapes.
Note: Nearly all contemporary cellulose tapes have laser perforation to enhance vapor permeability. This greatly broadens the range of applications for these materials and permits their use in finishing rooms with high humidity and temperature levels.
How to choose the right one?
There are several crucial considerations to make when selecting paper tape for gypsum board seams.
- Product strength, linear elongation coefficient.
- Tape width and length.
- Composition, surface quality, porosity of the material, on which the strength of adhesion to the putty depends.
- Presence of self-adhesive composition on the back side of the tape.
- Thickness of the product, coating with plastic reinforcement, which is especially important when installing tape in the corners of plasterboard partitions.
Prior to making a purchase, it’s crucial to research the brand in detail, learn about its manufacturing sites, and read authentic customer testimonials—both good and bad—about the brand’s goods on independent Internet forums.
Selecting the appropriate paper tape for joints when finishing drywall can have a big impact on the strength and longevity of your walls. The top paper tape producers, including USG, Saint-Gobain, and FibaTape, provide goods with excellent adherence, low bubbling, and simple application. Professionals and do-it-yourselfers alike rely on these brands because of their dependability and consistent performance. Purchasing premium paper tape from these leading producers enables the creation of seamless, flawless joints that endure.
Top 5 manufacturers
If selecting the best paper tape for gypsum boards proves to be challenging for the owner of a residential or public space undergoing significant repairs or redevelopment, the top 5 manufacturers of these products are listed below.
Knauf
- Country of origin: Germany.
- Description: a well-known German manufacturer with a worldwide reputation, operating in Russia since the 90s. The brand operates its own factories on the territory of our country, which ensures the production of high-quality products at minimal prices.
- Advantages: inexpensive and convenient material, quickly applied, environmentally friendly composition, excellent for applying any type of starting putty.
- Flaws: the material is too thin – it may tear when applied or unrolled from the roll.
- Average price: 180 – 260 rub. for 1 roll 50 m.
Gyproc
- Country of origin: France.
- Description: French brand with its own production plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region. All products are certified in the Russian Federation and fully comply with the requirements of current GOSTs.
- Advantages: high quality provided by the leading brand, durable material, is a complete reinforcing element for the corners of plasterboard partitions. Service life of at least 25 years.
- Flaws: the highest retail price in the category under consideration, not suitable for linear joints.
- Average price: 2800 – 3500 rub. for 1 roll 50 m with plastic reinforcement.
Danogips
- Country of origin: Germany.
- Description: A German brand with a worldwide reputation, there is an official representative office of the plant in Russia. Each tape for reinforcing joints between gypsum plasterboard sheets undergoes mandatory international certification and is included in the list of recommended products of many developers who announce tenders.
- Advantages: patented composition with the addition of natural cellulose and environmentally friendly polymers, high degree of adhesion of lime, gypsum and cement putties, the material is not destroyed under the influence of an aggressive environment.
- Flaws: the adhesive coating often protrudes beyond the edges of the roll, which is why the tape breaks when unwinding.
- Average price: 180 – 250 rub. for 1 roll 50 m.
UNIBOB
- Country of origin: Russia.
- Description: large domestic enterprise. Having the necessary production capacity. The quality of the products is in no way inferior to Western analogues. The company produces a wide range of consumables for construction, installation, repair and finishing work.
- Flaws: insufficient amount of perforation, complexity of the device in wet rooms.
- Average price: 220 – 290 rub. for 1 roll 50 m.
SD build
- Country of origin: Russia.
- Description: the company was founded as one of the leading manufacturers of building materials in Russia. Since 2008, a workshop for the production of insulating and consumable materials, including serpyankas and paper tapes, was also opened at the plant. Consumers note the high quality, practicality, reliability and durability of all brand products.
- Advantages: Each batch of goods undergoes careful control at laboratory stands. All products are easy to apply, and the adhesive composition does not leave marks on finished surfaces, which allows you to always adjust the position of the material.
- Flaws: the material stretches due to the large number of polymers, which causes the tape to twist and delaminate during operation.
- Average price: 300 – 380 rub. for 1 roll 90 m.
Crucial! The rating above is a recommendation only; it is not an advertisement and should not be interpreted as a clear call to buy. Reviews from actual users of the products in question form the basis of the compilation of the list.
Consumables
You’ll need the following supplies and equipment to install paper tape when building and finishing plasterboard partitions.
To apply markings and take measurements:
- Roulette.
- Ruler with steel blade.
- Construction corner.
- Pencil or marker.
For material cutting:
- Stationery knife.
- Household scissors.
To get the application and installation plane ready:
- Sandpaper or fine grit sandpaper.
- Penetrating primer.
- Brush, soft brush or broom for dust removal.
- Smoothing rag.
- Degreaser for plasterboard sheets.
Take note! Since solvents and degreasers can lose their performance qualities over time, it’s important to research the expiration date of the product before making a purchase of consumables.
Application rules and technology
It’s not necessary to hire experts to apply paper tape for gypsum board sheets; you can do it yourself, provided you take into consideration the following factors:
- The installation joint must be completely assembled, and all sheets must be secured with self-tapping screws.
- All installation gaps must be cleaned and dust-free, after which they are primed.
- Before gluing the tape, it is necessary to embed all hardware into the body of the gypsum board core.
- If the tape does not have a self-adhesive surface on the back side, it should be embedded in a layer of viscous putty.
- The tape must be applied up and down.
- When installing, the material should not be stretched, since during the hardening of the finishing layer, it will begin to warp when drying.
- After gluing, the tape is smoothed along its entire length to eliminate folds and bubbles.
The self-adhesive product does not require waiting for polymerization, so corners and joints can be finished immediately after the tape is applied.
Watch this informative video to learn the correct way of taping the joints between sheets of gypsum board.
How to calculate consumption?
Prior to buying paper tape for plasterboard joints and corners, you need to determine how much material you’ll need. To do this, follow these steps:
- Measurements are taken from all horizontal and vertical mounting joints between sheets of plasterboard.
- The resulting size is multiplied by the number of gaps.
- The lengths of external and internal corners, as well as the places where the plasterboard partition adjoins the walls, are measured separately.
- At the final stage, all additional elements are additionally measured, taking into account the overlap of the tape in the orthogonal direction.
- After taking measurements, all indicators are summarized.
- Considering that paper tape for drywall is a soft and fragile material that can easily tear, it is recommended to buy it with a margin of at least 20% – 30%.
Crucial! You should keep in mind that each roll of tape is a multiple of 10 meters when making a purchase. As a result, there will always be some waste when cutting the tape.
Advantages and disadvantages
Professional finishers frequently use paper tape for drywall corners and joints because it offers numerous indisputable benefits.
- Easy to apply.
- Environmentally friendly composition.
- Convenience of finishing and applying starting putty.
- Application does not require special tools or extensive experience in performing the work.
- Durability – the material lasts no less than the partition itself.
- Increased elasticity – compensation for tensile forces when moving the gypsum board is achieved.
- Paper tape is significantly cheaper than other polymer materials for reinforcing assembly joints in enclosing structures.
- Full vapor permeability eliminates the formation of mold and bacterial growth.
- Easily removed and replaced with new material in case of an accidental mistake by the mater.
However, even with all of their benefits, these materials occasionally have a number of drawbacks that make them unsuitable for reinforcing sheet joints.
- Possible waste generation during cutting and application.
- The material breaks easily even with minor mechanical stress.
- Cellulose fiber burns well.
- Difficult to apply in the absence of adhesive composition on the back side.
- High probability of defects when twisting material.
- As a rule, the tape is supplied in rolls of 50 m, which is not always suitable when performing work on a small section of the wall.
Be aware that many consumers overlook the subjective nature of the listed drawbacks, which explains why demand for these products is rising annually.
Manufacturer | Features |
---|---|
USG | Known for strong, high-quality tape that resists cracking |
3M | Offers easy-to-apply tape with excellent adhesion |
Saint-Gobain | Provides durable tape that ensures smooth finishes |
Sheetrock | Popular for its reliability and ease of use |
FibaTape | Innovative with enhanced strength and mold resistance |
Your drywall projects’ longevity and quality can be greatly affected by your choice of paper tape for drywall joints. With so many manufacturers available, it’s critical to choose a product that satisfies your unique requirements and preferences.
Premium paper tapes from well-known manufacturers like USG, Saint-Gobain, and Strait-Flex are renowned for their robustness, usability, and dependability. These manufacturers are reliable options for both professionals and do-it-yourselfers because of their long history of creating high-quality products that perform admirably.
Think about things like the paper tape’s adhesion, ease of application, and resilience to cracking when choosing a tape. You can find the best brand for your specific projects by testing a few different ones. A wise investment in high-grade paper tape will guarantee long-lasting, smooth drywall joints.