Paper Tape and Setting Compound on Flats and Butts
We bed paper tape in setting-type compound such as Sheetrock Easy Sand. Paper tape is stronger than mesh on butt joints, and setting compound shrinks less and bonds harder than premix.
Drywall taping in Kingston, ON
Drywall Taping and Finishing Services in Kingston
Taping and finishing is where a drywall job is won or lost. Kingston Drywall tapes, muds, sands and skim coats walls and ceilings for homeowners, owner-builders and general contractors across Kingston and the surrounding area.
Our finishers have more than 20 years of experience and over 2,500 jobs behind them. We work to the finish levels in the Gypsum Association GA-214 standard and write the level you are paying for on the quote.
The crew is licensed, insured and WSIB covered. We run vacuum sanders, protect the rest of your home and hand the room back paint ready.
- 20+ years
- 2,500+ jobs
- Licensed, insured, WSIB
20+ years of drywall
in Eastern Ontario
in Eastern Ontario
Tape-only work welcome
Board Already Hung? We Take It From There
Plenty of homeowners and builders hang their own board to save money, then need a finisher. Many drywall companies quietly turn that work down. We take it.
On the first visit we check the hang: fastener depth, gaps at joints, butt joint placement and any broken paper. Anything that would show through the finish is flagged and fixed before we start taping.
You get a clear price for tape and finish only, with no pressure to re-hang work that is sound.
Services
Our Taping and Mudding Services
Inside and Outside Corners
Paper-faced metal bead on outside corners resists cracking far better than plain metal bead. Inside corners get paper tape or no-coat bead, and tear-away bead where board meets a ceiling or window return.
Skim Coating and Level 5 Finishing
A thin coat over the entire surface evens out paper and compound texture. We roll and knife skim coats, or spray them on larger areas, depending on the room.
Texture Application and Matching
Knockdown, orange peel, stipple or smooth. Matching an existing texture is its own skill, covered on our textured ceiling and wall repair page.
Repairing a Failed Tape Job
Blistered tape, ridged or crowned joints and scuffs sanded through the face paper. We cut out loose tape, seal torn paper with a primer and refinish the joints properly.
Automatic Tools on Larger Jobs
On whole houses and commercial work we use automatic tapers and flat boxes. They lay consistent compound thickness quickly, which keeps big jobs on schedule.
Free written quotes with the finish level spelled out.
Finish levels
Which Finish Level Does Your Project Actually Need?
Here is the plain-English test. Hold a work light flat against the wall and look along it. If you can see joints or fastener spots at that angle, so will the afternoon sun.
| Finish level | Best for | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | Walls that will get a heavy texture | You want flat, smooth paint |
| Level 4 | Flat or eggshell paint in bedrooms, halls and basements | You have gloss paint or strong side light |
| Level 5 | Satin or gloss paint, large south-facing glass, open-plan ceilings, raking light | The room is a garage or storage space |
Level 5 adds a full skim coat, so it costs more. It is the right call when the light in a room is unforgiving, and it is the finish our drywall installation clients choose most often for great rooms.
Pricing
What Taping and Finishing Costs Per Square Foot in Kingston
Customers think about taping cost in two ways: per square foot of board, or per sheet. We quote either way, and both depend on the same factors.
| Factor | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Ceiling height | Above 9 ft needs stilts, a baker scaffold or staging. |
| Butt joint count | Butt joints take more compound and wider feathering than factory edges. |
| Cathedral and vaulted ceilings | Angles and staging slow every coat. |
| Corners and bead | Rooms with many outside corners, arches or window returns take longer. |
| Level 5 finish | Adds a full skim coat and extra sanding over every surface. |
| Condition of the hang | Poorly hung board needs correction before taping starts. |
Living with the work
Dust, Timelines and Living in the House During Finishing
We sand with vacuum-extraction sanders connected to HEPA dust extractors, which captures most of the fine dust before it floats through your house. Hand sanding is kept for detail work.
Each coat needs to dry before the next. Setting compound lets us coat faster, but a humid Kingston August can add a day to the job, while a dry February with the furnace running usually does not.
A typical room takes three to four visits over several days. We seal off the work area with plastic and zip doors so you can keep living in the rest of the house.
FAQ
Taping and Finishing FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we hear on site visits every week.
How many coats of mud should a proper job get?
A tape coat plus two fill coats is standard for Level 4, sanded after the final coat. Level 5 adds a skim coat over everything.
How long does drywall mud take to dry between coats?
Premixed compound needs about 24 hours in normal conditions, longer when it is humid or cool. Setting compounds harden chemically in 20 to 90 minutes depending on the type, which is why we use them for tape and fill coats.
Can you finish drywall someone else installed badly?
Usually, yes. We fix sunken fasteners, open gaps and broken paper first. If a section is hung so badly that no finish will hide it, we will show you why and price the fix.
What is the difference between Level 4 and Level 5?
Level 4 is three coats on joints and fasteners. Level 5 adds a thin skim coat over the entire surface, so the whole wall has the same texture and absorbs paint evenly under strong light.
Do you sand by hand or with a vacuum sander?
Mostly with vacuum-extraction sanders for dust control. We hand sand corners, edges and detail areas where a power sander cannot reach safely.
Related
Related Services
Finishing ties into most of what we do. Small damage calls go to our drywall repair team, and a skim coat over a scraped ceiling is the last step of popcorn ceiling removal.
Free written quote Prefer to talk it through? Call us (343) 504-7975
Request a Taping and Finishing Quote
Tell us the approximate square footage or sheet count, ceiling heights and the finish level you want. Photos of the hang help us price tape-only work accurately.
We finish drywall in Kingston and the towns around it, including rural owner-builder projects in Napanee and Newburgh.
- Hours
- Mon to Sat: 7:00am to 9:30pm
- Sun: 9:00am to 8:00pm
- Service area
- Kingston and towns within about 45 minutes, plus larger projects further afield.
- Licensed
- Fully insured
- WSIB covered
- WHMIS trained
- Working at Heights trained
- Drywall specialists