03-20-2010, 06:56 AM
It's a matter of the quality of the finished product.
Just taping the seams rarely produces a good result with drywall unless a very experienced finisher is involved. To make up for simple lack of workmanship drywall is often spattered with stuff or troweled with stuff to develop enough texture to hide the imperfections. To get a good "smooth wall" finish on drywall it is best to skim coat the wall. Otherwise your paint will be adhering to different surfaces - paper and drywall mud and the difference will be noticeable. Then to overcome the lack of time and effort on the drywall finishing the painter will be adding coats of paint. Another case of trying to save a nickel costing a dollar.
Usually it is the spec builders looking for the absolutely cheapest way to do the minimum amount of work. They don't have to live with it.
So my answer would be no on just taping the joints of either drywall or cement board. I recommend a thin skim coat on either material.
Just taping the seams rarely produces a good result with drywall unless a very experienced finisher is involved. To make up for simple lack of workmanship drywall is often spattered with stuff or troweled with stuff to develop enough texture to hide the imperfections. To get a good "smooth wall" finish on drywall it is best to skim coat the wall. Otherwise your paint will be adhering to different surfaces - paper and drywall mud and the difference will be noticeable. Then to overcome the lack of time and effort on the drywall finishing the painter will be adding coats of paint. Another case of trying to save a nickel costing a dollar.
Usually it is the spec builders looking for the absolutely cheapest way to do the minimum amount of work. They don't have to live with it.
So my answer would be no on just taping the joints of either drywall or cement board. I recommend a thin skim coat on either material.
Assume the best and ask questions.
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Punaweb moderator