I installed new inside corner tape in a bathroom. After all attempts to make it smooth, there are several 4 to 5 inch long bumps of hardened compound under the tape. Yes, I mudded the outside of the tape and wet and dry sanded. the compound has thoroughly dried. Is there any way I can get these bumps out without actually tearing out the job and starting over?
Drywall – fix hardened bumps under inside corner tape without removing the tape and starting over
drywall
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The risk would be that the compound wouldn't bond to the scraped-away area, or that the remaining drywall would crumble over time. It would be much better to cut out the area and patch it, and it wouldn't be that much more work.
If you do decide to try it though, you might want to use some fiberglass mesh tape to reinforce the patch.
While I would be lost without a belt sander and a detail sander, for most medium to fine finishing work, I would vote for a variable speed, 6" random orbit sander, with velcro pad (as opposed to PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive).
Get one with 6 hole dust pickup for integration with a shop vac, such as..
What are the relative ad/disadvantages of random orbit sanders (some might ask)?
- The 6 inch size is more powerful than the 5s and covers more area (and bridges a wider area (important for flattening walls, rather than following the the contours)).
- The 6 hole sanding disks allow good dust pickup when suction is provided. I frequently don't need a dustmask for smaller jobs.
- The random orbit allows for a smoother scratch pattern. Be sure to work through the grits to eliminate the sanding marks of the previous grits. For Drywall sanding I would use 80-120-150. For wood I would use one more 80-120-150-220 and maybe 50 for really rough surfaces
- Also, the hook-and-loop sanding discs can be reused if desired (and not worn out).
- Disadvantages are: large size for detail work. Possibly too aggressive for very light work (wood block and a sheet of fine sanding paper would be better, in that case). Heavy for overhead work.
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Best Answer
You don't have to tear out the tape, just sand or scrape through the high spots and skim it. The only problem with doing that is if you have a substantial length missing at the actual joint, say over an inch.