FAQ's we've been asked about the drywall taping trade.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the taping trade? Not even close ...
However, we are trying to fill this page up a little bit at a time and you can help. You are welcome to send a message and we will try and find an answer for you as soon as possible.
What is ames taping?
Summarized in layman's terms, it has two purposes. Ames taping is fire and smoke protection, and also an alternative to plastering which is being increasingly used in new house building contracts since originating in the late 1930's. Read more
The work can be done by automatic drywall taping tools or by hand, dependant on the size of the job. The tape and joint cement is only applied to the plasterboard joints and screw holes rather than the whole area, resulting in a smaller percentage of materials being used than traditional plastering. The finished product leaves the walls and ceilings seamless, smooth and ready to decorate.
In times gone by, it used to be the domain of painters, plasterers, and joiners who would turn a hand to this job. There is now massive demand and it has become a full time occupation in its own right.
Why use ames taping
This has already been explained on our homepage. It's currently a popular choice for property developers due to being tidier and more economical which is ideal when you have deadlines and tight schedules to meet. It can increase your productivity as ames taping currently produces the highest quality, most cost effective method of finishing walls and ceilings.
Time is money, and in the UK climate, taping dries much quicker.
Are you experienced?
You could say that, please see our testimonials.
Every client receives exactly what they pay for. Quality workmanship up to the same standard Alex would expect in his own home. From the planning stages, to job start and completion, we are proud to offer a prompt, efficient and courteous service.
Alex personally has over 18 year's site experience. He began hand taping in 1993, and became certified to use the taping tools in January 1996 at the British Gypsum training centre at Erith, Kent in England.
Are you health and safety conscious?
Yes, we have public liability and personal accident insurance as building sites are dangerous places. We also have valid CSCS health and safety cards.
What will happen if we decide to hire you?
Please see the "What you should expect from a taping contractor" page for more information.
How much...?
If you know someone from down the pub that will tape your house extension for £50,
fair play to them. We aren't interested in wasting anyone's valuable time so please
don't ask us to compete in a price war and match unrealistic prices. You may believe
professional tradesmen who have spent years learning a skill come with a premium
price tag? Maybe so, but quality does matter and you will get the skilled
craftsmanship you pay for at the first time of asking... whereas an amateur may cost
you a lot more than you bargained for.
With that in mind, we also fix up botched jobs.
Taper/Jointer/Drywall finisher/Dryliner/Drywaller/......eh?
Depending on where in the English speaking world you live, the job description comes under the title of Drywall / Dryline Finisher in the US and Canada, Gyprocker in Australia and New Zealand, Taper and Jointer in England, and Ames Taper in Scotland.
What taping tools do you use?
Our automated tools are manufactured by Tapetech and Premier Drywall. A kit consists of an autotaper (nicknamed the bazooka), which applies the cement and the tape to the walls and ceilings in one movement. There are 7", 10", and 12" wide boxes to coat the taped joints in ever increasing wideness and depth with each pass. An internal angle roller and 2 internal angle heads which wipe excess cement from the joint. Two pumps are used to fill these tools and a nail spotter for ... well, spotting nails.
Isn't the sanding down very dusty and dirty?
It can be if sanded by hand. Sometimes it just has to be done in a small area but this should be ok as long as you wear proper dust mask protection and work in a well ventilated area. In our larger contracts where we have room to use machinery, we use a drywall sander connected to a wet and dry vacuum which eliminates around 95% of any dust particles from the work environment.
What materials do you use?
British Gypsum, USG or Lafarge materials. The best quality in our opinion.
How much do taping and jointing materials cost?
In our opinion, far too much and they are a lot more expensive than plastering materials on a kilo for kilo ratio. Labour rates are much the same now as they were in the 1990's but materials have literally doubled in price.
How do I price a taping or drywall finishing job?
Please see our forum for more up to date information and pricing available in the UK.
Is it a hard job?
It can be backbreaking at times, but job satisfaction is pretty high. It can involve nightshifts and staying away from home but you are never working in the same place for year after year. If you are physically fit, good with your hands, have an eye for detail, a head for heights, can meet deadlines, are not allergic to dust and are capable of simple arithmetic, then you have what it takes.
Are you prepared to cut corners?
Absolutely not. We were asked these questions recently - Can you do a taping job in one day? Can you skip a coat? Can you not put some tapes on to save us some cash and time? No. No, and No!
The last thing we want is for our client, painter or whoever to condemn our work and ruin our good reputation that we have worked so hard to build. We do the job correctly, so please don't offend us by asking.
If you do happen to be unfortunate enough to have a taping contract in need of repair, we are available and only a call away from doing small jobbing work.
Are your testimonials genuine?
Yes, we have all the emails and letters on file in case of any disputes.
Are all the photos of your work?
The tools are copies from stock internet images but everything else is photos of contracts we've been involved in since 2001. Alex took a lot of the photo's and added watermarks to stop others claiming this work as their own. (It has happened before.....) If it doesn't have a watermark, he just didn't happen to take that photo but still worked on the job. They are linked so you can see a larger photo in more detail by clicking it and these may be altered from time to time.
Are you looking for staff?
No. However, there are world wide job vacancies posted on our taping and jointing forum, and this is as good a place as anywhere to start looking.
