If not repaired correctly, drywall cracks can become increasingly problematic and lead to the development of further problems developing down the road. Thankfully, fixing a drywall crack is not overly difficult with the right supplies and a little bit of know-how. However, one of the most important considerations is the type of drywall tape you use for the job; so, what is the best drywall tape for cracks?
Duck Brand Fiberglass Self-Adhesive is the best drywall tape for cracks. Repairing holes and cracks in drywall requires a strong material, so fiberglass mesh is preferable to paper drywall tape. Duck Brand self-adhesive is tough, affordable, easy to use, and will save you time and mess.
This article will begin by providing the reader with a comprehensive buying guide to know what to look for and what to avoid whenever purchasing drywall tape for a crack repair. Next, we will present our choice for the best drywall tape, explain why we chose it to stand out from the rest, and explore what it has to offer. Lastly, we will go over some user reviews and see what others say about the product, so keep reading!
Table of Contents
Finding the Right Drywall Tape for Cracks
Before choosing the drywall tape that is best suited for your particular need, i.e., for repairing the crack that you are dealing with, it is necessary first to identify a few factors regarding the crack’s specific nature.
The most important variables that will influence the drywall tape that you settle on are:
- The shape and size of the crack
- If the crack is located on a flat portion of wall/ceiling or in a corner
- If the cracked wall is indoors or outdoors (or on a wall that is exterior)
Those who are relatively unfamiliar with drywall repair may be surprised to learn that drywall tape comes in many different shapes, sizes, styles, and forms, all designed to serve a slightly different purpose. All of which offer their unique advantages in certain situations.
It is also worth mentioning that regardless of the type of drywall tape you are using, you will likely find a broad range of quality and pricing. It is advisable that when deciding on drywall tape that you do not cheap-out and settle for a subpar product. Repairing cracks with poor quality drywall tape will increase the chances of re-repairing the crack later on as the inferior product may fail to stand the test of time. As they say, buy cheap, buy twice.
The Types of Drywall Tape
Now that we have established many different types of drywall tape, we can examine them more closely and in further detail.
Remember that the best way to ensure you are making the best consumer decision is to acquire background information about the nature of the repair you are doing and what it will entail.
One of the best ways that someone new to drywall repair can quickly become educated on the subject is through watching various videos on YouTube. There are a plethora of videos available on how to select and apply drywall tape specifically to repair cracks. You are doing yourself a great disservice if you do not take some time to go through them and broaden your understanding of the matter.
We will now list and describe the most common among them to eliminate confusion and help the reader discern which can best satisfy their home repair needs.
Paper Tape
The first tape on this list is what most people will be most familiar with, paper tape.
Paper drywall tape is somewhat easy to use and very easy to hide, which are two of the most important factors for any drywall tape, regardless of its intended purpose.
Paper tape adheres to drywall with the addition of joint compound (drywall mud), where it is then smoothed out and seamlessly melded to the drywall.
Once the wall is sanded and painted over, a repair made by paper tape should be virtually undetectable.
For all of these reasons, paper tape remains the go-to choice of professional drywallers and contractors for repairing cracks.
Self-Adhesive/Fibreglass Tape
Self-adhesive drywall tape serves the same ends as standard paper tape, but it differs primarily in how it adheres to the wall.
While paper tape, as mentioned above, requires a joint compound to act as a glue for securing it in place, self-adhering drywall tape provides its own adhesive. It can be immediately fastened to drywall without the aid of any other products or materials.
Self-adhering tape comes in a mesh fiberglass material as opposed to a paper texture.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of self-adhering drywall tape is that it can save a lot of time and preparations, making it ideal for fixing small cracks, which are not necessarily a cause for great concern.
Fiberglass tape is stronger than paper tape, but it is harder to hide and blend in. It stands out more once finished, and it is generally more difficult to use for beginners.
Corner Tape
Drywall corner tape is unique in that it is designed specifically to be used to secure corners angled up to 90°.
Drywall corner tape typically has metal in it, which allows it to be bent and fitted securely into a corner.
Corner tape is tough, expensive, and not to be used on flat portions of a wall.
Corner tape is the least versatile of all the different types of drywall tape in its application. It quite literally only does one thing.
If the crack you are repairing is located where two walls meet to form a corner, then this is, without a doubt, the type of tape you will be looking for. In all other instances, it will be of no use to you whatsoever.
Moisture Tape
The last type of drywall tape discussed on this list is known simply as moisture tape.
As the name would imply, moisture tape is a type of drywall tape specifically designed for use in areas with a high presence of moisture and precipitation, such as showers, laundry rooms, and outdoor garages.
Over time, excessive moisture can lead to the formation of mold. Mold in your drywall has the potential to cause structural damage and should always be avoided at all costs.
Moisture-resistant drywall tape functions similarly to normal tape but is more expensive and should, therefore, be used only where necessary.
Moisture tape is not always necessary despite that there may be some moisture present.
A high-quality standard drywall tape applied by a skilled and knowledgeable installer will usually be enough to keep out moisture and protect your walls.
Drywall moisture tape tends to be reserved only for those places where keeping out all moisture and creating a total vapor seal is entirely essential.
Duck Brand Mesh Fiberglass Tape: The Best Drywall Tape for Cracks
What We Looked For
Our choice for the best drywall tape to repair cracks is based on the following careful considerations:
- Affordability
- Durability
- Ease of use
- Versatility
- The finished appearance (Blendability)
- Overall customer satisfaction
The drywall tape we ultimately settled on checked all of these boxes, and for that reason, it stood out above the rest as the obvious choice.
Keep in mind that every crack is different, and as such, a different product may be more suitable for repairing. However, for the most common repairs, we decided on Duck Brand self-adhesive fiberglass tape.
About Duck Brand Self-Adhesive Fiberglass Tape
When it comes to Duck Brand’s self-adhesive drywall tape, it is hard to know where to begin praising it.
There is no need to apply a joint compound to the wall before using Duck Brand self-adhesive, for starters. This means that you can simply cut your piece of drywall tape to the appropriate size and stick it on, repairing the crack in your wall instantly. This way will save a lot of time, mess, and complication.
Of course, to finish off the joint, you may need to hide the tape by smoothing it over with a joint compound later on, but with Duck Brand self-adhesive, the actual structural repair is accomplished in mere seconds. From there, the visual appearance is all that remains to be worked on.
Although Duck Brand’s self-adhesive price is a little more than standard paper drywall tape, it is very similar to other fiberglass tapes of its type. Moreover, each small (1 ⅞”) roll of Duck Brand tape comes with 180 feet of a roll. This single role should be more than enough to make multiple crack repairs and will pay for itself in the long term.
Perhaps the most enticing advantage that Duck Brand self-adhesive tape offers is its incredible strength and durability. Because this product is made of 100% fiberglass mesh, it is remarkably strong. Once the crack has been repaired, Duck Brand fiberglass drywall tape will provide a cosmetic cover-up and immense structural support.
Due to the strong nature of fiberglass mesh, Duck Brand drywall tape is especially advantageous where the hole or crack requiring repair is excessively large or gaping. A large hole in the wall, the type that may be sustained during a furniture moving mishap, for example, will require a very strong repair so as not to reopen again later. In this case, conventional paper drywall tape would not be up to the task because of how easy it can be ripped.
With Duck Brand drywall tape, even the most amateur DIY drywaller can produce a finished product that is nothing short of professional-tier quality.
Typical paper drywall tapes tend to intimidate first-time users and rookies because they do not have any adhesion on them. This now requires the user to know how to apply compound, amongst other things. On the other hand, self-adhering tape is as simple as just taping over anything you would be familiar with within your daily life, such as a pipe or a duct.
This removes the bulk of stress and anxiety for those who are new and may not be as crafty or hands-on around the house. Duck Brand tape will allow even those people to confidently make reliable repairs to drywall cracks.
Duck Brand also offers electrical tape in multiple colors. This electrical tape is sold as an alternative under the same product listing link as their drywall tape, the link which we have provided above. Do not accidentally purchase their electrical tape to fix cracks in your drywall out of confusion. Duck electrical tape is intended only for wiring and electrical work. It is entirely inadequate for home drywall repairs.
Keeping a roll of Duck Brand drywall tape on hand will ensure that you are always prepared to make fixes around the house quickly and whenever they may present themselves. Every home repair kit should include a roll of Duck Brand self-adhering tape.
Conclusion
In this article, we sought to determine the single best drywall tape for repairing cracks.
Drywall tape comes in many different shapes and styles, all with its own unique specific intended uses.
Overall, however, Duck Brand fiberglass self-adhesive stands above all the rest as the best drywall tape for making repairs.
Duck Brand fiberglass is easy to use for everyone, from beginners to professionals. It requires no mud or joint compound to adhere to, it is affordable, and most of all, it is incredibly strong and durable.
