While remodeling an older house (where nothing is quite straight) we used fiber glass mesh joint tape and 3 coats of joint compound. The first coat was applied with a 4 inch knife, the second with an 8 inch and ending the third on a 12 inch knife. I can still see the texture from the mesh tape I used on some of the joints.

I hoped that a coat of primer would level it off, but after using Kilz 2 primer I can still see the tape in some spots. :(

Sanding through the primer now proves difficult (doesn't work) with a medium grit sanding block.

Should I add another coat? I could never quite get the joint compound to adhere over the mesh tape. I've always been taught to go as thin as I can on the joint compound to reduce the sanding part. Did I go too thin? 

I'm hoping a second coat of primer and 2 coats of the final latex paint hides it, but I know this isn't the right answer. How can I fix this?



following what doresoom and shirlock said; i just applied a coat with the 12 inch knife practically against the wall (accidentally touching the wall with the handle once or twice) - more or less dragging the compound across the surface

this produced the result explained - about 1/32nd ? thickness of mud, covering the tape that i'll need to feather round the edges

i miss spoke earlier - i was using a sponge sanding block (not strait paper sand paper)

now that the primer has dried (did it saturday) its not as bad as i thought it was, but this is the right way to do it (not covering it with paint)

just as a side, we've used sherwin williams paint throughout the house and although its great paint (IMO) the plaster and lath walls that remain, even those repairs show through - and if those do, than this new work will... may as well do finish it right...

thanks for the help guys - i'll check this coat tomorrow and give a last one with the soap and water if it needs it.


Question: How should I connect a grounding wire from a device to this box?
Answer: That wiring is AC cable, modern AC cable. I can clearly see the bonding strip that makes the sheathing a grounding conductor. So since a grounding means exists you must use it.

With switches, simply screwing them to a grounded metallic box grounds them, as opposed to a receptacle which would need to be a self-grounding type. So technically, just installing the switch would be adequate, but since there is a ground wire from the dimmer I would connect it to the box.