I've installed a new tub/shower between two previously-existing walls left and right. (See photo.) Around the shower I have framing that is attached to the existing walls. When I added drywall around the tub/shower, I filled any cracks between the old and new drywall on the inside corners with 90 minute hot mud (Sheetrock 90); cracks were all 1/8" or less. The house is 35 years old, so I don't expect movement of the walls from settling or framing that shrinks.

Question: Rather than tape the corners, would it work to apply a bead of paintable caulk to the inside corners after priming?

I have caulk tooling tools that finish caulk nicely that I've used before with good results, but not for inside corners on drywall. Wondering if a paintable caulk would give me a good result without the pain of taping and mudding those corners, which can be fussy for a novice drywaller.

I'd be interested if anyone has any experience with doing this, especially if you've tried both methods and can give an objective assessment of the pros and cons of each. I'm not really interested in responses like "taping is how the pros do it" or "that's just the way it's supposed to be done" or "that's the way it's always been done". I'm just trying to get a nice job that will look good and last.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Wayne


New tub/shower installed between 35-year-old walls with drywall. Flange is screwed into framing members left and right.

 

Every house moves regardless of age, it's a seasonal event.

You need the tape to add strength to the corner.

If your not familiar with doing corners they do make inside corner beads, similar to outside that are pretty easy to use!

 

One option if you really don't want to mud an inside corner is to install molding. You can use quarter round or something bigger if you want.

If you decide to do the interior corners there aren't many secrets I'm aware of to make it easy. Much like the rest of sheet rock finishing it's all about experience and gaining a feel for it.

I never found interior corner beads to be much help versus folding paper tape down the middle. Worst is fiber mesh tape. Folding it is a bugger and it doesn't naturally form a straight line so avoid it. I do find a corner trowel to be helpful for the initial stages of finishing as it makes it easy to run down the joint to get a nice straight line in the middle. Then I follow with a normal trowel/knife to feather and finish the outer edges.