Green-Zip-Tape: Demountable Drywall Installation System
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 09.21.07

Green-Zip-Tape, a patented demountable tape provides an alternative method for hanging sheet rock for later de-construction and reuse. Drywall has traditionally been a barrier to gaining easy access to structural components of the building for repair or reuse. This tape and associated screw connectors allow drywall to be easily removed [as pictured] and replaces the traditional nailing mechanism, which can damage the drywall and inhibit reuse.
Mr. Dry Wallie, TreeHugger's interior finishing consultant sez: "I'm going to throw away those goggles, toss my pry bar, and tell the the haul-off delivery guy to take a hike. Life is good now."
Too bad 3M. It's patented already.
For more information on GreenZipTap, click here (pdf download includes step by step installation instructions, with photos.)





















Drywall is generally screwed in. And I don't see how that tape is any different than any self adhesive mesh tape you can get at Home Depot, besides it being green. How reusable is dry wall after it has all the holes cut out of it for outlets?
What? OK, I just looked at this PDF and a couple things come to mind:
-They only screwed in the sheetrock on the outside edges, that isn't very secure, sound deadening, or in most places even up to code.
-Having just redone my kitchen sheetrock, I must say that the 'white adhesive mesh tape' I used only required a single application of mud. If I want I can dig in and pull off the 'white' adhesive quickly removing the mud.
So basically, this is a scam to sell a 'green' item for something that could be done today if the builder so chose. As pointed out by JiltedCitizen, how reuseable is sheetrock afer it has been sut in to, paint, wallpapers, etc? Time and energy lost to reapiring the old sheetrock for reuse might easily outweigh the benefits of just using new sheetrock.
Neat idea, but...
-Lego
I'm guessing y'all completely missed or skimmed over this line:
"Drywall has traditionally been a barrier to gaining easy access to structural components of the building for repair or reuse."
Of course, I don't know why interior, non-load-bearing walls aren't modular to begin with. Load 'em up with all the sound deadening and whatever else you require for a "solid" wall, but make them all connect at the corners mechanically. Drywall is nice, but a cork surface works just as well for for hanging things or whatever. And cabinetry is normally hung to the structure behind the drywall, so let's forego the drywall all together :)
I've never seen drywall only screwed on the edges like that and likely a code violation. One job of drywall is to be a fire break and it needs to be secure.
I don't see that much value in this either, especially since you can more or less do this with sheet rock as it is. However it seems it's pitched at commercial rather than residential construction. Who wants carpets in residential anyhow? But in an office where you might need to move the walls every couple years or so, the idea might start to make some sense.
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