The present invention is a wallboard tape that simplifies the initial covering and installation of elongated wallboard joints formed by the abutting of adjacent wallboards. The wallboard tape includes a fibrous paper tape having a resin-impregnated body and a water-soluble, specially formulated water-activated adhesive layer applied to a surface of the body. The resin impregnated body remains relatively non-moisture absorbent during wetting of the adhesive layer thereby allowing the adhesive layer to dry several minutes after installation of the tape over a wall joint.