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How to finish drywall
If you've checked out my section on drywall finishing in Our Progress, you know I decided to play it smart and leave the drywall finishing to a pro. Here are some drywall finishing tips I picked up from the pro I hired to do the job...
Drywall finishing tools and supplies Here are some of the things you'll need for your drywall finishing project: Drywall knives in three sizes (4", 8", and 12") -lightweight sheetrock joint finishing compound: buy the powdered, NOT premixed Drywall mud mixer (this fits onto your power drill and will save time and energy!) Drywall tape: don't use the mesh tape. Even with the adhesive back, it's much harder to work with. Drywall sanding pole: Has a large, flat sanding surface and will save your back and you sand the high and low spots on the wall. Drywall sanding screens: Regular sandpaper clogs with dust very quickly and tears easily. A five gallon bucket for mixing the mud. AND, finally... the best drywall finishing tool I've ever seen- The drywall 'banjo'. This tool makes joint taping as easy at it could possible be! You thread the tape through, add the mud inside, and away you go! If you're doing it yourself, I'd HIGHLY recommend this tool!
Thread the tape, add the mud...
Run the tape down the wall...
A perfectly taped seam- every time!
[Click the above images to enlarge]
Buy your drywall finishing tools now! Drywall finishing tips Buy the powdered joint compound and only mix as you can use for an hour or so. The mud will begin to thinking in the bucket, and will be more difficult to work with. With each coat of mud, less is more. Don't glob it on, you'll just end up sanding more off later. Make sure each coat is completely dry before adding the next coat. Consider buying a dehumidifier to use during drywall finishing. Basements are damp and your mud will dry much quicker if you use a dehumidifier to pull the moisture from the air. If you do it right, you should only sand ONCE! It should take three coats of mud. When you're taping, be sure to push all the air bubbles from under the tape as you move along the drywall seam. Otherwise you'll end up with lumps in your finished drywall joint. If you're trying it yourself and need a bit more help, check out these drywall finishing books!

 

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