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Just wanted some feedback from other remodelers about their techniques on finishing drywall. I was taught the 6, 10, 12. Start with your six inch knife for the first coat, second coat is your ten, and so on. I use self stick mesh on seams and paper tape in the corners. Some people turn their noses up at mesh because of the cost, but I like it, and it makes the work move along faster. Also, does anyone have preferences on mud. Premix or do it yourself. I use premix, which I buy at the Depot. They carry heavy and light mixes. I perfer the light mix which I add some water to make it a little more creamy. The water helps feather it out better. Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone had any other tips.
Also, has anyone heard of adding some liquid dish soap to the mud? I tried it, and it worked better then water for feathering. Sounds strange, but it worked.
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Doesn't sound strange at all. I use about 14 cup dish soap to a 5 gallon (it's actually 4.5 gal.) of plus 3 and water. Most of my mixes are pretty thin. I also try to keep a gap between the panels, about a penny thickness, to allow the compound to ooz into the joint. And the first coat is durobond (not EZ Sand) which I mash into the glass tape to make sure I'm not just surfacing it. Glass on the flats and paper in the inside corners. I use metal backed tape for odd angled inside corners.
I usually use a 6" and a 12" knife and work directly out of the bucket unless I'm on my stilts in which case I troff and a knife, 6" for the first and 12" for the rest. Many tapers prefer a hawk over a troff but I find the hawk doesn't hold enoough mud.
Heres a good one. Got a compressor on the job? Use 1-1/4" finish staples to fasten metal corner bead. You'll never want to use nails or screws again. Never use a crimper to fasten the corner bead. If any thing it can be used to hold the bead till its stapled, but I find it to be one extra unnecessary step. I don't even own a crimper.
Avoid shiny metal corner beads. Even durobond will pop off of it at the slightest bump. Only get corner bead that has a dull finish to it.
Hope you find some useful tips here.
Ted
*Ted, it's funny you say that about the finish nails for corner bead. I was tear'n a wall down in a kitchen I'm doing, and sure enough, the bead was set with f. nails. I scratched my head over this one but then thought, hell, if it works, why not. Good idea, but unfortunately we use alot of metal studs. Also, never, i repeat never, use vinyl bead. I'm finishing my basement off, went to go buy some extra , and the store was out of metal. All they had was the vinyl so I thought I'll give it a try. That was a mistake. I did more bitch'n and moaning because it wouldn't stay straight, kept crimping, etc. What a headache.
*Chris, As I mentioned I don't even own a crimper. The crimp only holds the "metal" bead in place till it gets fastened through the drywall to the stud. The crimper doesn't even work with plastic bead. With metal studs you have to use screws to fasten the corner bead. I only use metal studs when required by code but doing all residential work, that never happens.I don't use finish nails. I use finish staples. They work fantastic. I just wonder how I can incorporate a pneumatic tool to fasten the drywall. Maybe a roofing nailer? (:
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Ted,
A roofing nailer doesn't cut it because it doesn't dimple the dw, it bashes it. Or it leaves the bottom of the nailhead flush with the surface of the rock, thus slowing the process. Roofing nails don't have the holding power of ring-shanked drywall nails, but if they had a system for this, they would make them already (you aren't the first guy to think of this). Have you tried a screw gun?
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Just wanted some feedback from other remodelers about their techniques on finishing drywall. I was taught the 6, 10, 12. Start with your six inch knife for the first coat, second coat is your ten, and so on. I use self stick mesh on seams and paper tape in the corners. Some people turn their noses up at mesh because of the cost, but I like it, and it makes the work move along faster. Also, does anyone have preferences on mud. Premix or do it yourself. I use premix, which I buy at the Depot. They carry heavy and light mixes. I perfer the light mix which I add some water to make it a little more creamy. The water helps feather it out better. Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone had any other tips.
Also, has anyone heard of adding some liquid dish soap to the mud? I tried it, and it worked better then water for feathering. Sounds strange, but it worked.