Took me 2 years to stop over-mudding my butt joints

I used to pile on so much mud at every butt joint because I thought that was the only way to hide it. Last month a foreman walked by on a big hotel job downtown and just goes "hey you're making more work for yourself". He showed me how to feather it out thin and wide with a 12 inch knife instead of globbing it on thick. First coat dried flat and I only needed two more passes instead of four. Has anyone else had a random tip from a guy on site that completely changed how you tape?

2 comments

2 Comments

rubybarnes3d ago

Honestly that "feather it thin and wide" advice is gold but I gotta ask how wide are we talking here? Did he give you a specific number like 6 inches wider than the joint or just eyeball it? Tbh I always thought wider meant more sanding but maybe I've been doing it backwards this whole time.

xena_murphy3d ago

@rubybarnes I read that exact advice in a drywall forum last week and tried it, total game changer.