Patching and Plastering - sponging vs sanding & best method for corners
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brinainlakeelmo
09-26-07, 10:41 PM
Hello, I'm looking for tips/ "how to advice" on tpapping and mudding. I hired sheetrockers to hang drywall in my kitchen and bath remodel. The cost for hanging was about 1/3 the cost to hang, tape and mud, so I figured I'd save the money and do the finishing myself. It's not going as fast as I'd hoped. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm especially struggling with the top corners. How do you apply the joint compound and not end up with a bunch of lumps/ ripples at the top of the inside corners?
marksr
09-27-07, 05:40 AM
It is usually easier for most of us to only apply mud to one side of an angle at a time [do other side when dry]
Dry sanding will give a flatter surface but wet sanding with a sponge won't have all the dust.
Dry sanding will give a flatter surface but wet sanding with a sponge won't have all the dust.
ecman51`
09-27-07, 04:03 PM
How do you apply the joint compound and not end up with a bunch of lumps/ ripples at the top of the inside corners?
By the top of the inside corner, do you mean the top half of the tape going along the ceiling?
Lumps and ripples just from the mud, and not wrinkled spots in the tape?
I have heard of people gobbing on the mud too thick and having to sand like crazy, but haven't heard of the effect happening you describe, unless your mud itself is lumpy or the tape is really what got wrinkled. Since you didn't say all the mud work has lumps and ripples, I'd have to rule out the mud being at fault.
By the top of the inside corner, do you mean the top half of the tape going along the ceiling?
Lumps and ripples just from the mud, and not wrinkled spots in the tape?
I have heard of people gobbing on the mud too thick and having to sand like crazy, but haven't heard of the effect happening you describe, unless your mud itself is lumpy or the tape is really what got wrinkled. Since you didn't say all the mud work has lumps and ripples, I'd have to rule out the mud being at fault.
brinainlakeelmo
09-27-07, 07:20 PM
marksr: Thanks for the feedback. I did a fair amount of sanding today and even though I had a descent mask on that seemed to fit well, I still swalloed enough dust to give my throat a scratchy coat. I'll try the sponge tomorrow!
ecman51: What I was referring to was the top of a wall where the corner meets the ceiling. I've determined that I didn't have the right technique in applying the mud. I think I've got it figured out - will find out tomorrow.
ecman51: What I was referring to was the top of a wall where the corner meets the ceiling. I've determined that I didn't have the right technique in applying the mud. I think I've got it figured out - will find out tomorrow.
ecman51`
09-28-07, 04:51 PM
Chances are you are putting it on too thick and the edge of your knife is bouncing off the tape here and there causing what you described. Some people have better luck laying on the mud if you load mud up on the tip of the knife and apply it to the wall/ceiling in a fashion where instead of applying in the direction of the tape, you apply the knife tip into the tape joint corner and pull it outward, just to get mud in the corner, and then draw it out away from the corner about 3 inches. Do several feet of this repitition, and THEN go back over it (without applying more mud!) troweling it in the direction of the tape.
You might find you have better luck with say a 6 inch plastic knife, as the corners of this aren't as likely to damage the inside corner of the tape, and you can really bear down along the tape fearlessly and that way have the coat of mud come out nice and shallow.
You really should not have to hardly sand at all if you do this right. I realize it takes practice, but DO practice by applying the mud with hardly no thickness to it at all.
Try it once with one of those cheap plastic putty knifes (you can buy up to at least 6 inches wide), and see.
You might find you have better luck with say a 6 inch plastic knife, as the corners of this aren't as likely to damage the inside corner of the tape, and you can really bear down along the tape fearlessly and that way have the coat of mud come out nice and shallow.
You really should not have to hardly sand at all if you do this right. I realize it takes practice, but DO practice by applying the mud with hardly no thickness to it at all.
Try it once with one of those cheap plastic putty knifes (you can buy up to at least 6 inches wide), and see.
Lorne in GP
10-07-07, 01:00 PM
Brinainlakeelmo, this is a very good topic. I'm going through the same stages as you are. I'm remodeling a bathroom. I decided to do the whole thing myself...drywalling, mudding...the whole nine. Most of a bathroom construction is new to me but I have alot of trades people as friends to lend advice. My expertise is in carpentry work...not drywalling or taping/mudding, but I decided to give it a go anyways.
Like you, I had some trouble with the corners. Especially the three-way corners, where two walls meet the ceiling. I used a corner trowel to sink the tape into the corner but mostly used a 6 inch knife. It took some time to get used to the whole process but I think it worked out alright. I put the second coat on last night and will be doing the third tomorrow morning.
What I did to get the corners smooth is this:
Put the first layer of mud into the corners, top and bottom. Then applied the tape (paper) and pressed it into the mud with the corner trowel. Before it was dry, I applied more mud to the tape with a 6 inch knife both wall and ceiling making it as smooth as I could.
Once that was all dry, I gave it all a light sanding (dry) and wiped all the dust off the walls and ceiling. The second coat went pretty much the same as the first but without the corner trowel and I made the layer of mud wider and made the coat thinner (not by much). The third coat will be done this way as well. I'm not a pro taper so I might go with a fourth coat just to make sure it comes out ok.
Oh, the type of mud I used was that ready mixed multi purpose stuff.
I hope that helps you out.
Like you, I had some trouble with the corners. Especially the three-way corners, where two walls meet the ceiling. I used a corner trowel to sink the tape into the corner but mostly used a 6 inch knife. It took some time to get used to the whole process but I think it worked out alright. I put the second coat on last night and will be doing the third tomorrow morning.
What I did to get the corners smooth is this:
Put the first layer of mud into the corners, top and bottom. Then applied the tape (paper) and pressed it into the mud with the corner trowel. Before it was dry, I applied more mud to the tape with a 6 inch knife both wall and ceiling making it as smooth as I could.
Once that was all dry, I gave it all a light sanding (dry) and wiped all the dust off the walls and ceiling. The second coat went pretty much the same as the first but without the corner trowel and I made the layer of mud wider and made the coat thinner (not by much). The third coat will be done this way as well. I'm not a pro taper so I might go with a fourth coat just to make sure it comes out ok.
Oh, the type of mud I used was that ready mixed multi purpose stuff.
I hope that helps you out.
marksr
10-08-07, 05:09 AM
Put the first layer of mud into the corners, top and bottom. Then applied the tape (paper) and pressed it into the mud with the corner trowel. Before it was dry, I applied more mud to the tape with a 6 inch knife both wall and ceiling making it as smooth as I could.
.
It is never a good idea to apply more mud to a taped joint before it dries! Often the weight of the extra mud will pull the tape away from the joint :eek: When this happens the only fix is to cut out the loose tape and retape :wall:
.
It is never a good idea to apply more mud to a taped joint before it dries! Often the weight of the extra mud will pull the tape away from the joint :eek: When this happens the only fix is to cut out the loose tape and retape :wall: