c/drywall-installers

I used to think a 6 inch knife was fine for everything until a job in Denver

We were doing a big ceiling in a loft downtown and my buddy Mark pulled out a 12 inch trowel. He said to just try it, and man, the difference was crazy. Two passes and the joint was flat with way less sanding. Now I use the big knife for any joint over 8 feet. Anyone else switch up their knife size for bigger areas?

My uncle told me to always pre-fill screw holes before hanging a TV mount

He said to mix a little joint compound with water and pack it into the drywall holes before driving the screws, claiming it would give a stronger hold. I tried it on a job in Tempe last week where the client wanted a 65-inch TV mounted. After letting the compound dry for about 2 hours, I drove the screws in. The mount felt rock solid, and I didn't have any of that slight wiggle or spin-out I sometimes get. Has anyone else used this trick for heavy wall mounts, or do you stick with just anchors?

Manual drywall drivers were my go-to for decades. A nagging shoulder pain finally convinced me to go electric.

I always believed hand tools gave better feel and control. After using a cordless driver on a ceiling job, I was amazed by how much faster it went. My shoulder hasn't felt this good in years!

Showerthought: Teaming up for drywall lifts saves the day.

A recent job where we paired up showed me it's worth the extra person.

Okay, hear me out: skipping the sanding step between drywall mud coats has never caused me issues. Everyone acts like it's mandatory, but I save hours.

Smooth walls are everywhere on my jobs now

I've been hanging board for years, and something's different lately. Everyone wants smooth finishes, no texture at all. Last week, I did a whole house where the owner said textured ceilings feel dated. It means I spend way more time sanding and applying thin coats of mud. Honestly, it's a bit more effort, but the results look great. I think it's because of those home renovation shows pushing sleek styles. Back in the day, we textured to cover up mistakes, but now with better tools, we can aim for perfection. It's a cool change, but man, my arms are tired from all the sanding, lol.

Using my legs to lift drywall made a big difference.

My back doesn't ache at the end of the day.

TIL a stranger at the hardware store gave me a great tip for mixing joint compound.

He showed me a faster way to get a smooth mix without lumps, and now I do it that way all the time.

Bending corner beads before nailing them in fixed my crack issues

I used to put corner beads flat on the wall. They would crack from the building settling. Now I bend them slightly so they can move. This small change means fewer repairs later on.

Unpopular opinion: Hand-sanding drywall gives a better finish than any power tool

Honestly, everyone seems to use electric sanders now, but I stick with a simple hand block. Tbh, I started out with guys who did everything by hand, and their walls were always super smooth. For example, on a big living room job, I hand-sanded the whole thing and got zero swirl marks or gouges. Ngl, power tools are faster, but they can mess up the paper face if you're not perfect. I see the rush to use new stuff, but I think we lose some craft when we skip hand work. My way might add a bit of time, but clients love how even the seams turn out. Looking back, the old methods just feel more reliable to me.

The way some guys tape joints without cleaning their knives first drives me up the wall.

Drywall waste then and now: What I've seen over the years

I've been putting up drywall for over two decades. Back in the day, we just threw all the cut-offs into a dumpster at the end of the job. Now, on every site I work, we have separate bins for gypsum recycling. We use boards that come with recycled stuff in them, which means less new mining. The sanding dust gets sucked up by strong vacs instead of filling the room. It adds a bit to our day, but I like knowing we're cutting down on trash. Sometimes I think about how easy it was to just toss everything, but this way feels right. Our trade is slowly getting greener, and that's a win in my book.

My whole crew laughed when I ditched the banjo for hand taping.

I used to think speed was everything and that tool was a must, but watching seams fail on a big job changed my mind. Now I hand tape every corner and my work holds up without a single callback.

After a tough repair, mesh tape is my new go-to

I always thought mesh tape was for amateurs. Tbh, a job in a wet basement proved me wrong. The old paper tape was peeling off after a few months. I put up mesh tape with setting mud instead. It stuck fast and stayed put. Ngl, I had to admit it worked better. Now I use it all the time for problem spots.