I got called out for my tape lines on a big job in Phoenix

The foreman pulled me aside and said my butt joints looked like a topo map, not a flat wall. He showed me how I was putting too much mud in the center and not enough on the feathered edges. I switched to a 10 inch knife for the second coat instead of my usual 8 inch, and it made a huge difference. Anyone got a better method for keeping those long seams smooth?

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chen.jade5mo ago

Switching to a 10 inch knife is a solid move, that extra width helps so much on long seams. I saw a guy in Tucson try to tape a whole ceiling with a 6 inch putty knife once, it looked like a dried-up riverbed when he was done. Michael_baker is right, those are rough lessons. My old boss would make us re-do any seam you could feel with your eyes closed.

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michael_baker5mo ago

Ouch, that's a rough way to learn.

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taylor_garcia5mo ago

Yeah, rough lessons stick with you. I once tried to fix a leaky sink myself to save money. Watched one video, thought I got it. Ended up flooding the kitchen floor because I didn't turn the main water off first. The water damage bill was way worse than a plumber's fee. You ever try to DIY something that totally backfired?

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