Consider charging a late fee, it really changes client behavior fast.

Saw my buddy sand a patch smooth as glass, then mud right over it again.

Mine's been on my deck for three summers now and it's still perfectly flat. I guess it depends on the brand and how much direct sun it gets. Maybe you just got a bad one?

Three extra days just to cut it free? That is a NIGHTMARE of a timeline. I would have lost my mind dealing with that client.

That bit about color temperature really clicked for me too. I got obsessed with painting old barns from photos last year, and every tutorial said to just use a flat brown. But looking at my own pictures, the wood in the sun was almost orange and the shaded parts looked purple. Mixing those tiny changes, even just two colors, made the whole thing feel solid instead of like a sticker.