I’ve always wondered about the misting trick—does it really make a noticeable difference in how much dust ends up floating around? I’ve tried dampening the compound itself before, but sometimes it just made a mess for me. Maybe I was too heavy-handed with the water.
On the wider knife for ceilings, I totally agree. The fewer passes I have to sand overhead, the better. Have you ever tried those flexible knives for inside corners? I’m curious if they’re worth the hype or just another gadget that ends up in the bottom of the toolbox. Also, when you’re feathering out joints, do you prefer to do multiple thin coats or just go for a thicker final pass and hope for less sanding? I keep going back and forth on that one...
Misting does help, but it’s all about moderation. If you go too heavy, you just end up with a gummy mess that clogs your sandpaper and makes things worse. I usually use a cheap spray bottle set to the finest mist, and just a couple of quick passes over the area I’m about to sand. It doesn’t eliminate dust, but it knocks it down enough that I don’t feel like I’m breathing in a drywall cloud for the next hour. Definitely not a miracle, but worth the extra 30 seconds.
On the flexible knives for inside corners—I was skeptical at first, but honestly, they’re not just a gimmick. The ones with the little bit of flex (not the super floppy ones) actually help keep the angle consistent, especially if you’re dealing with slightly wonky framing. I wouldn’t say they’re essential, but they do make the job less frustrating if you’re doing a lot of corners. That said, I still find myself reaching for my old 4" and 6" knives most of the time out of habit.
As for feathering joints, I’m firmly in the multiple thin coats camp. I’ve tried the “one thick pass and sand it flat” approach, but it always seems to create more work in the end—plus, you risk shrinkage and cracking. Thin coats dry faster, are easier to control, and you can spot imperfections before they become a pain to fix. It’s a bit more time up front, but way less sanding and waste. Also, less dust, which is always a win in my book.
If you’re looking to cut down on dust even more, I’d suggest using a vacuum sander attachment. Not the cheapest solution, but if you’re doing a whole house or care about air quality, it’s worth considering. And for what it’s worth, I’ve found that using low-dust or “dust control” joint compounds actually does make a difference, though they can be a bit trickier to work with.
Anyway, just my two cents—there’s always a new gadget or trick out there, but sometimes the basics (and a little patience) still win out.
Couldn’t agree more about the thin coats—tried to shortcut it once with a thick pass and ended up regretting it. The sanding was brutal, and I still had to go back and fix cracks. Also, those flexible knives for corners? I was a skeptic too, but after fighting with a few wavy walls, I’m convinced they’re worth having around. You’re right, though—sometimes the basics just work better than any fancy gadget. Patience really is half the battle with drywall.
Yeah, I’ve learned the hard way that trying to rush drywall just isn’t worth it. Thick coats always seem like a time-saver until you’re stuck sanding for hours and still end up with those annoying ridges or cracks. I used to think flexible knives were just another gimmick, but after dealing with some seriously uneven corners, I’m with you—they actually make a difference. Funny how the “fancy” tools sometimes just complicate things, while the basics get the job done better.
Patience is definitely key, even if it’s not the most exciting part of the process. I still catch myself wanting to speed things up, but every time I do, it backfires. Guess there’s no real shortcut for a smooth finish... just a lot of thin coats and a bit of stubbornness.
Honestly, I used to think the same thing—just slap on a thick coat, sand it down, and call it a day. That was before I realized how much time I was wasting fixing my own shortcuts. There’s nothing like spending an entire afternoon chasing down those little ridges and feathering out edges that should’ve been smooth from the start. It’s wild how much more efficient it actually is to just do three or four thin coats and let each one dry properly.
I’m with you on the flexible knives. I thought they were just another upsell at first, but after trying them out, especially on inside corners and weird angles, I’m never going back. The rigid ones just don’t give you that clean line unless your wall is perfectly flat—which, let’s be real, is almost never the case in older houses. I’ve got a couple of rental units from the 60s and 70s, and those walls are anything but straight.
One thing I’ll add—if you’re dealing with bigger jobs or flipping places, investing in a decent pole sander (the kind with a vacuum attachment) is a game changer. Cuts down on dust everywhere and saves your lungs. Not exactly exciting, but after breathing in enough drywall dust to last a lifetime, I’ll take any help I can get.
I do think there’s a bit of an art to knowing when to stop fussing over every tiny imperfection, too. First time I did drywall, I obsessed over every little mark, but once the paint goes on, half of it disappears anyway. Now I try to focus on the areas that actually catch light or are at eye level. No one’s crawling around looking at the baseboards with a flashlight... at least not in any of my rentals.
Anyway, patience and thin coats—totally agree. It’s not glamorous, but it beats redoing the whole thing because you tried to rush it.