Thinning the mud definitely helped me too, but I gotta admit, my first attempt was more like soup than pancake batter...lesson learned there. 😂 Another thing that saved my sanity was investing in a decent drywall knife. I started out with one of those cheap plastic ones thinking "how different could it be?" Turns out, pretty different. Once I switched to a flexible metal blade, it was way easier to feather the edges and get smoother coats.
Also, someone suggested using a damp sponge instead of sanding between coats—tried it once and it actually worked pretty well. Less dust flying around meant fewer angry looks from my better half, so that's a win in my book. Still ended up sanding lightly at the end, but way less than usual.
Drywall finishing is definitely an art form I'm still trying to master...or at least survive without losing my mind completely. Glad I'm not alone!
"my first attempt was more like soup than pancake batter...lesson learned there."
Haha, been there myself—my first batch was closer to milkshake consistency, and not the good kind. Another tip that saved me was using a bright work light at an angle. It shows every little bump and dip you might miss otherwise. Sure, it can be humbling (and mildly depressing), but better to spot those imperfections early than after painting...ask me how I know.
"Another tip that saved me was using a bright work light at an angle. It shows every little bump and dip you might miss otherwise."
Interesting approach with the angled lighting—I can see how that'd help catch imperfections early. But honestly, I've found that sometimes too much scrutiny can lead to overworking the joint compound, making things worse rather than better. There's definitely a balance between getting it smooth and obsessing over every tiny flaw. Personally, I prefer running my hand lightly over the joints once they're dry; fingertips can detect subtle unevenness that eyes might overlook, even under harsh lighting. Also, mixing consistency matters, but technique is equally important—are you using a wide enough knife? A wider blade helps feather out the edges more naturally, reducing sanding later on. Curious if you've experimented with different tools or methods beyond lighting to streamline your process...
That angled lighting trick is pretty clever—I wish I'd known about it before I spent hours sanding and resanding my first drywall job. Honestly, I think I sanded away half the joint compound trying to chase down every tiny bump. By the end, I was covered head-to-toe in dust and questioning my life choices...
But yeah, you're spot-on about the risk of overworking things. When I first started, I obsessed so much over getting it perfectly smooth that I'd end up creating new imperfections. Eventually, someone told me drywall finishing is more art than science, and that helped me relax a bit. Now I just aim for "good enough" rather than museum-quality perfection.
One thing that really helped me was switching to a wider knife—like you mentioned. Initially, I was using a narrow blade thinking it'd give me more control, but it actually made things worse because it left noticeable ridges at the edges. Once I upgraded to a 10-inch taping knife, feathering became way easier and sanding time dropped dramatically.
Also, I've found that thinning out the compound slightly helps it spread smoother and reduces those annoying air bubbles. Took me a while to get the consistency right though—too thin and it drips everywhere; too thick and it's like spreading peanut butter on toast (and not in a good way).
Anyway, sounds like you're already on the right track with your lighting setup. Drywall finishing can definitely test your patience, but once you find your rhythm (and accept that minor imperfections are part of the charm), it gets less frustrating. Hang in there—you're doing great!
The wider knife definitely makes a difference—I remember when I first switched, it was like night and day. Did you find it tricky to adjust your technique at first? Took me a few tries to get comfortable with the wider blade angle. And you're totally right about drywall being more art than science; once I stopped chasing perfection, the whole process felt a lot less stressful. Sounds like you've already got the right mindset...keep going, it only gets easier from here.
