"keeping the mud consistency just right—like creamy peanut butter—makes a bigger difference."
Totally agree on the consistency thing. A couple other things I've found helpful over the years:
- Don't overload your knife. Less mud per pass means less sanding later.
- Feather your edges carefully. It takes a bit more patience, but saves you from headaches down the line.
- Good lighting is underrated. Shine a bright work light at an angle to spot imperfections early.
- Also, I know some folks swear by sanding sponges, but personally, I find a drywall pole sander with fine grit paper gives me smoother results without gouging.
Honestly though, drywall finishing is one of those things where practice makes perfect...and even then, sometimes you just have to accept "good enough" or you'll drive yourself nuts.
I get what you're saying about sanding sponges, but honestly, I've found them pretty handy for corners or tight spots where a pole sander feels awkward.
"Good lighting is underrated. Shine a bright work light at an angle to spot imperfections early."
Definitely true, but sometimes too much harsh lighting can make you obsess over tiny imperfections that no one else will ever notice...been there, done that. A softer, diffused light can help you focus on the bigger picture and keep your sanity intact.
I see your point about diffused lighting, but from personal experience, there's a fine line between ignoring tiny imperfections and missing something that will bug you later. A while back, I was finishing drywall joints for a client who had a very minimalist, modern interior. Initially, I used softer lighting to avoid obsessing over minor flaws, thinking they'd never show up anyway. Everything looked great at first glance... until we installed recessed LED ceiling lights. Suddenly, every tiny ripple and uneven patch was glaringly obvious—talk about a stressful surprise.
Since then, I've learned to strike a balance. I still start with bright angled lighting because I'd rather spot potential issues early. But once I've addressed those major imperfections, I'll switch to softer, diffused lighting to get a better sense of how the wall will look under normal everyday conditions. Sometimes shifting between the two lighting setups helps me step back and see the bigger picture without getting too caught up in microscopic details.
Also, regarding sanding sponges, I agree they're incredibly useful for tight spaces and corners. I've even trimmed mine down to custom shapes for really tricky spots—definitely saved me some headaches. However, I still prefer using a pole sander on larger areas to get a consistent, smooth finish without too much elbow grease.
In the end, it's about finding a workflow that keeps you sane but also delivers results you're proud of. Has anyone else experimented with different lighting setups or custom sanding tools? Curious if others have found a similar balance.
I've definitely been there with the recessed lighting surprise—talk about a reality check. A couple things I've found helpful:
- I keep a small handheld LED flashlight handy. It lets me quickly check problem areas without setting up a whole lighting rig.
- For sanding, I've actually started using drywall sanding screens on my pole sander instead of regular paper. Seems to give me a smoother finish overall with less effort.
Finding that sweet spot between perfection and sanity is always tricky, but these little tweaks have made things easier for me.
The flashlight trick makes sense—lighting can be brutal sometimes. I've had decent luck with sanding screens too, but honestly, switching to lightweight joint compound was the real game changer for me. Ever tried it? Curious if others noticed a big difference...
