Totally agree about thinning the mud—made a huge difference for me too. I remember my first drywall project... thought I'd nailed it until the morning sunlight hit the wall at just the right angle. Suddenly, every tiny bump and ridge looked like mountains, haha. After some frustration (and maybe a few choice words), I ended up using a wider knife like you mentioned, and it really helped smooth things out.
Funny thing is, now when I visit friends' homes or even restaurants, I catch myself checking out their drywall finish. Can't help noticing little imperfections here and there, but honestly, they do add character. Curious though—has anyone tried those sanding sponges instead of regular sandpaper? I've heard mixed opinions; some swear by them while others say they're not worth it...
I've actually had better luck with regular sandpaper than those sanding sponges. Tried the sponges once because they seemed convenient, but honestly, they wore out pretty fast and didn't give me the control I wanted. Maybe it's just my technique, but I felt like I was constantly fighting to keep things even. Ended up switching back to regular sandpaper wrapped around a block—cheap and effective. But hey, maybe I'm missing something...
I've had mixed results with sanding sponges myself. They're handy for quick touch-ups or corners where a block feels awkward, but yeah, they do tend to wear out faster than you'd expect. One thing that helped me was using a drywall sanding screen instead of traditional sandpaper—it doesn't clog as easily and seems to last longer. Still wrap it around a block though, because freehand sanding drywall joints is just asking for trouble...
I've actually had decent luck freehand sanding drywall joints—though it took some practice (and a few frustrating afternoons). The trick for me was using a really light touch and good lighting. Still, screens are great, especially for bigger jobs.
Have you tried using one of those sanding sponges? I tackled some drywall in our old house last year, and honestly, the sponge made it way easier—less dust flying around too. Maybe worth a shot next time?
