Haha, angled lighting... the ultimate humbler of DIY egos. I once spent an entire weekend skim coating and sanding a room, convinced I'd achieved drywall perfection. Then I turned on a floor lamp at sunset and BAM—instant regret. Tiny ridges everywhere that looked like miniature mountain ranges under that brutal lighting.
Totally agree on the wider knife trick; switching from an 8-inch to a 14-inch blade was a game changer for me too. Another thing I've found helpful is thinning out my joint compound slightly—makes it way easier to spread smoothly without leaving those nasty drag marks.
Also, when it comes to sanding, I started using one of those handheld LED work lights at an angle while doing my final sand. It reveals imperfections ruthlessly, but at least I can spot them BEFORE painting instead of after... learned that lesson the hard way.
Still envy people who walk into rooms blissfully unaware of drywall drama though. Must be nice!
Haha, the angled LED trick is brutal but so worth it. I started doing that a few years back after a client pointed out imperfections I completely missed. Talk about awkward. Thinning the mud definitely helps, but I've found the real key is patience—letting each coat dry fully before sanding or adding another layer. Rushing it always ends badly for me, usually with a lot of cursing and regret...
Totally agree on the patience part—drywall finishing is definitely one of those tasks where slow and steady wins the race. I've had my fair share of rushed jobs that ended up looking like a topographic map of regret. The angled LED trick is indeed ruthless, but it's saved me from embarrassment more times than I can count. Another thing I've found helpful is using a wider knife for each successive coat; it feathers out the edges nicely and reduces sanding time significantly. Also, sanding lightly between coats rather than waiting until the end has been a game changer for me. It might seem tedious at first, but trust me, it pays off in the final finish. Keep at it—sounds like you've already got a solid approach down.
"Another thing I've found helpful is using a wider knife for each successive coat; it feathers out the edges nicely and reduces sanding time significantly."
Definitely second this. Switching up knife sizes as you go makes a huge difference. I used to stick with the same knife all the way through—rookie mistake—and wondered why I was sanding forever. Also, if you haven't tried thinning your mud slightly for the final coat, give it a shot. Makes spreading smoother and cuts down on those annoying air bubbles. Little tweaks like these really add up...
Totally agree about thinning the mud a bit—makes a world of difference. I used to dread drywall finishing until I figured that out. Also, one thing I've noticed is that lighting matters a ton. I once did a room with poor lighting and thought it looked great...until daylight hit it the next morning. Yikes. Now I always set up a bright work light at an angle to catch imperfections early. Saves headaches later for sure.
