Totally with you on the lighting thing—I learned that lesson the hard way too. Another tip that's saved me a ton of frustration is sanding lightly between coats. I used to just slap on another layer thinking it'd smooth itself out eventually (spoiler: it didn't). Now I do a quick, gentle sanding after each coat dries, wipe it down with a damp cloth, then apply the next coat. Takes a bit more patience but the results are worth it...and fewer surprises when daylight hits.
Have you ever tried thinning your mud a bit too? I used to fight with thick compound forever until someone suggested adding a tiny bit of water. Game changer...way easier to get smooth coats without sanding my arms off. Might be worth a shot next time you're tackling drywall.
Yep, thinning the mud a bit is a solid tip. Took me a while to figure that out too—used to dread drywall days. Now I mix it just thin enough to spread easy but not drip everywhere...makes life way easier. Good call.
Totally agree, thinning mud is a game changer. Another thing that helped me was switching to a wider knife for the final coat—like 10 or 12 inches. Covers seams smoother and cuts down sanding time...and sanding is the real enemy here, right?
Yeah, wider knives definitely help. I usually go with a 12-inch for that final pass, but honestly, the real lifesaver for me was getting decent lighting set up. I used to think my joints looked perfect until the paint went on...then every little bump and ridge jumped out. Now I throw a work light at an angle to catch imperfections early. Saves me from sanding nightmares later on.
