Finishing drywall involves taping and mudding seams
between adjacent sheets with joint compound
The process can be a little time-consuming
but do it right and you reduce the amount of sanding needed
and end up with a smooth finished wall
It'll generally take three coats to finish drywall
applying joint compound with progressively larger drywall knives
Spread joint compound on a hawk or any flat tray
so it's easy to access using your knife
The first coat you'll apply is called the bedding
Start by filling screw dimples and nail heads
with joint compound using a six inch drywall knife
Hammer in any protruding screws and smooth the gaps with compound
next apply the compound along the horizontal seams
between the drywall sheets using the 6-inch knife
Be sure to smooth the compound as you progress
Tape the horizontal seams while the compound is still moist
Press the tape over the compound every foot or so
to keep it smooth and hold it in place
With the tape in place, apply a layer of compound over the tape
with an 8-inch drywall knife at a slight angle
move the knife over the tape to embed it
and remove any excess compound
Once your horizontal seams are complete
apply a thin layer of compound to the inside corners on the wall using a six inch drywall knife
start from the top and work your way down the wall
smoothing the compound as you progress
when the compound has been applied
fold drywall tape in half
and run it down the height of the wall
pressing it into the damp compound
Again press the tape in every 12 inches until you reach the floor
Use a corner trowel to smooth the tape against the wall
Start from the top and work your way down the wall
smoothing the compound as you progress
Taping inside corners can be quite tricky
A corner trowel does a better job of smoothing the tape against the corner
and removing excess compound
Dip the trowel in water so it glides smoothly over the tape
and doesn't pull it away from the wall
The technique for taping and mudding vertical butt joints is the same as the horizontal
avoid overlapping the tape so you get a smoother finish
attached corner beads to the outside corners of your drywall
Use a spray adhesive to ensure the bead sticks to the wall
and wear gloves for this as the process can be a little messy
Press the corner bead against the wall every 12 inches starting from the top
apply joint compound over the corner bead
You can be fairly liberal with the use of the compound here
you'll need to use plenty
Work from the top to bottom
and smooth the compound as you progress
When the first code is fully applied to all the seams corners and screw dimples
leave it to dry thoroughly
Use a slightly larger 8 inch drywall knife
to apply a second coat of compound over the seams and outside corners
Feather the edges of the dried compound
so that the second layer is 2 inches wider than the first
Apply a second coat over the screw holes and again use a corner trowel
for the inside corners
let the second coat dry thoroughly overnight
Before you apply the third coat the following day
tidy up any rough parts of the drywall surface with a sander and the edge of a drywall knife
For the third coat the compound should be thinned with water so it dries quickly
The compound should be about the consistency of mayonnaise
Again, use a slightly larger ten or twelve inch drywall knife to apply the third layer of compound
Feather all edges two inches beyond the dried second coat
Let the final coat dry then use a damp sponge to smooth out any rough parts
The sponge also works well to clean the surface and collect dust from the sanding
Your drywall is now ready to be primed for painting
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here's a reminder of the tools and material you'll need to complete this project