Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2026 Poal.co

605

About two weeks of four hour days. Perfected my approach about half way through so had to redo it. Feels Good Man

Approach currently is -

Tape it. Then put a light coat of 20 minute mud over just the tape. Re-expose just the corners of the tape. When the 20 minute spackle dries, sand it down to just above the tape. Use the exposed tape corners to know how far it is currently off.

Now use a 12” trowel to taper off the tape (or 8” for corners) and 45 minute mud. The dried spackle over the tape will provide a perfect guide for the trowel to make a perfect ultra low profile taper.

After this do a flattening pass with a 12” normal blade in the direction perpendicular. This is an on off pass which serves to flatten in the other x or y direction and provide a smooth covering. Done with normal bucket mud.

After this spot fix streaks and holes with bucket mud and a 4” blade.

After this it should be flat and smooth already. Two even passes with a sanding sponge with the purpose of smoothing not shaping.

About two weeks of four hour days. Perfected my approach about half way through so had to redo it. Feels Good Man Approach currently is - Tape it. Then put a light coat of 20 minute mud over just the tape. Re-expose just the corners of the tape. When the 20 minute spackle dries, sand it down to *just* above the tape. Use the exposed tape corners to know how far it is currently off. Now use a 12” trowel to taper off the tape (or 8” for corners) and 45 minute mud. The dried spackle over the tape will provide a perfect guide for the trowel to make a perfect ultra low profile taper. After this do a flattening pass with a 12” normal blade in the direction perpendicular. This is an on off pass which serves to flatten in the other x or y direction and provide a smooth covering. Done with normal bucket mud. After this spot fix streaks and holes with bucket mud and a 4” blade. After this it should be flat and smooth already. Two even passes with a sanding sponge with the purpose of smoothing not shaping.

(post is archived)

[+] [deleted] • 3 pts
[–] • 1 pt

I alway just use bucket mud. Thin it down and mix it well to get all the air bubbles out. If your space is warm it'll dry by the next day. Technics very but a 12" inch flexible blade is a must for finish coats. It still sucks no matter what.

[–] • 0 pt

If it’s a large room it barely matters if you use one day to dry mud, it’ll take a day to get back to that part. If you have a fan on it it definitely dries fast.

Ya I’ve got a mixer on a drill and have my premixed stuff in a separate bucket. I always put fresh mixed stuff on the wall unless spot fixing. It basically guarantees it’s one easy no streak pass to make the taper cut.

^ I just started doing this on this room because I had to industrialize. If I didn’t figure out how to streamline getting this done quicker this room could have took like a month.

[–] • 1 pt

I read that as " about to do the final stand." Was a bit confused.

[–] • 1 pt

45 minute is superior because it won't shrink. Sometimes it doesn't matter and you just need it to be dry but more often just need it not to shrink.

[–] • 1 pt

Dude, use the premixed shit. Green top for setting tape and corner beads, Plus 3 for the second coat, ultralight for the final coat. You only have to scrape between coats, don't sand. Sand the final coat, then use 45 mud for any defects. Primer. Use 20 mud for defects. Sand and reprimer those areas. Caulk any cracks. Paint.

--very old contractor that's done it a million times.

[–] • 1 pt

My method is 5 minute for tape with 4 inch knife, bed the tape then one pass each half of the tape. Scrape the line in the middle. 5 minute with a 6 inch knife, one pass each half of the tape to fill the bone edge. 20 minute with a 10 inch knife one pass each half of the tape. Orbital sander with 120 or higher with a block for the end of inside corners. Spray or roll texture. Knock down any texture where you can spot defects, then spray/roll that area again. Paint.

It's about the fastest I can do it and guarantee it will be good. A lot of the time though we end up skipping the second pass to save time.

[–] • 0 pt

5, 20, or 45 mud should never be used to set tape, it says so right on the bag. If you can get away with it, great, but I use greentop or Plus 3. Nice and slow. Set up fans, second coat the next day. I always tell customers I won't do the job fast, but it WILL be done correctly.

As for orbital sander....I don't even know what to say to that. Heavy, loud, scattering dust everywhere, over-sanding...not what I would do, but hey, have a blast.

[–] • 0 pt

We do it all the time. We typically have to work within a 4-6 hour window.

Try the orbital sander out. You can hook up the collector directly to a vac. Set it about mid speed and move quick. It saves a lot of time and effort.

[–] • 0 pt

Wear a proper rated full coverage mask, not a paper thing.

[–] • 0 pt

I wear a P100 thanks. N95s suck.

[–] • 1 pt

I only use the full face 3m with rubber seals. It’s amazing how much shit they keep out of your lungs and eyes. I think it was a 6300.

[–] • 0 pt

Everyone that does cat litter should have one. You don’t even smell it.

[–] • 0 pt

Damn 4 hours and it still ain’t 100% sanded. Crazy

[–] • 1 pt

Use this, with 100 grit mesh paper https://imgs.search.brave.com/UTiTLgUs23ZojYcCibMXsF-t8gkKX32Zw0jf4trwkOU/rs:fit:300:177:1/g:ce/aHR0cDovL2VjeC5p/bWFnZXMtYW1hem9u/LmNvbS9pbWFnZXMv/SS80MTNIUEJKV0dD/TC5fU1gzMDBfUUw3/MF8uanBn

and a sponge sander for corners, medium grit. Don't bother with 'fine' anything. ROLL the primer, do not spray. Trust me, I'm old and have done this shit more times than I can count.

[–] • 0 pt

I noticed last night if the sand paper / sponge goes weak it stops sanding different patches at the same rate leaving raised patches to become even more raised. Made me think a stronger grit would be better as it seems to need to need decent grit to sand everything equally.

Thanks

[–] • 1 pt

Not sure I understand, but you may be over-sanding. Only scrape between coats with a 12" drywall knife, you only need to sand the last coat.

--and NEVER set tape with 20 or 45 mud, it will not bond the tape well. Use the greentop mud or Plus 3. Set up fans everywhere, open the windows, take all water buckets out of the room. Let the fans run all night.