Drywall finishing is where the rubber meets the
road. Almost anyone can nail up sheets of drywall.
But, the do-it-yourselfer who is patient and will
take the time necessary to do the job right will
be able to finish off the drywall project with
smooth, sleek appearance that hides all joints,
fastener holes, gouges and other imperfections
in the sheets of drywall. With patience and a few
tips, the drywall project, including finishing,
is not difficult and perfect for do-it-yourselfers.
Working overhead on drywall ceiling finishing
may be the hardest part of the project. It is
also where you will begin. One reason for this
is to give you an opportunity to clean any splattered
or dropped drywall mud particles off the sidewalls
before they are finished. In keeping with current
fashion trends, once the ceiling is finished,
it is often coated with a texturizing mixture
before it is painted.
Finishing
Drywall Is Completed In Stages
Finishing
drywall is accomplished in several stages.
This is the reason that patience is required
to do the job correctly. Cracks, seams and
gouges are filled with drywall mud. In fact
they are overfilled slightly, as the mud will
shrink as it dries. The mud must be allowed
to dry completely before a second coat is applied.
The second coat is allowed to dry and rough
or raised surfaces are scraped or sanded
smooth. In some cases a third, very thin coat
is also applied to feather the mud out onto
the wall and give the project a smooth, finished
appearance. This process takes several hours
at a minimum and as long as several days, depending
upon the humidity and drying conditions.
Drywall
finishing tools need not be complicated or
expensive. You will need a 5 to 6“ taping
knife to apply the drywall mud and to do
the first smoothing. A wider knife is usually
used to feather the subsequent coats. These
knives are available in 8, 10, 12 and 14
inch widths. You will be able to do most
drywall jobs with a six inch knife and
one of the wider sizes. There are other tools
that are helpful in hanging drywall. These
include such items as beading tools, drywall
hammers, levels, drywall stilts and other
hand tools to make specific tasks easier.
Then, of course, there are the power tools
for these jobs.
Repairing or hanging new drywall can completely
change the appearance of a room and the value
of the structure. Fortunately for the do-it-yourselfer,
hanging drywall is not particularly expensive,
nor are the skills required difficult to learn.
As a do-it-yourselfer, you should not back away
from drywall finishing.
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