finishing corners on drywall

[seamlyne]

INSIDE corners, that is.

Okay, I've gotten to the point over the years where I can do a reasonably good job at finishing corners on drywall, but everytime I pick up a taping knife I think to myself "There's got to be a better way." All the books I've seen gloss over the finer points of inside corners, as if the authors don't know how to do it either.

So, here we are.

The issue is how to get a corner that isn't messy, and do it in a reasonable amount of time. I've figured out that if you try to work one side while the other is still moist that you gouge the mud on the wet side. So, I do one side at a time, letting each side dry completely before starting the other.

Is that right? Is that what the pros do? I question that because it seems to me that would add quite a lot of time to the building of a new home. Do the pros use a corner tool? I've tried that, but the results are spotty.

Also, how do you handle the corner where two walls and the ceiling meet? Any special tools for getting the mud where you want it? My corners there always tend to look really bumpy.

As always, thanks!

- Bill

[LazyPup]

Get a VEE shaped inside corner taping trowel that will wipe both walls at the same time.

[seamlyne]

Get a VEE shaped inside corner taping trowel that will wipe both walls at the same time.

Thanks. Yes, I've done that. I guess it's just a matter of practice...my results weren't all that great.

So, next question: working from ceiling to floor with that tool, I get down near the floor and invariably I end up gouging the mud when I get near the floor. If I work down from the ceiling to about the middle, then up from the floor to about the middle, I get good ends but the middle looks...bad where the two meet, like frosting on a cake. All wavy at the overlap.

Any tips for the use of the tool?

[LazyPup]

It is always best to start at the top and work down to a comfortable point, then start again at the bottom and come up or vice versa. You will get a minor imperfection where the two strokes intersect but if you minimize the imperfection it will later sand out easily.

[seamlyne]

Okay, so it's not just me. That, at least, is good to know! Thanks for the time, LP.

[Snoonyb]

Thanks. Yes, I've done that. I guess it's just a matter of practice...my results weren't all that great.

So, next question: working from ceiling to floor with that tool, I get down near the floor and invariably I end up gouging the mud when I get near the floor. If I work down from the ceiling to about the middle, then up from the floor to about the middle, I get good ends but the middle looks...bad where the two meet, like frosting on a cake. All wavy at the overlap.

Any tips for the use of the tool?

You'll notice that the cornering trowel is not exactly square. This allows the tailedge to be wiped cleaner than the point.

When you wipe down, stop about a foot from the floor and use your 6" knife to set the tape, then wipe up.

Use the tool to set the tape on the first pass, clean the edges and then on the second or successive pass, fill the joint.

Experiment with tool angles in different stages.

It does take practice.

LAZYPUP
Are those lowriders LEVI'S or DICKIES?

[Drywall DIY Guy]

Inside Corners

I am not a pro but I get nice inside corners. I can't offer you tips on speed, but I do have a method that produces quality.

1. Place mud on corner. Run precut paper tape quickly through water and shake off excess. Place creased tape on corner. Use a 4.5 inch knife to squeeze out excess mud one side at a time. Let this dry completely.

2. Scrape off any chunks or bumps to make surface level. Place a coat of mud over each edge of the tape but leave inside corner of tape uncoated. Draw down each coat with 4.5" or 10" knife. Let dry.

3. Scrape off any chunks or bumps to make surface level. Place a coat on inside corner. Take off excess with a corner tool. Oddly enough, I find a cheap plastic corner tool to work better for me than my more expensive metal corner tool. Let dry.

4. Scrape off any chunks or bumps to make surface level. Place very thin overlapping coats on each side of the corner.

5. Scrape off any chunks or bumps to make surface level. Sand lightly as needed.

For more details and photos on this method, go to http://www.drywallinfo.com/insidecorners.html

[skeezix]

For inside corners, I usually do one side of the corner on one day, and the other side on the next day. Sure it takes an additional day, but the results come out good.

[LazyPup]

snooyb,,,it doesn't matter what kind of pants you wear but i gotta tell you, one of the most difficult lessons in the plumbing apprenticeship is

Appearance 101- The proper display of male cleavage while working under the sink.

[Snoonyb]

Appearance 101- The proper display of male cleavage while working under the sink.

Will insure prompt payment

While I am certainly appreciative of exemplary use to which you've employed my portrait, I was just wondering if there was consistency of origination.

Since I'm 7 days older than dirt.....that's 3 days older than baseball and among the originators of the "hot rivet" syndrome, as well as the "vertical smile.