• Manufactured by TexMaster Tools
• 800-852-8355; www.texmaster.com (available from www.paint-store.net)
• Cost of 18-in. trowel shown here: about $30
A few weeks ago, I visited a general contractor who wanted me to hang drywall on his remodeling project and then finish it so that it matched the textured surface on the existing walls. The walls appeared to have been finished with a trowel and then smoothed over slightly; the look was different from room to room. Some walls were smoother, and some had a deeper texture with more tool marks. The contractor seemed nervous about the job, but I looked it over, gave him an estimate, and said not to worry because I had a Magic Trowel up my sleeve.
The Magic Trowel looks a lot like a squeegee, but it acts more like the ultimate finishing knife. Because of the flexible rubber working edge, the trowel can skim-coat uneven surfaces, erase trowel lines, or create interesting textures and knockdown finishes for walls and ceilings. I can now easily match old textures and create new looks. I’ve also applied thinned joint compound onto drywall seams with a paint roller, then used the trowel to smooth them out.
The tool is available in four different widths—12 in., 14 in., 18 in., and 22 in.—and it comes with a slide-on plastic cover to protect the edge when not in use.
Photos by Krysta Doerfler
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