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Drywall Finishing-Inside corners

| Posted in General Discussion on April 28, 2002 08:07am

Been doing this quite a long time but I have never figgered out the best way to do inside corners.  What kind of tips can you give me so that I am not futzing with it ad nauseum?  Have use corner knives but cant quite get the hang of it.

 

 

I look down my nose at people who dare to look down their nose at people.

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  1. r_ignacki | Apr 28, 2002 08:23pm | #1

    6" knife      tape, block, skim.

    practice

      

  2. danz857 | Apr 28, 2002 11:51pm | #2

    I am not an expert at drywalling either, just have done one job so far. but I was giving a tip that made it easier for me.

    step one: do the taping coat

    step two: apply second coat to one side of the corner, you do this after you have allowed the tape coat to cure

    step three: apply second coat to the other side of the corner...after the coat you applied in step two has cured or dried.

    step four: repeat steps two and three for third coat

    this may take longer to complete the job but since i am a diy who cares...........hope this helps

  3. geob21 | Apr 28, 2002 11:57pm | #3

    Corner knife is the fastest way to go and you gotta use it to get experience. IMHO every corner knife I've bought needed tweaking. They need to be bent to less then 90 deg. to work well for me.

    1. User avater
      BossHog | Apr 29, 2002 02:59pm | #6

      When I saw your post, I had to laugh.

      The drywall guy who did our house didn't use a 90 degree knife for doing his inside coeners. When I asked him about it, he said the pros didn't use them - They were for "weekenders".

      Redneck Extraordinaire

      1. geob21 | Apr 30, 2002 02:49am | #8

        Boss Hog-

        The alleged pros you asked are correct, the 90 degree knife is for the weekenders you just didn't understand what they meant. The Spanish accent no doubt threw you off. I can finish in 3 days therefore leaving the weekends + some, for fishing...hunting...golfing.. or just loafing around.

        Beats taking 6 days to finish those corners.

        Are you still laughing knowing their so called professional experience and schedule delays were footed by your checkbook?

        Two proverbs:

        A fool and his money are soon parted.

        Don't do inside corners without a butterfly knife.

        Edited 4/29/2002 7:59:02 PM ET by GEOB21

        1. User avater
          BossHog | Apr 30, 2002 01:34pm | #15

          I wasn't trying to poke fun at "weekenders" or pros either one - I just thought it was funny when the guy said it. And it was the first time I had heard anyone called a "weekender".

          Actually, I think he was calling *ME* a weekender.............

          Redneck Extraordinaire

  4. Mooney | Apr 29, 2002 02:03am | #4

    I guess by the time you you read this it will sure confuse you, but this is the pro way to finish by hand.

    Inside wall angles need only a skim coat over tape . {period} The bottom of the ceiling angle depends. That is a recess and with slick walls , the bottom needs two coats. But if a texture is given on the ceiling and raked off the walls , such as acoustical, that will give it a partial coat. If Spanish texture is to be on walls , or wall paper, one coat would be enough .

    Now to your question. When carpenters finish they think they have to hide the tape . So a lot of times a wife's tale is told on the job that it has to be built up. Then of course it would need to be skimmed. Therefore giving it two coats on top.  That's where people started running one side at a time. The way to finish the wall angle is to learn to drive the mud with your knife giving it a skim coat on both sides just one time. When your taping the top angle go over the top of it and fill it in, giving it a float coat at the same time. Then you will only need a final coat for slick walls on the top and bottom of ceiling angle. This one is also just a skim coat applied to both sides at the same time.

    You will find by the angle you have your knife the mud will flow to your movement. This is something that can not be told as its up to all to get their own feel. I have told people I have trained that its like driving a car, you just have to learn the steering on a knife and mud. I've been doing it for 27 years , and I'm able to cut to a corner like a paint brush. Actually the other side can be cleaned up if your not successful, but it has to be done quickly, because the water is leaving the mud. Once that happens it drags and makes a mess.

    People have been so good to help me in different areas I feel obliged to answer any question in this area you have.

    Tim Mooney

    1. DaveRicheson | Apr 29, 2002 12:35pm | #5

      Great explanation Tim. I'll bet your inside corners are closer to what the framer framed than the guys that "build up" each side. I am a carpenter, but learned to finish with pros. The least amount of mud to get the job done is almost always the best.

      Dave

    2. ANDYBUILD | Apr 30, 2002 02:26am | #7

      Tim..your answer is great for a weathered rocker but a DIYS will NEVER be able to do that. I've been doing renovations full time for 27 years + and I dont think I could do that well enough(although I'm gonna try next time..thanks) I find that basically the first coat where the tape goes on is just to get  the tape on. Second coat I mud both sides feathering it out "just" past the tape and last coat I still usemy 6" blade and bring it out just under the six inches doing one side till its TOTALLY dry....then the other. If youre in a hurry use the 45 minute dry spackle and mix up what you need. I think the 45 minute spackle is great  but expensive on big jobs but for part timers I think it the way to go unless you have the time to let things dry 24 hours. Also ...if the inside corners arent TOTALLY dry, when you pull your knife on the opposing side your gonna drag all the undried particles across the mud and curse a real lot

      1. Mooney | May 01, 2002 01:24am | #17

        Andy this isnt a weekender.  He said he has done a lot of it like you.

        Ok ,Im going to try my best to help everyone do this two sides at once coating. The main reason I am is because it is about money. What if you are asked to just do a bedroom, or a bathroom? You have to learn to get it all while you are there within reach. Same thing with scaffold work. Everything gets it at once. [Period] A six inch hyde knife is a wonderful tool that can do many things if asked. Im going to stay away from mechanical tools, because thats not in the question.

        A six inch knife will tape,glaze,spot nails,spred out nails, float when using hot mud, spred butts out while in the taping process, skim angles, and fill metal. First thing about a six , is its hit with a flat file every morning making it finish smoother and its then a very effectiive scraper. Using it to scacpe mud back into a five gallon bucket to keep it clean and scapeing ridges and bumps.  Clean your other knifes after you wet them .  A well used one will have sharp corners to open box mud.  When not in use its always kept in the back pocket to ruin seat covers . It also does a great job at that. A six inch knife is used in hand finishing the majarioty of the time, figgureing it just doest take that long to run the  flat joints in a whole house. So my point here is :if your gonna finish drywall, learn your six  inch knife well. 

        Lets do the top of a wall angle on both sides; Look at your angle to determine which side has a gap. If a hanger hangs left to right it will always most always be on the left. This gap side is the one to be glazed last.

        Coat both sides of the angle at once just spreading mud, about a quarter of an inch thick. Remember  the water is soaking into the drywall. Now run the good side straight down watching your knife. If you are getting into your other mud ,slant the handle away from the corner. This will also drive mud away from the corner pileing it up out side. Now flex your knife and drag down half of the out side of that side killing the edge. If needed run straight down again to skim it with out an edge.

        Now run the bad side down at an angle [handle away from wall] to pull mud away from corner piling it up out side. Flex knife to clean the out side and kill the edge, running about two inches away from corner. Now a final pass that is watched the whole way down for the final touch.

        If you were not successful and have mud on the good side of the joint , run that side again not letting the knife get against the bad side like a paint brush. That is cutting in with mud. Good Luck ,

        Tim Mooney

        Note ; We were just doing four foot of the joint.

        1. ANDYBUILD | May 01, 2002 01:35am | #18

          oiy! Make me a video. Sounds right but......ugh....ok ok I'll read it three more times and try my last bathroom coat tomorrow..Thanks bro.

          Andy

          1. Mooney | May 01, 2002 02:47am | #19

            One thing I need to add here is that thickness of the mud is very important. Glazing mud is the thinnest mud on the job. Let me tell my measurement  tool to insure you have the same mud every time that you are used to running.

            A dipper = dipping a clean pan into a 5 gallon bucket of water and bringing it out with the fartherest side away from the hand ,touching the bucket all the way out . This measurement will be the same down to about a gallon in the bucket.

            Glazing mud for me is 5 dippers in a box of plus three, then mixed throughly up down and around with a mixer. [try 4] If the mud is not relatively thin you wont be able to work it in time , for the water leaves fast and all you need is a glaze coat .

            Tim Mooney

  5. archyII | Apr 30, 2002 03:01am | #9

    What about the USG corner with metal and tape aready applied.  You set it in mud and one skim coat (so I have heard).

    1. User avater
      Qtrmeg | Apr 30, 2002 03:15am | #10

      Boy, what was the question?

      Tape and 1 coat over. I, (and everyone I know) runs one side at a time. I'll pull both sides in a pinch, but for production I run one side of coves and corners, alternating, and then come back and run the other sides. Corner trowel? They're cute, but not made for drywall.

      If you can second coat both sides at one time fine, but I would have to see it before I cut a check. Ya, I believe it is all good.

      1. User avater
        G80104 | Apr 30, 2002 04:34am | #11

        Here in the wild west ,most mudders use a corner roller tool only for inside corners. Must be part of the package when you buy the mechanical tools. Will keep an eye on them and see how many coats they put on.

      2. geob21 | Apr 30, 2002 04:48am | #12

        Wow- I'm having severe trouble with the answers to this question. Because some people don't understand how it works.

        Being an avid reader and poster to this forum should I take future tips with a grain of salt?

        What's to be questioned next? Do you use electricity on a job?.... Compressed air is it just high pressured gas?

        Maybe you need to think outside of the box and evolve on construction practices if you don't understand how it works. Using an inside corner knife is not only cute, but it makes me MONEY,  that is why I use it and why I'm in buisness.

        Here is hoping I'm bidding against you because for $1.00 less I will get the job, make 3 times more money, and have time to go fishing in a boat that's paid for.

        1. User avater
          Qtrmeg | Apr 30, 2002 05:09am | #13

          Lighten up guy, just telling as I see it. I go faster my way, you go faster your way, we both win. I just don't see how you are going to go faster than me when you are playing with corner tools. :-)

          1. georgeolivergo | Apr 30, 2002 09:30am | #14

            hey qtrmeg,

            so do people generally use lite topping in running one side at a time or a quick set mud?

            it seems to me that the time issue has something to do with the size of the job. bigger job, less difference it makes whether you do both sides at once or one at a time. so are the one-siders the people doing bigger jobs, and the two-siders doing smaller remodels?

            thanks, GO (using a corner trowel -- but not for 27 years)

      3. ANDYBUILD | May 01, 2002 01:09am | #16

        OK OK.I'M RIGHT!!!! LOL.FOR PART TIMERS! If its a job you need to get done fast use the BAGS of 30 min.45 min etc etc....Do one side of the corner at a time till its DEAD dry. IF your a pro and on a huge job......do one side at a time cause you have plenty of time unless your Leanardo DeVinci and can hold a knife in each hand up 12 feet on your stilts and run both walls and ceilings as you race down the room (I'm also assuming you have learned about putting running sneakers on the base of your stilts.....But for the regular "just wanna get it done right, kinda guy/gal". One side at at a time. If its a small gig and you only have a weekend use the 90 min mix it yourself kinda expensive in da bag route but hey...time is money and whats an extra 20 30 bucks in that case. Orrrrrrrrr invest in a Bazooka and lay the mud and tape out all at one...should only cost ya about $1500 for that cool tool unless you get a Bangoe at HD and thats kinda worthless so....lets not go into that one. Just a side thought about corner tools....HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!

         Your either a PRO MUD MAN or a builder like me or a DYSer....So you figure out the right thang to do. By the way.....I'm just finishing up a bathroom and have the tape up and I WILL try the two sides at one technique......Was thinking...at most maybe I could run a bead of mud with my finger where I KNOWWWWW my knife will make hollows...whatever....New ideas for different people are what makes the world turn......At least it aint concrete.ya can always sand...ugh

        BE Well

                Namaste

                             Andy]

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