PSA: I see a lot of guys still using a 6-inch knife for the first coat on flat seams.

I learned this from an old timer in Spokane about 15 years ago. He showed me that a 10-inch knife lays down a much flatter, wider bed of mud that feathers out better, saving you a ton of sanding later. I switched over and it cut my sanding time by nearly a third on a big job last month. Anyone else make that switch and notice a difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

noraj7915d ago

My uncle in Tacoma taught me the same thing almost twenty years ago. He handed me a 12-inch knife for taping and it felt huge at first. But you're right, that wider spread puts down such a smooth, thin layer. It really does feather out almost by itself. I still use a smaller knife for corners, but for those long flat seams, the big knife is a total game changer.

the_logan15d ago

My foreman in Boise made me use a 14 inch knife on a big drywall job. It felt awkward for the first hour but the seams were way smoother. I haven't gone back to a small knife for that first coat since.