Help For Drywall Trowels

Monday, March 24, 2014

Help For Drywall Trowels

Before you can paint that new wall, you have to apply joint compound between the drywall panels and over screw indentations. What might seem like a simple task, can turn into a nightmare if your goal of an ultra-smooth wall becomes a lumpy mess. Drywall contractors have a few tricks up their sleeves, and one of those tricks involves the correct use of standard compound application tools -- drywall trowels. Knowing what trowel to use and use it will give you better-looking walls.

The Right Trowel for the Job

Standard drywall trowels, also called taping knives or finishing knives, resemble putty knives except with larger blades. In addition to flat trowels, which come in different sizes, there are specialty trowels. A small 6-inch drywall trowel is essential for applying the first coat of compound to the wall. The narrow blade makes it easy to scoop up fresh compound and smooth it into seams.

Use a wider trowel to feather out the compound. A 10- or 12-inch trowel is standard for smoothing the wet compound flush with the wall. The wider blade spreads the compound over a larger area, making seams less noticeable. A corner trowel features an angled blade that makes a crisp line for inside wall corners.

Trowel Techniques

By holding the trowel handle in your fist and extending your first two fingers along the blade, you can control the pressure of the trowel. By designating one side of a drywall trowel as the application side, you'll avoid backhand application, which can be uneven. Just remember that the inside of your wrist should always face the wall. When you reach the end of a seam, instead of pulling the trowel backward, flip the trowel over so your palm still faces the wall.

The best tip is to apply a very thin coat of drywall compound, let it dry completely and sand the wall before applying another coat. Since the compound shrinks as it dries, multiple thin coats are better than one thick coat.

Paper vs. Mesh Tape

In addition to filling the seams with compound, you will apply drywall tape to secure the compound as it dries to reduce crumbling. The pros use paper tape because it's the thinnest and provides the smoothest surface. However, it's also the most difficult to work with since it's applied directly on top of wet joint compound and smoothed into place with a trowel. For those who find it hard to use paper tape, self-adhesive mesh tape is available. You'll cut and stick this tape over the bare seams, and then use a 6-inch trowel to press wet compound through the holes and into the seams.

Helpful Accessories

Buckets of wet joint compound are large and heavy, so carrying one with you as you tape isn't feasible. Nor is running back to the bucket every time you need more compound. A lightweight oblong mud pan, carried in the hand you're not taping with, holds a small amount of compound for ease of application. Alternately, you can carry a glob of joint compound on a small pedestal, called a hawk, if your hand tires when holding a mud pan.

Sure-footed tapers use drywall shoe stilts to elevate them up to two feet higher. This reduces climbing up and down a ladder when taping. But, the stilts can be dangerous, so don't use them if you don't have good balance.

Corner beads

Monday, March 24, 2014