# What ways do you guys skim coat?



## DuFast (Dec 15, 2010)

I've never done a big room but have done decent size patches. I just use a 12" knife and add some water to my mud. I've watched some videos and saw some other interesting ways. One was just with a trowel,and the other the guy got the mud pretty wet and used a paint roller and rolled it on like paint then smoothed it down. What are they ways you guys do it?


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

Wow....thats such a generic question...
You'd have 100's of answers man...
If you asked that question on Drywall talk, you'd get laughed at.

As for the guy using a trowel, it means he's a hand taper.
The guy rolling the mud onto the wall similar to paint is doing a level 5 finish. (Thats where you skim the entire wall)

Want more specific answers, ask more specific questions. :thumbsup:


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

DuFast,

You are posing a question encompassing several different levels of finish that can & do use different techniques based on geography.

Precision Taping put it well...:thumbsup:

ask more specific questions....:thumbsup:


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

Exactly, there are so many different forms of taping its hard to sum up in a nutshell. For example, we have, dry taping. Where the mud is applied by hand to the seem, then the tape, and then wiped by hand.

Then there's Sh!t boxes or super tapers, where your tape is pulled through a basin of mud so its already all coated on one side, you pull as much through your device into a bucket you hang around your waist or neck and then go around applying it, slapping it to the wall.

Then there's Compound Tubes and flushers.

Then you have banjo's

Then Bazookas.

Thats just the different styles of taping.
Then everyone has their own variation of doing it within those styles.


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Wow....thats such a generic question...
> You'd have 100's of answers man...
> If you asked that question on Drywall talk, you'd get laughed at.



Sounds like you should start your own 'anti-forum' . . . 

.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I've done entire rooms a few times and I used a steel masons trowel and hawk. I think the trowel is 12" or 14". I tried the drywall trowel that has a slight curve to it, but I like the flat steel mason's trowel better - for me anyway.

Thin the blue batch down, put some tunes on the IPod and get to coating. Before I know it, I'm done.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

really depends on what you are skimming over.If it is a pretty smooth surface and just need a lil smoothin then roller would prolly work. If its a thick nasty mess you are covering then youd better knife or trowel it on 1 wall at a time then fall back to smooth it.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

iDAHOchris said:


> really depends on what you are skimming over.If it is a pretty smooth surface and just need a lil smoothin then roller would prolly work. If its a thick nasty mess you are covering then youd better knife or trowel it on 1 wall at a time then fall back to smooth it.


Exactly what I do. Very minor smoothing, I roll thinned mud and wipe most off with a knife. A little rougher surface, I'll still use a knife and leave more on. If I'm having to put it on thick, I use slightly thinned mud with a hawk and flat trowel.


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## DuFast (Dec 15, 2010)

I don't care if I get laughed at. Going over some plaster that has a little texture. I don't know why you are talking about taping.


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

DuFast said:


> I don't care if I get laughed at. Going over some plaster that has a little texture. I don't know why you are talking about taping.


Sorry, didn't mean any disrespect if it came across that way.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Wow....thats such a generic question...
> You'd have 100's of answers man...
> If you asked that question on Drywall talk, you'd get laughed at.
> 
> ...


I thought his question was pretty specific. :confused1:



DuFast said:


> What Ways Do You Guys Skim Coat?


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Dufast, I have experimented with both ways you mentioned, roller and 12"/14" knife and hawk and knife for the rougher areas on a ceiling where the texture was stubborn about coming off. Then come back as was mentioned with a roller and pull it tight.


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

Sir Mixalot said:


> I thought his question was pretty specific. :confused1:


you're right you're right.
I was a little out of line. 
I apologized. I was a little cranky last night.
It was getting late. My bad bro.
like I said above, didn't mean to cause any disrespect.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

I just skim coated the job I'm doing. I use a hawk and 12" trowel.

I thin the mud a little. It's not hard to do once you get the hang of it.

For ceilings that need to be really nice I skim in both directions. Then you get a nice flat ceiling.

I sand all that with 150 grit and a fine sponge sander.


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

Just finished a ceiling the other day-bought a 14'' trowel and used a hawk. Then sanded it all out. Worked pretty well for one coat. Few little touch ups to do.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Kinda like what others have said for me. 

12" or 14" and thinned just a bit (kinda like first coat bead mud) for going over heavy textured walls or ceilings.

If I am going over a light orange peel or very lightly textured, I use my 18" knife thinned more.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Our production guys spray thinned mud on for level 5 chit. Damn semi gloss red. :laughing:


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> If you asked that question on Drywall talk, you'd get laughed at.


Yea, there's a shocker! :whistling


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Ya if when you pick it up off your hawk with your trowel and it slides off into your face you know it's too thin. :whistling


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## DuFast (Dec 15, 2010)

Why do some of you guys like using the trowel? I've never used one for drywall. What does it do better than a knife?


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Yea, there's a shocker! :whistling


Those guys laugh at everything. Except kiwis...


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

DuFast said:


> Why do some of you guys like using the trowel? I've never used one for drywall. What does it do better than a knife?


reason for me is that it is flat, doesn't have the "curve" for taping that my knives do


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

DuFast said:


> I don't care if I get laughed at. Going over some plaster that has a little texture. I don't know why you are talking about taping.


A lot of the plaster ceilings I've seen that had texture put on was to cover up problems with the plaster. If you have to go thick on a plaster ceiling first take care of any spongy areas, then use lightweight. Check how smooth the ceiling is with you knife or trowel before deciding on a 12 or 14 inch. I've had plaster walls that were so bad I had to use a 9 inch trowel, or I'd be putting on half an inch in some places, and almost none in others. It was like ocean waves, so I couldn't go up and down, I had to work more sideways. As an old plasterer taught me, you aren't trying to make the wall or ceiling flat, you're trying to make it LOOK flat.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

DuFast said:


> Why do some of you guys like using the trowel? I've never used one for drywall. What does it do better than a knife?


It's a difference between drywall technique and tools and plaster technique and tools. A trowel is flat, no curve, no flex. I control knife work with finger pressure, but troweling uses a locked wrist for control.

Different techniques. They both take time to get good at, and once you're good, they both take time to get fast.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

DuFast said:


> Why do some of you guys like using the trowel? I've never used one for drywall. What does it do better than a knife?


Another reason is a trowel holds more mud. It's faster. And yes, it's less fatigueing.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

BC Carpenter said:


> reason for me is that it is flat, doesn't have the "curve" for taping that my knives do


Yeah, you can only get the knife to flatten out if you have the mud thinned right, right thickness on the wall, and right pressure / knife angle. Basically the mud and thickness they're curved to work with.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

katoman said:


> Another reason is a trowel holds more mud. It's faster. And yes, it's less fatigueing.


Here I'd disagree. If you can get the right thickness by rolling, it's much faster to roll.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

I set tape mud with a roller. Neat trick just picked up recently.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

hdavis said:


> Yeah, you can only get the knife to flatten out if you have the mud thinned right, right thickness on the wall, and right pressure / knife angle. Basically the mud and thickness they're curved to work with.


But who trowels mud straight from the bucket? I have never seen anyone use mud straight from the bucket without thinning to their liking.

I also don't think that any one method is faster than the other. It really depends on the experience of the mudder. I have seen guys walk using a bucket faster than I thought was possible. It's funny how good you can get at something you do all the time.


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Yea, there's a shocker! :whistling





ohiohomedoctor said:


> Those guys laugh at everything. Except kiwis...


Haha! It's true. Sorry guys.
We can attribute my earlier crankiness to hanging out with those assholes on drywall talk all day :laughing:
They're not all bad though. They really are a bunch of good guys.
Just a different sense of humour. lol.



TNTSERVICES said:


> But who trowels mud straight from the bucket? I have never seen anyone use mud straight from the bucket without thinning to their liking.
> 
> I also don't think that any one method is faster than the other. It really depends on the experience of the mudder. I have seen guys walk using a bucket faster than I thought was possible. It's funny how good you can get at something you do all the time.


I agree! Although I prefer a trowel, and actually hate taping knives, they both do have their advantages. I just find there's way more control and maneuverability with a trowel.

But like Rob said, it all depends on the taper and his level of experience.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> We can attribute my earlier crankiness to hanging out with those assholes on drywall talk all day :laughing:


Oh we have experienced them........first hand! :laughing:


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Oh we have experienced them........first hand! :laughing:


They must have learned how to use the new features on their site, thank god.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Be nice:thumbsup: you never know us or them may be reading:whistling and giving good advice


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

iDAHOchris said:


> Be nice:thumbsup: you never know us or them may be reading:whistling and giving good advice


:thumbsup:


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

hdavis said:


> Here I'd disagree. If you can get the right thickness by rolling, it's much faster to roll.


I've never tried that. Sounds pretty messy......yes? no?

What nap roller would one use?


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> Oh we have experienced them........first hand! :laughing:


Hahaha! Ya I heard. When the guys come back to Drywall Talk and I get PM's saying "TNT's giving me a hard time on Contractor Talk! Come help me piss all over him", then I kind'a figured :laughing:



ohiohomedoctor said:


> They must have learned how to use the new features on their site, thank god.


Haha! Most of them are still struggling to adapt. Im pretty sure the majority of them still hate the site, but they just hate you guys more so they choose to stay over there and not wander over to these parts. :laughing:



iDAHOchris said:


> Be nice:thumbsup: you never know us or them may be reading:whistling and giving good advice


Good advice Chris. As stubborn as those guys are (myself included) they do, for the most part offer allot of great advice (myself excluded) :laughing: Haha! Didn't wanna sound cocky.


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

katoman said:


> I've never tried that. Sounds pretty messy......yes? no?
> 
> What nap roller would one use?


I hate to do this....TNT will cut me up for this, but here you go!





Not a word Rob! Not a word....lol

Use a bigger nap Katoman. Like 3/4 inch or something.
This technique is mostly done for level 5 finishes!


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Precision, thanks for that. That's really thin. When I skim a wall I'm putting enought on so that I get rid of the "hump" from the taped joint.

I'm looking to level the wall out. On my very high end work I use a 4' and 6' trowel to actually level out the ceiling and walls. Like a plasterer would do.

I'm about as fast as he is though. He has to apply and then trowel it off. I level it out as I apply it. One operation.

But thanks, that was educational. :thumbsup:

I learned from an old school plasterer.


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## Rouerplastering (Sep 6, 2010)

hdavis said:


> It's a difference between drywall technique and tools and plaster technique and tools. A trowel is flat, no curve, no flex. I control knife work with finger pressure,* but troweling uses a locked wrist for control.*
> 
> Different techniques. They both take time to get good at, and once you're good, they both take time to get fast.


Not to pick your post apart but this is completely false. Troweling is ALL wrist action. The trowel should not move in your hand. Just incase anyone is going to take up troweling for a living.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

iDAHOchris said:


> Be nice:thumbsup: you never know us or them may be reading:whistling and giving good advice


Maybe they should be getting that advice...

And if you saw any of the posts during that time, I don't care who reads what. I am what I am and that's all that I am!


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Rouerplastering said:


> Not to pick your post apart but this is completely false. Troweling is ALL wrist action. The trowel should not move in your hand. Just incase anyone is going to take up troweling for a living.


I just watched that video. He's using a "knife". I have never used one of those. It looks like that would kill your wrist after awhile. Like I said I learned from a plasterer and we only used trowels.

I agree with the wrist action. It takes practice to be able to apply just enough pressure to feather it out. Stronger when you first put it on the wall, and then lighter to finish.

Not sure I explain that right. But hey, I'm not a plasterer. I do good work but I'm slow compared to a pro.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Rouerplastering said:


> Not to pick your post apart but this is completely false. Troweling is ALL wrist action. The trowel should not move in your hand. Just incase anyone is going to take up troweling for a living.


Meaning you first lock your wrist. From there, it rolls as you apply


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## Mudshark (Feb 12, 2009)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Hahaha! Ya I heard. When the guys come back to Drywall Talk and I get PM's saying "TNT's giving me a hard time on Contractor Talk! Come help me piss all over him", then I kind'a figured :laughing:


Well you are stretching the truth a bit there PT. I did say I was getting a hard time but I *DID NOT* ask you to help do anything. You took that on yourself.  

Post what you want but please when I am involved dont be telling any lies about me.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

PrecisionTaping said:


> I hate to do this....TNT will cut me up for this, but here you go!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's how I do it with one exception. I use a thin(3/8) nap roller.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I use both: knives and a trowel. I usually start with the knives small to large, and if I'm having a hard time achieving the finish I want, I'll move up to the trowel. I just feel it allows me to feather the compound out better.

For scimming, as the initial taping was completed and I'm just trying to produce a smoother finish, I start with the trowel.

Like others have said, if the wall texture was unusually rough, I'd probably roll it on and knife or trowel it off (probably trowel it off though to be honest.)

If you've never used a trowel, try it. Go slow and try to get the feel for the process. 

I also carry a spray bottle of water and mist the wall before I start and also mist the compound as I go. If I need it a little thinner here or there I just squirt some water as needed. I do thin the mix, but not to much other wise it's difficult to work with: wont stay on tools.


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## PrecisionTaping (Jan 8, 2012)

katoman said:


> I just watched that video. He's using a "knife". I have never used one of those. It looks like that would kill your wrist after awhile. Like I said I learned from a plasterer and we only used trowels.
> 
> I agree with the wrist action. It takes practice to be able to apply just enough pressure to feather it out. Stronger when you first put it on the wall, and then lighter to finish.
> 
> Not sure I explain that right. But hey, I'm not a plasterer. I do good work but I'm slow compared to a pro.


Ya I don't use knives either. All trowel for me. Just don't like taping knives. Less control I find. You can't feel the wall as well as you can with your hand right up to it.



Mudshark said:


> Well you are stretching the truth a bit there PT. I did say I was getting a hard time but I *DID NOT* ask you to help do anything. You took that on yourself.
> 
> Post what you want but please when I am involved dont be telling any lies about me.




I was stretching the truth a bit MudShark, you're right. I was just playing around buddy. It's fun to laugh every now and then.
We all fight, but its all in good fun. :thumbsup:





jb4211 said:


> I use both: knives and a trowel. I usually start with the knives small to large, and if I'm having a hard time achieving the finish I want, I'll move up to the trowel. I just feel it allows me to feather the compound out better.
> 
> For scimming, as the initial taping was completed and I'm just trying to produce a smoother finish, I start with the trowel.
> 
> ...


Good tip!!


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> Well you are stretching the truth a bit there PT. I did say I was getting a hard time but I *DID NOT* ask you to help do anything. You took that on yourself.
> 
> Post what you want but please when I am involved dont be telling any lies about me.


:laughing: So you just called yourself out. :laughing:

And the whole time I thought it was you guys giving me the hard time. Ahhhh....perspective, ya gotta love it.

PT, Not a word man, not a word...:thumbsup:


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> :laughing: So you just called yourself out. :laughing:
> 
> And the whole time I thought it was you guys giving me the hard time. Ahhhh....perspective, ya gotta love it.
> 
> PT, Not a word man, not a word...:thumbsup:


Behjesus Rob, you have an unparralled ability to make friends. :laughing:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> But who trowels mud straight from the bucket? I have never seen anyone use mud straight from the bucket without thinning to their liking.
> 
> I also don't think that any one method is faster than the other. It really depends on the experience of the mudder. I have seen guys walk using a bucket faster than I thought was possible. It's funny how good you can get at something you do all the time.


I have to agree there. The plasterer who taught me had 28 years in and had a 10 ft spread. He worked faster with a hawk and trowel than I could no matter what I was using.


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## Mud Master (Feb 26, 2007)

For new work it's a knife and pan.

For repairs I use a hawk and trowel (14") because I can do a better build and feather job, especially if I have to build out 24"+. Just gives me more control.

My father was taught by a plasterer, and taught me a little trowel work, and I picked up the finesse by working with it and by other old timers. 

I learned knife work from working on 10,000+ sheet jobs for months at a time.

Of course if it's that large leave all of that in the truck and get out the boxes :thumbsup:


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

As I mentioned I skimmed out the job I'm doing right now.

I should mention that after I apply all the tape and beads I skim everything. So second coat includes the skim. I don't finish the taped joints then go over it again.

Then it's sand everything, and a final "touch up" coat, then final sand.

I treat it as a complete wall to mud out. Faster like that.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Behjesus Rob, you have an unparralled ability to make friends. :laughing:


What's funny is either after I butt heads with someone we are closer than most would be just shooting the bull for two months or they seek me out to destroy me. There is another thread that I was getting pounded on, them several others came on with the same question and they pretty much soft-shoed them. It's just my great personality.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

Mud Master said:


> For new work it's a knife and pan.
> 
> For repairs I use a hawk and trowel (14") because I can do a better build and feather job, especially if I have to build out 24"+. Just gives me more control.
> 
> ...


I keep wanting to pick up a trowel and try it, but am just too dang good and fast with a knife that I can't bring myself to experiment.

I've got some dry-walling to do in the laundry room at home, maybe I'll experiment there.


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## Mud Master (Feb 26, 2007)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I keep wanting to pick up a trowel and try it, but am just too dang good and fast with a knife that I can't bring myself to experiment.
> 
> I've got some dry-walling to do in the laundry room at home, maybe I'll experiment there.


That's a great idea. It's all in the wrist with trowel work, as opposed to pressure points with knife work.

I'd definitely try it with a hawk and trowel. Worst case scenario you screw up and have to go over it with a 12" knife, but if you get the hang of it, it's just one more tool in your arsenal.

It's an invaluable technique that while obviously still prevalent in Canada, is more rare here nowadays for drywall work.


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

katoman said:


> As I mentioned I skimmed out the job I'm doing right now.
> 
> I should mention that after I apply all the tape and beads I skim everything. So second coat includes the skim. I don't finish the taped joints then go over it again.
> 
> ...


 
Interesting...since I just bought a trowell and have some taping to do coming up on this job i'm on.....

So pretty well 3 coats-taping, skim everything, sand, touchups, sand...might try that out


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

That's it. After the first coat I just go around and knock off any high stuff with my knife. The second coat I thin the mud a little. The last touch up coat I thin the mud a little more.

If you have not used a trowel with a hawk the trick is to tilt the hawk as you take the mud off it with your trowel. Otherwise it'll probably end up on the floor. :laughing:


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

thanks for the info

yes, have gotten better at it...stepping on globs gives pretty good incentive


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

I wear white overalls. Seriously. Got tired of dried dw mud all over my work clothes. When the jobs done, take them home and wash.

I suppose if I were really good I wouldn't get it all over me. :laughing:


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## BC Carpenter (Dec 28, 2010)

Yeah I like the painters whites for mudding and painting..they are cheaper too


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Canadians=Trowels Americans=Knives

Seem right?


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## icerock drywall (Aug 16, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> Put your cable and phone outlets closer to electrical outlets and then I will have less to pick on. :laughing:


was that the last job you did ?


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

It depends on the skim job but on this one I had to texture the same day so I skimmed room with some 40 minute ( 16' by 12', walls only,tools in pic) and while it was setting I buffed it up with 12" knife... about an hour after that I textured:thumbsup:


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

icerock drywall said:


> was that the last job you did ?


Yeah, but I charged him a flat rate of 50 bucks an outlet and it didn't come close to paying for my gas for the 1600km drive...:laughing:


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## icerock drywall (Aug 16, 2012)

iDAHOchris said:


> It depends on the skim job but on this one I had to texture the same day so I skimmed room with some 40 minute ( 16' by 12', walls only,tools in pic) and while it was setting I buffed it up with 12" knife... about an hour after that I textured:thumbsup:


you got paid first...I see you cool new knife
:thumbsup:


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Cool grip knives from Advanced:thumbsup:. They were a gift


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## icerock drywall (Aug 16, 2012)

iDAHOchris said:


> Cool grip knives from Advanced:thumbsup:. They were a gift


i have the set ...they rock


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 7, 2010)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Haha! It's true. Sorry guys.
> We can attribute my earlier crankiness to hanging out with those assholes on drywall talk all day :laughing:


I shall be sharing this comment with the members of DWT



TNTSERVICES said:


> And if you saw any of the posts during that time, I don't care who reads what. I am what I am and that's all that I am!


Sounds like you should be a member of drywall talk:whistling


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## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

2buckcanuck said:


> I shall be sharing this comment with the members of DWT


What are you, a narc?


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 7, 2010)

Kent Whitten said:


> What are you, a narc?


I think the proper word would be rat:thumbup:

http://www.drywalltalk.com/f12/chit-chat-thread-1724/index38/


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Stool pigeon:laughing:


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## Kiwiman (Mar 28, 2008)

PrecisionTaping said:


> Haha! It's true. Sorry guys.
> We can attribute my earlier crankiness to hanging out with those *assholes on drywall talk *all day :laughing:
> They're not all bad though. They really are a bunch of good guys.
> Just a different sense of humour. lol.


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## Kiwiman (Mar 28, 2008)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Those guys laugh at everything. Except kiwis...


Huh? :blink:


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## CarrPainting (Jun 29, 2010)

It really depends on the application for me...

I will opt for my dads finishing trowel if I am doing finish coat of plaster or a basic patch.

I will opt for the browning trowel (my old trowel from when I worked with dad, he was breaking it in) when I am working with brown/scratch coats. I use that trowel for more general use than anything.

If I am finishing a larger patch, like I did last week and posted pictures about, I will start with my old trowel, then switch to my dads trowel for finish, and then... (dont laff too hard) I switch again to Lenny's trowel... we call it 'Lenny's trowel' Its a trowel, that was given to me, by my dads plasterer, who was 70 when he retired. And he gave it to me as a parting gift... Its almost 1/2 the size of my trowel, and is pretty much 'worn out' but ill tell ya, that thing is so awesome to finish with...

Odd to jump thruogh 3 different trowels? ya, but it works for me... I am no plasterer by any means... but I know enough that I can fake it.

Oh and if I have a choice between plaster or drywall? Plaster all the way, hands down.

As far as knives are concerned? I still for the life of me cant work out of the tray... I must have a hawk. as as far as the larger knives over 6in? pfft. we use them as guides for painting! LOL!

My helper will use the knives... but I cant do anything all that productive with a knife to save my ass.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Boooomm thumpy thumpy. Thats still great. Thanks for the revival ninja. Wasnt it 480 who coined it?


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## Mavis Leonard (Mar 13, 2013)

DuFast said:


> Why do some of you guys like using the trowel? I've never used one for drywall. What does it do better than a knife?




By amarsalltown trowelanhawk wath somyutubevi and giv a tri


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## ToolNut (Aug 9, 2012)

Just bought a set of Curry trowels 12, 14 and 16" after years of knifes and a bread pan. With the trowel seems like can pull tighter and feather a lot better with less gouging. Still use the knifes for patching and tight places. Must must say I really like the trowels after using them a little. Just my opinion.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

The trowels u guys are talking about, are the trowels a brick mason uses or the thin steel floats we finish concrete with, or something else art together. I imagine it's not a maggy. 

No doubt its a stupid question. But it would be stupider to not ask and wander around in ignorance.


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## pibe (Jan 21, 2013)

StrongBuilding said:


> The trowels u guys are talking about, are the trowels a brick mason uses or the thin steel floats we finish concrete with, or something else art together. I imagine it's not a maggy.
> 
> No doubt its a stupid question. But it would be stupider to not ask and wander around in ignorance.


The trowel my old boss used was a masons trowel. They are basically the same thing. The main difference being width. The drywall trowels are usually 4 1/2 inch wide allowing you to get into internal angles easily without your knuckles gouging the mud in the adjacent wall. They do make a bowed trowel basically is shaped to put a crown in the mud to make sure you get a good fill....but id say most of us experienced and using trowels prefer a regular flat trowel. 

Go with a Marshalltown or Curry 11 x 4 1/2 flat trowel. Dont need any of those huge ones guys are talking about.

And the pros for trowel over knives are you are able to push more mud and thicker mud. As well as there being less strain on your fingers/wrists/etc. They also last forever whereas a knife will wear out after a while.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

OK. Great, thank you. I know that I have seen those on jobs when we " framers " moved into another part of a job and the drywallers came in. But more guys used knives so I didn't know what the trowels were for. Since standing around and watching is an easy way to get run off, I never knew. I've hung a few houses worth of sheetrock but the finishers were always. The Elite. Or that's how they seemed to portray themselves :whistling
That's OK. Kind of hard to knock someones trade if your clueless of how to do it like I am.


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## pibe (Jan 21, 2013)

Whether knives or trowels are used seems to be based mainly on location. Every area has different norms.


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## renov8r (Feb 16, 2013)

I think this is a really broad topic in which you will get a million and a half answers. If you talk to guys who only do plaster and taping they will tell you one way in comparison to a guy who doesn't do plaster and taping all the time. A lot of the plaster and tape guys I've seen have stilts, proper trowels, the box where they put the paper tape and mud on together before applying it to the wall. Where as a guy like me I prefer to use taping knifes.


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## tyb525 (Feb 26, 2013)

Taping knives are good for a wall that is already flat, where you can use the wall as a guide. Trowels are good for plaster and skimming, where you are covering up an uneven walls, or building a thick layer.

IMO, plaster guys are the ones to ask about skimming, because that's what they do all day. Drywallers usually have an already flat surface to work with to guide their knife.

Also I think skimming should be done with hot mud, not premix.


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## ToolNut (Aug 9, 2012)

I really don't understand why you would use hot mud for a skim coat. Since it is harder to sand, harder to pull, and really harder to work with what is the advantage. If all I'm doing is a skim I really like the new usg ultra light mud. Maybe I'm misunderstanding skim coat I'm talking about a wall the is in really pretty good shape and just needs a light skim. Or maybe after a wallpaper removal, seal surface with Gardz then skim.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

tyb525 said:


> Taping knives are good for a wall that is already flat, where you can use the wall as a guide. Trowels are good for plaster and skimming, where you are covering up an uneven walls, or building a thick layer.
> 
> IMO, plaster guys are the ones to ask about skimming, because that's what they do all day. Drywallers usually have an already flat surface to work with to guide their knife.
> 
> Also I think skimming should be done with hot mud, not premix.


Which one I choose depends on how stiff the mix or premix is. My taping knives are set up to a flat surface within certain ranges of stiffness / finger pressures. If I'll have to press too hard due to using a stiff mix, I have to use a trowel. On the other hand, I've worked on some walls that were old 3/8" drywall over loose plaster with decades of patches and nail holes. That requires a thin mix, since the wall will flex if you press on it much - pan and knife all the way, you couldn't keep the mix on a hawk.

Premix is safer for thin skims, since hot mud could dry before it cures, resulting in a weaker layer.


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## IanB (Apr 6, 2013)

Depending on how much area you are skimming it might be better to gut it and use new board and tape or just slap on new board over it and tape it, skimming out large areas can be very time consuming and by the sounds of it its not just skimming you are filling around texture or plaster which would require more than one coat...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

IanB said:


> Depending on how much area you are skimming it might be better to gut it and use new board and tape or just slap on new board over it and tape it, skimming out large areas can be very time consuming and by the sounds of it its not just skimming you are filling around texture or plaster which would require more than one coat...


It's a lot faster to fill and skim than yank all the trim, put in extensions (if I'm just going over), and put all the trim back in, then start with hanging new board. That would also automatically create a records keeping requirement and associated liability. The benefit of a gut is I can get the walls actually flat again.


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## IanB (Apr 6, 2013)

Someday maybe a see tool like a 2 ft box with auto feeding mud just for doing big skim's I've had to fill in between a few bad studs before some eat a whole box of mud or more and I had to use a 4 ft aluminum float.


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