# Help! - why seams bubbled 3+ weeks after finish?



## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Here are before and after pictures, 4 weeks later. Really at a loss here - got a text from GC today saying 'disaster' w/ the attached finished room picture. 

Short of it: What went wrong? How do we correct it so that the problem does not return? We've not run into this issue before and can't figure out what we did differently. 

Long story: 
The Project:
The room was a storage area attached to an office which they are converting to a conf room. Carpenter installed metal framing. We hung & finished the drywall. Pictures show pretty much the last day spent on this room. 

We spent a lot of time making sure everything was smooth and flush incl inspecting closely w/ shining lights across every part of the walls to find imperfections. The weather at that time was consistently hot and humid. There was A/C running in the building, but there were days in the building that were quite warm and muggy - not all, but some. For the project, we had multiple box fans as well as two air movers. Only two overnights were we allowed to keep the fans on. Still, we were confident all mud dried completely before proceeding with next coats and/or sanding. 

After completing this room, the GC inspected our work and gave us a big thumbs up. We were on site the next few days doing patchwork in another area, so we were able to check on our work even after the completion - no problems were noted. Also, we were able to talk to the painter a few days after who inspected the walls and also was impressed, didn't have anything for us to correct.

What went wrong? How do we correct it so that the problem does not return? We've not run into this issue before and can't figure out what we did differently.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Not much to see from pictures but it looks kinda sloppy. No offense. Everyone who gave thumbs up did so before there was light shining across glossy paint. There's a window right up against the wall. That wall needs to be level 5 by a top notch drywaller if you don't want to see joints.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Poor bond to the board. (not that that told you anything) I'll see that when the mud is thinned too much.

Blue board? No trouble on the regular boards?


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

I think that wall got somehow overlooked before the paint. The pattern that's telegraphed is identical to the mud edges in the second pic. (I'm looking at the seam left of the two receptacles, for reference). Blame the new guy.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

hdavis - apparently some regular boards also, but will see at tomorrow's visit


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Big Johnson said:


> Not much to see from pictures but it looks kinda sloppy. No offense. Everyone who gave thumbs up did so before there was light shining across glossy paint. There's a window right up against the wall. That wall needs to be level 5 by a top notch drywaller if you don't want to see joints.


No offense taken, always open to education and what you evaluate as 'sloppy'. Correct, the GC/painter inspected before paint applied, but also knowledgeable based on their own experience and would have recognize a poor job, I assume - perhaps incorrectly? 

My understanding of level 5: "...refers to drywall that has been taped, first and second coated, and sanded lightly to remove tool marks before applying a thin skim coat to the entire surface including the seams and field. The skim coat is sanded lightly and checked with a halogen light to look for any imperfections..." That is the method applied to this project.

Just prior to this job, we completed a residential ceiling (finish only) and were able to view it after the owner painted - it was smooth. Just sayin', each job is different though.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

hdavis said:


> Poor bond to the board. (not that that told you anything) I'll see that when the mud is thinned too much.
> 
> Blue board? No trouble on the regular boards?


hdavis - apparently some regular boards also, but will see at tomorrow's visit


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Appreciate all of your comments. Suggestions for correction at this point?


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

kodie said:


> ....
> Just prior to this job, we completed a residential ceiling (finish only) and were able to view it after the owner painted - it was smooth. Just sayin', each job is different though.


First off, B Johnson is spot on.

Secondly, again, just like Johnson said, what shows on a ceiling is completely different from what shows on a wall.

You are double-damned on that job. You got vertical seams AND a shiner light running close to the wall from the window - just the same as a spotter lamp would do.

The link below is to a CT member's vids. Look at how wide he runs the joints.

https://www.youtube.com/user/mooredrywall/videos


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

"Help! - Why Seams Bubbled 3+ Weeks After Finish?"

I just have to correct some of your thinking.

Those seams didn't bubble. They are exactly the same as the day they were sanded. They didn't swell, the didn't lift, they didn't change one bit.

When somebody says "bubble" it implies that the compound is somehow lifting or popping. And that isn't the case here.

You asked what the course of correction would be, and my answer would be to get a damned wide knife, some all purpose mud and take those seams out another 12 inches either side of center.

And, for God's sakes, learn to make Looong strokes with the knife. Those seams look like somebody was frosting a cake - little short dauber strokes.

Again, watch Moore's vids to see how simple adjustments in handling the knife and sliding the mud on can change things.

He's damned good.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

SmallTownGuy said:


> "Help! - Why Seams Bubbled 3+ Weeks After Finish?"
> 
> I just have to correct some of your thinking.
> 
> ...


I checked out the videos, thank you for the link. 'Bubbled' came from the GC but I agree with you that it not have actually 'lifted'. We'll find out the situation tomorrow and come back here with more info. 

We really appreciate all the responses and receiving feedback so quickly here on this forum.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

kodie said:


> My understanding of level 5: "...refers to drywall that has been taped, first and second coated, and sanded lightly to remove tool marks before applying a thin skim coat to the entire surface including the seams and field. The skim coat is sanded lightly and checked with a halogen light to look for any imperfections..." That is the method applied to this project.


That's going to take more than a light sanding to get it to level 5.

Chances are the drywall finisher did an onion skin (if anything), not an actual thin skim. 

Since you don't know whether or not it bubbled, it looks to me like someone just humped up the seams and then gave a light sanding.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

SmallTownGuy said:


> You asked what the course of correction would be, and my answer would be to get a damned wide knife, some all purpose mud and take those seams out another 12 inches either side of center.



Bust it out until you don't see light under the wide knife edge. I think 12" is probably wishful thinking.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Keep in mind, both Moore and I have run into boards that have a hump next to the tapered edge. If you run into those, it takes a lot more to get the seam flatish.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

hdavis said:


> Bust it out until you don't see light under the wide knife edge. I think 12" is probably wishful thinking.


That would be a total of 24" - 1/2 the width a sheet...


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## Irishslave (Jun 20, 2010)

This is why I don't finish drywall. For all the featherin, screwin, sandin, mixin, eyeballin and all the return trips hell you might as well plaster the SOB. 

I'm a screwdriver wrench and hammer man....not a marathon artist


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## Walraven (Jan 24, 2014)

With the critical lighting through that window the board should have been hung horizontal. And a full skim would not hurt either.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Skim coating the whole sheet is used to even out the texture and sheen between the paper and the mudded (joints, corners, screws) parts, it won't help with ridges and could make the job look worse if you don't know what you're doing. 

My advice is to find a really good drywaller in your area and hire him to fix it. You're going to be screwing around with this job until Christmas if you don't. Again, no offense just trying to save you a lot of aggravation, stress and time. 

Not sure why you hung vertical??? The only reason I can think is because the ceiling was an odd height and would have required 2 horizontal tapered joints.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Walraven said:


> With the critical lighting through that window the board should have been hung horizontal. And a full skim would not hurt either.





Big Johnson said:


> ...
> Not sure why you hung vertical??? The only reason I can think is because the ceiling was an odd height and would have required 2 horizontal tapered joints.


In one pic you can just make out the metal grid for ceiling.

It's commercial.
Metal studs.
Board gets hung vertical.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

SmallTownGuy said:


> In one pic you can just make out the metal grid for ceiling.
> 
> It's commercial.
> Metal studs.
> Board gets hung vertical.


I noticed it was commercial by the slab and Windows, the carpet sealed the deal. Why do metal studs require the drywall to be hung different?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Well you are about to get a self-taught course on dry-wall finishing. 

Glossy commercial paint, light shining on an acute angle, vertical joints, not much margin for error. If it was a dark room painted with flat white you would be cashing the cheque right now. Guy walks in at 3PM when the sun is just streaming in against that wall and those joints stick out like a sore thumb, so he grabs his phone and lights ya up.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Also look at pics and notice no butt joints. Full sheets

so speed.

metal studs - no need for strength.

tradition.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Big Johnson said:


> I noticed it was commercial by the slab and Windows, the carpet sealed the deal. Why do metal studs require the drywall to be hung different?


There are a number of rated wall assemblies using single sheets of drywall on either side of steel studs, some of which require that there are no floating drywall joints. But in this case it was probably to avoid butt joints.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

SmallTownGuy said:


> That would be a total of 24" - 1/2 the width a sheet...


Yeah, it's a mess.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Big Johnson said:


> Skim coating the whole sheet is used to even out the texture and sheen between the paper and the mudded (joints, corners, screws) parts, it won't help with ridges and could make the job look worse if you don't know what you're doing. .


I skim to even all that out in old houses. Lumps, bumps, ridges,... 1/8"-1/4" skim will flatten most wall defects. That's trowel work, for me.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

I would try this: knock it down with a pull scraper with somebody catching dust with the vac (check that it's knocked down to the tapers with a long straight edge), then try again. Just this one time.

Or hang new drywall horizontally. Use a magnet to find the screw heads and remove it gently to minimize dust.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I'd have to go with Big Johnson on this one - get a good finisher in to fix it. Once it's painted, it just more of a PITA to fix, no matter which way you do things.


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## Ernie in Dawson (Jun 16, 2017)

I ain't a drywaller or painter but I've worked a lot of commercial construction and never seen board hung vertically on metal studs. But maybe that's more standard practice where you guys are.
I'm also wondering about the cure time between coats if the weather was humid at the time and also the cure time before the painter put the primer/sealer on because that really looks like a humidity/moisture issue to me. Did you have de-humidifiers/dryers going at the time? I know you guys over by the Great Lakes have monstrous humidity in the summer.
As far as fixing, you experts in this field will know more than me but realistically, is there any other way than to take it down and redo it to actually make it right?
At any rate, that is one helluva mess by the looks of it. Good luck.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Hanging vertical is common in commercial work here.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Inner10 said:


> Well you are about to get a self-taught course on dry-wall finishing.
> 
> Glossy commercial paint, light shining on an acute angle, vertical joints, not much margin for error. If it was a dark room painted with flat white you would be cashing the cheque right now. Guy walks in at 3PM when the sun is just streaming in against that wall and those joints stick out like a sore thumb, so he grabs his phone and lights ya up.


Yep. And we already got paid ;-)


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Ernie in Dawson said:


> I ain't a drywaller or painter but I've worked a lot of commercial construction and never seen board hung vertically on metal studs....
> I'm also wondering about the cure time between coats if the weather was humid at the time and also the cure time before the painter put the primer/sealer on because that really looks like a humidity/moisture issue to me. Did you have de-humidifiers/dryers going at the time? I know you guys over by the Great Lakes have monstrous humidity in the summer.


Thank you, Ernie - yes, we had fans and commercial air movers; no de-humidifier. This area is part of an existing office so A/C was running most of the time. We did not rush spackle drying time; have no idea about the painter. The painter started with primer about 3 days after we finished this room. We do not yet know what products or process the painter used.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Thanks again for all the feedback; criticism we learn from as well.:thumbsup:

Yes, GC required vertical hung boards. 
Yes, for what it's worth, the darker paint color with higher sheen on the soundboard was unexpected.

UPDATE after today's visit:

There is NO lifting, bubbles, puckering nor any cracking at all. 
The soundboard walls are the major issue. 
We inspected with a spotlight and 4' metal straight edge over the seams.

The seams were flush despite the scary picture (and having been schooled here on the 'sloppiness' of our edges, which I don't disagree/will improve), with the exception of a couple of seams, _not all_, with approx. 6-10" area with approx. 1/16 - 1/8" high point, the rest were flush.

So, upon closer inspection, the darkness seen in the picture around the seams is not a ridge shadow but is instead discoloration. The lighter area around the seams are as well, or simply appears lighter due to the very visible shine there.

All of the seams, on the soundboard and most standard sheetrock walls, are shiny.
We also noted in the _existing_ office area, which was also freshly painted, our minor patching can be seen when looking at the wall at an angle because those spots are also 'shiny'.

The client noted that the wall looks perfect when the overhead lights are on and joked about just never turning them off :jester:


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## J.C. (Sep 28, 2009)

I finished drywalling and painting my bathroom a few months ago and had a similar problem with 1 wall with the way the light hit it from the window. I solved it with a coat of plaster weld and a skim coat of joint compound. Only other way that I could think of maybe fixing it is by spraying it with a coat of USG Tuff-Hide and then repainting.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

You can minimize flashing issues (which is what this seems to be by what you say) by using a primer / sealer, or just a regular sealer for the first coat. 

I've never seen a seam flash light on the window side, and dark on the other side. Like I said before, if you hold a 12" knife perpendicular to the wall and you can see light under part of the blade, it isn't flat enough.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

hdavis said:


> You can minimize flashing issues (which is what this seems to be by what you say) by using a primer / sealer, or just a regular sealer for the first coat.
> 
> *I've never seen a seam flash light on the window side, and dark on the other side. Like I said before, if you hold a 12" knife perpendicular to the wall and you can see light under part of the blade, it isn't flat enough.*


yup. I ain't buying it either.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

hdavis said:


> Like I said before, if you hold a 12" knife perpendicular to the wall and you can see light under part of the blade, it isn't flat enough.


Yep, excellent advice and totally understood what you were saying -- we attempted exactly that today while we were there.



hdavis said:


> I've never seen a seam flash light on the window side, and dark on the other side.





SmallTownGuy said:


> yup. I ain't buying it either.


Yeah I expected that response, lol, and do completely respect and acknowledge your experience and skill exceeds my own. 

As advised, at visit today we had a brand new 4' level as well as the knife and halogen spot. And just in case two guys did not correctly hold a perpendicular straight edge over the seam while shining light, checking up and down all of the wall seams, we will diligently re-attempt tomorrow and confirm our findings. It is difficult to get pictures but we'll try. 

Again, we appreciate your input, thank you.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

hdavis said:


> You can minimize flashing issues (which is what this seems to be by what you say) by using a primer / sealer, or just a regular sealer for the first coat.


GC was not yet able to confirm if the painter actually used a sealer. I'm assuming you are saying that with the situation today, we could (or the painter could) apply sealer now before a new topcoat which would even out that coloring, doing so without skim coating first....?


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Seeing as the seams are flat and you appear to need a resolve to this, Gaurdz, Stix or SW Pro Block over the paint, thin a 5 of Plus 3 to pancake batter constancy, roll "batter" on the wall using a 3/8" nap roller, smooth with your brand new 24",(or) 32" and/or 48" Tape Tech finishing knives. 

Tom


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

kodie said:


> GC was not yet able to confirm if the painter actually used a sealer. I'm assuming you are saying that with the situation today, we could (or the painter could) apply sealer now before a new topcoat which would even out that coloring, doing so without skim coating first....?


Not going to work. You could put 10 coats of anything on there and it's still going to show. It might show less but it's still going to show. I'll bet your painter used PVA primer which the GC should know and it should be in the painting contract. In your defense, I'm guessing the contract didn't call for level 5 so you should be able to get away with fixing the sloppy parts and recommending they buy some horizontal blinds (to reflect the light up or down) and repaint the walls flat or flat enamel. Maybe low sheen eggshell if you're good.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

How big is this room?  It wouldn't take much to just do two skim coats and sand. A couple guys could do it pretty quickly.

My concern would be if you are allowed a quick, but not quality fix, it will come back to bite you. You might be fine as far as this job goes, but you might not get called for any more from this GC, no matter how many times he says it's fine.

Vertical seams and that window are a recipe for disaster unless you know exactly what you are doing. Those joints are pulled way to narrow for vertical, as you now know.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

If everything the OP states about the seams is correct and the contract did not call for a skim/L5 finish this is no longer his problem. 

The painter knew or should have known what the top coat would be. It was up to the painter to be certain that the top coat would be correct. A spray Coat of Tuff-Hide or Level coat would have solved the issues show. From the sound of things the painter did not get the patch work correct either. There is no reason a patch/repair should ever be visible once all the steps have been completed. 

Tom


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I feel like the purple XP boards have manufacturing defects with the factory tapers the tapers seem shallow and buldge before the flat.
Then your typical 10" finish coat feels fine but you feel like you have to sand the paper of the board to.lose the edge. Even then it still flashes.
That's my experience and you won't realize very often unless that light is shining on it from the side.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

Mt first thought when I saw those seams was:

What happened? The painter used semigloss right over bare boards?


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Looks like you piled to much mud on. You need to light up your walls when sanding. You would have seen that. Like Small Town said, float it out. 

And, always ask what sheen the customer/contractor is going to use. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't see bubbling, I see incorrect mudding and sanding follwed by incorrect primer.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

hdavis said:


> I've never seen a seam flash light on the window side, and dark on the other side. Like I said before, if you hold a 12" knife perpendicular to the wall and you can see light under part of the blade, it isn't flat enough.





SmallTownGuy said:


> yup. I ain't buying it either.


UPDATE: 2nd Visit - After this 2nd more thorough inspection, *it is as you previously stated*, most of the soundboard seams in the lrg conf rm, and some in the small conf rm, *are not flush*. The big halogen was throwing too much light so I used different lighting method plus blocked the windows, and the uneven-ness is perfectly clear. I retract my previous update where I stated the majority of the soundbrd seams seemed flush as clearly most are not. I apologize for not getting my info straight when posting earlier. (Lrg & Sm conf rm soundbrd wall pics attached)


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

No offense intended, but you list your trade as "drywall". Based upon what's come to light in this thread (so to speak), you are most certainly not a professional drywaller. A pro would have known immediately what the problem was.

Are you a beginner (no shame in that), or what?


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

On the reg. sheet rocked walls, there are some uneven areas as well but does not appear to be as extensive as the soundbrd walls. 

For the record, we never claimed or implied we were L5 finishers ever, and it was never asked of us. We don't inflate our skills to get a job -- but it does seem we unintentionally got in over our heads. Seeing the results of our work after painting is embarrassing and certainly not to the standards I expect of myself to provide our clients. At this point, we can only chalk this one up as a learning experience. I'm just trying to figure out how expensive it's going to be. :sad:

Got a text from the head GC's sub we are a sub for --wants us 'busting out the seams' on those soundbrds asap. I'm totally with ya'll that _*we are not *_the crew to do it and I don't want to touch it in anyway/shape/form and he needs top notch L5 for those walls. The other random wall areas, although I wish they were cleaner, have not been raised as an issue yet.

Straight up, this job was 45 boards incl the 2 soundbrd walls. Hanging & finishing the 2 conf rm walls inside & out. They never indicated _any_ level finishing. $2500. We've been paid.

Once again we are very appreciative of all the feedback we've received here, thank you :thumbsup:


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

kodie said:


> ....
> Straight up, this job was 45 boards incl the 2 soundbrd walls. Hanging & finishing the 2 conf rm walls inside & out. They never indicated _any_ level finishing. $2500. We've been paid.


Oh, really? No spec on the finish?

I laugh and walk away with a "see ya around chump".

I got a standard spec for residential new builds. It reads "No visible flaw withing 6 feet of any finished surface under normal, interior lighting conditions."

That means no shiner lights, no early morning or late evening bounce lighting coming from outside.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Tinstaafl said:


> No offense intended, but you list your trade as "drywall". Based upon what's come to light in this thread (so to speak), you are most certainly not a professional drywaller. A pro would have known immediately what the problem was.
> 
> Are you a beginner (no shame in that), or what?


I appreciate you calling that out. I apologize, it was not my intention to mislead, I rushed through the sign up with the drywall job on my mind -- I will adjust that asap. I am the rookie of my team. My personal exp. is in rehabbing residential investment properties since 2006. My partner is not a beg., tho there's been a gap betw his past commercial jobs and our recent work which has been residential. The other dudes are local contractors we regularly partner with. We're a small crew, small jobs with no aspirations to go bigger. We originally didn't think it would be much of a stretch to handle this, although the scope did creep - clearly we were wrong and we're just trying to figure it out now. We should have stuck with just the hanging and not finishing. :wallbash: FYI - We'll be sticking to our residential jobs from now on


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## FrankSmith (Feb 21, 2013)

tjbnwi said:


> If everything the OP states about the seams is correct and the contract did not call for a skim/L5 finish this is no longer his problem.
> 
> The painter knew or should have known what the top coat would be. It was up to the painter to be certain that the top coat would be correct. A spray Coat of Tuff-Hide or Level coat would have solved the issues show. From the sound of things the painter did not get the patch work correct either. There is no reason a patch/repair should ever be visible once all the steps have been completed.
> 
> Tom


I don't really agree with that. There is a grey area of responsibility between the painter and drywall finisher. This is outside of that area. If the painter is expected to spot and repair this they might as well be getting paid to tape the job. The GC called them to paint not finish the drywall.


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

kodie said:


> But FYI - We'll be sticking to residential from now on :wallbash:


Great even more 'Quality' Drywallwers in residential. <Sarcasm Inteneded>

LOL, Many Commercial GC's I've worked for would have made you dance, with a dunce cap on, to get it right or Run you off. 

:jester: A few of the PMs, get thier rocks off on making idiots look like the fools they really are. You'd likely be a pet project. 

Good luck and you might wanna use the knife trick to check the joints all the time while taping and figure out how to do a better job.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Yeah, looks like dick. But that same knife you used in the pic would also make short work of making the job look right with some all-purpose mud.

Pulled tight, stop the slopping around, and you could use a damp sponge to feather whats left with minimal sanding.

whatever...


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

kodie said:


> I appreciate you calling that out. I apologize, it was not my intention to mislead, I rushed through the sign up with the drywall job on my mind -- I will adjust that asap. I am the rookie of my team. My personal exp. is in rehabbing residential investment properties since 2006. My partner is not a beg., tho there's been a gap betw his past commercial jobs and our recent work which has been residential. The other dudes are local contractors we regularly partner with. We're a small crew, small jobs with no aspirations to go bigger. We originally didn't think it would be much of a stretch to handle this, although the scope did creep - clearly we were wrong and we're just trying to figure it out now. We should have stuck with just the hanging and not finishing. :wallbash: FYI - We'll be sticking to our residential jobs from now on


Get your ass back there and feather out that **** if you ever want more work from that GC in the future. Don't pass the buck and walk away.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

kodie said:


> We should have stuck with just the hanging and not finishing. :wallbash: FYI - We'll be sticking to our residential jobs from now on


You're going to have to learn this sometime, or pick up a really good finisher. I do a ton of this (class 5 or close to it) in residential. One way to get flat seams without the high skill level is make sure the tape in bedded down in well, then hump up over the seam with compound. Sand down with orbital sander, just don't mess up the paper on the board. 

If the tapers are ridged, you have to go much wider to get a flatish seam, or you'll be sanding the paper off of the ridge.

Use your knife, now that you've learned how. Check the boards you get and see if the tapers are ridged. Check the taped seams on each coat as you go (or at least after the "final"), fixing things after paint is the worst time to be doing it.

No matter what you decide to do here, good luck!


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

SmallTownGuy said:


> Yeah, looks like dick. But that same knife you used in the pic would also make short work of making the job look right with some all-purpose mud.
> 
> Pulled tight, stop the slopping around, and you could use a damp sponge to feather whats left with minimal sanding.
> 
> whatever...


That's three passes (one coat), one down each side, and one down the middle.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Texas Wax said:


> Good luck and you might wanna use the knife trick to check the joints all the time while taping and figure out how to do a better job.


X2 - that how I really learned how to get it right.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Inner10 said:


> Get your ass back there and feather out that **** if you ever want more work from that GC in the future. Don't pass the buck and walk away.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


Dude, sorry, did my post imply that? Even though we have no desire to work with this GC in the future, we're not attempting to 'pass the buck and walk away', just figure out the best course of action now. Believe it or not, we actually want the client to have good looking results. If our work is currently of such poor quality, then it stands to reason it would be in the client's best interest to bring in someone more highly skilled - which in the end could be the most logical, time and cost effective solution.


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## gbruzze1 (Dec 17, 2008)

kodie said:


> Dude, sorry, did my post imply that? Even though we have no desire to work with this GC in the future, we're not attempting to 'pass the buck and walk away', just figure out the best course of action now. Believe it or not, we actually want the client to have good looking results. If our work is currently of such poor quality, then it stands to reason it would be in the client's best interest to bring in someone more highly skilled - which in the end could be the most logical, time and cost effective solution.




It's all cost effective to him. You're paying for it. 


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

kodie said:


> On the reg. sheet rocked walls, there are some uneven areas as well but does not appear to be as extensive as the soundbrd walls.
> 
> For the record, we never claimed or implied we were L5 finishers ever, and it was never asked of us. We don't inflate our skills to get a job -- but it does seem we unintentionally got in over our heads. Seeing the results of our work after painting is embarrassing and certainly not to the standards I expect of myself to provide our clients. At this point, we can only chalk this one up as a learning experience. I'm just trying to figure out how expensive it's going to be. :sad:
> 
> ...


Was that 2500 labor or 2500 labor and materials? Did you supply the board? Sounds pretty much going rate.

All the finishing except that one soundboard wall looks pretty par for the course. 

Just feather out that one wall and repaint it. 3 days, 4 hours a day. Oh well.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Metro M & L said:


> Was that 2500 labor or 2500 labor and materials? Did you supply the board? Sounds pretty much going rate.


Thank you. GC supplied the boards, tear away bead and insulation. We supplied all other materials, hung, added the insulation, and finish (such as it is). Also hung & finished ~2 ft 'angled' walls in hall & kitchen areas, and repaired/patched the existing outside walls in both conf rms & one wall in the outer offc. space all along the bottom 6-8" of the walls.


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## Gumshoe (Dec 24, 2016)

Kodie, I commend you for being forthright with this drywall situation. A lot, I mean a lot of guys would have skipped town and never looked back. Hey, we've all been there. Took on a job a little out of our skill range, got in over our heads........it happens. I know as a painter, I have taken on drywall jobs that were out of my skill range. Heck, I've taken on commercial paint projects that really weren't meant to be done by a one-man operation. Again, I commend you for "owning it" and for working out a solution with the GC and the client.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

You're spending too much time looking for opinions on here.

Just go back and feather those joints.

Take your time when you are doing it.

When I was learning how to tape it was drummed into my head...

You can always add and build up easier than try and take down.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

I'm sorry, but I can't get those pictures out of my mind................


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

Gumshoe said:


> Kodie, I commend you for being forthright with this drywall situation. A lot, I mean a lot of guys would have skipped town and never looked back. ... Again, I commend you for "owning it" and for working out a solution with the GC and the client.


Thank you. I tried to be brutally honest here, knowing full well I'd get my ass handed to me. And yeah, I've been told that too - even the GC seemed to expect we would walk away. That's not how I do things.


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## kodie (Aug 2, 2017)

TimNJ said:


> You're spending too much time looking for opinions on here.
> Just go back and feather those joints.
> Take your time when you are doing it.
> When I was learning how to tape it was drummed into my head...
> You can always add and build up easier than try and take down.


I hope you don't think I've been sitting in front of this computer doing nothing. :no: Out of courtesy and appreciation for others taking their time to post here, I've continued to respond. I've been in regular contact with the GC discussing options and they are considering which way they want to go. Thank you for your suggestion as well - that is one option - and yes, we'll be doing things very differently going forward.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Good job, stick around. 


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