An old timer in Toledo showed me a better way to handle inside corners

Back when I started, I was pretty proud of my inside corner work (you know, using the paper tape and a single coat of mud). This guy I was helping on a big job in Toledo watched me for a minute and just said, 'Kid, you're leaving a weak spot. That joint's gonna crack in a year.' He was right. I switched to using a thin coat of mud under the tape first, then my normal coats on top. It adds maybe 10 minutes per room but the corners hold up so much better. Anyone else have a small change that made a big difference in how long your work lasts?

3 comments

3 Comments

irisowens1mo agoMost Upvoted

@smith.nancy nailed it - that boring step is the only thing between a solid corner and a call back.

smith.nancy1mo ago

Funny how the little extra steps are what make things last. It's like seasoning a cast iron pan right after washing it, or putting a clear coat on a wood table. That thin coat of mud is the clear coat. You skip it, and the first real change in weather (or house settling) finds the weak spot. Most good work seems to have that one boring, easy-to-skip step that's actually the whole secret.

cameronp471mo ago

Yeah, and it's wild how that boring step is usually about patience, not skill. Like @smith.nancy said, it's the thin coat of mud, the extra minute of drying time... you're just fighting the urge to call it "good enough" and move on. The real cost of skipping it isn't the materials, it's all the time you lose later fixing the cracks. Makes you wonder how many problems in general are just from rushing past that last quiet, boring bit.