Old timer told me to stop sanding so much and I laughed at him

Met this guy Gary on a job last month, been doing drywall since the 80s. He watched me sand a joint for like 5 minutes and said "you're making dust not money, kid." I thought he was just being a grumpy old dude. Then I tried his method - less sanding, more careful taping and mudding. Saved me 20 minutes per room and the finish came out smoother. Feel like an idiot for ignoring him the first week. Anyone else have a stubborn moment like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael_green441mo ago

Buddy of mine spent two days sanding a ceiling before his dad came over and flattened it in ten minutes with a wet sponge. He still brings it up at cookouts.

karencampbell1mo ago

That kind of thing happens all the time with drywall work. A lot of folks think sanding is the only way to fix a rough ceiling, but a wet sponge can save you hours of dust and effort. Your buddy's dad must have done his fair share of ceilings to know that trick so quick. At least the story makes for a good laugh at the cookout.

aaronsullivan1mo ago

Lol no joke, my old man did the exact same thing on my first drywall job.