Unpopular opinion: I chose a 6-inch taping knife over a 10-inch for a cathedral ceiling job last month.

I thought the smaller blade would give me more control on the angles, but honestly, it just took twice as long and my shoulder is still killing me, so has anyone found a better tool for high, sloped seams?

4 comments

4 Comments

nancyjones3mo ago

Wow, a drywaller I know swears by a flexible 12-inch knife for ceilings.

willowg881mo ago

Gotta push back on that, Nancy. A 12 inch knife for ceilings is the way to go if you want smooth, consistent joints on those long seams. @felix414 is probably joking about the butter knife but honestly a tiny blade on a ceiling is just asking for messy lines and arm fatigue. The flex helps you apply even pressure without digging in too deep. I've tried using my standard 6 inch up there and ended up with more touch ups than I wanted. Plus once you get the hang of a wider knife you can finish whole sections way faster than swapping tools all the time.

the_susan3mo agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, a whole knife just for ceilings? Seems like overkill to me. I've used the same 6 inch for everything and it works fine. People get way too into specific tools sometimes.

felix4143mo ago

Guess he's never tried taping with a butter knife.