How to Finish Drywall with Joint Compound

Hanging drywall really doesn’t require a lot of skill. Basically if you keep the joints tight, you’ve done a good job. The main problem with hanging drywall is that’s its cumbersome and very heavy, so having a helper or two is critical. Many people who decide to do home improvement themselves often hang their own sheetrock and sub contract the drywall finishing to a professional. It’s something that really not that necessary if you have a little skill and a sense of adventure.

You should start in a room that inconspicuous first, like a closet or pantry. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be finishing drywall like a pro. A few of the tools you’ll need are several sized spackle knifes for mixing joint compound and small areas. You will also need a large drywall knife. This is also known as a broad knife. It’s used primarily for taping the seams. It usually cost no more than $10 at any hardware store. You can also buy a corner knife, or butterfly knife. It’s not necessary but it comes in handy for those hard to reach corners. If you don’t have a real steady hand, buy one, it’s defiantly worth the extra money. The other tool you definitely need is a joint compound pan or tray. This is a small plastic rectangle that the joint compound is held in while you work. It has a metal edge on one side for scraping the knife clean.

To begin, start by filling your joint compound pan. If the joint compound is old or slightly stiff, you can mix a small amount of water in the pan to make it a little more malleable. Use a small knife to mix the joint compound. After you’ve got some joint compound ready, use a small knife to apply to the seam on the drywall. Don’t over do it, but at the same time don’t under use the joint compound. You should have a roughly 1/16 inch thick layer of joint compound in the seam. Do one four foot section at a time, then apply the tape. Tear a length just over four feet long. Drywall joint tape has a crease down the center to fit into the seam. Place the tape dimple side into the seam and gently stick on with your fingers. Use the large drywall knife to smooth the tape down over the seam and squeeze out any excess joint compound. Apply a thin layer of joint compound over the tape. Continue in this fashion until all the seams are taped.

Once the joint compound has dried for 24 hours or more, you will need to sand the edges down. You can purchase a sanding pole for less than $20 at any hardware store. I strongly recommend one of these if you’re finishing any large area of drywall. Sand down any bumps or edges that stick out. Sand along the seams of the entire area of joint compound you placed earlier. Don’t sand it down to the paper. Sand it just enough to knock down any edges. Once sanded, mix more joint compound into the tray and add water. Make it a little wetter than the first time. This will ensure that the joint compound fills any voids or pits that may have been left the first time. Let dry for 24 hours and sand again. You may need to use more joint compound to fill in any small voids you may have left over.

With a little skill and some practice, anyone with the mindset can finish joint compound just like a pro.