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Just realized I was overdriving drywall screws for no good reason

I used to think sinking screws deep made the hold stronger, but it often tears the paper. A buddy pointed out that stopping just under the surface keeps the board intact. Now I get a flat finish with less mud and way less sanding. It's a small change that made my jobs go faster and look cleaner.
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4 Comments
riley_flores
Ugh, my friend Tom did that for years. He kept cracking the drywall paper and couldn't figure out why his patches always looked bad. He finally watched a pro do it and had the same lightbulb moment.
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davis.noah
davis.noah1mo ago
Watch guys sink screws like they're drilling for oil. You end up with shredded paper and a mud job thicker than pancake batter. I saw a patch once that needed its own zip code. Just kiss the surface and call it a day, right? Why do we make simple jobs so hard? Now we can all stop pretending extra depth equals skill.
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pat_barnes
pat_barnes1mo ago
Man, I did the exact same thing for way too long. I mean, I'd just crank those screws down until the head basically disappeared, thinking it was tighter. Then I'd have to float this huge area with mud to cover the crater. Idk why it takes us so long to learn the easy way.
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betty_kelly9
betty_kelly915d agoTop Commenter
Just set the clutch on your driver, saves the paper.
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