My uncle told me to use a 12-inch knife for taping and I finally get it now

For years I was using a 6-inch taping knife for everything, thinking the smaller size gave me more control. My uncle, who's been hanging board since the 80s, kept telling me to switch to a 12-inch for the second coat. I finally listened on a big ceiling job in a Phoenix condo last week. I mean, I was skeptical, but the way it flattens the mud and bridges small imperfections is just different. It cut my sanding time down by at least an hour on that one room. I still use the smaller knife for tight corners, but he was totally right about the big one for the main field. Has anyone else had a tool tip from an old-timer that seemed weird but actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

robertlane24d ago

My old boss in Tampa made me use a 14-inch knife for final coats on walls. I thought it was overkill for a beginner, but you're right, it just floats everything flat. It feels clumsy at first, but you learn to trust the tool. That single tip probably saved me more time sanding than anything else I learned that year. The bigger blade forces you to get the mud right before it ever dries.

wren63824d ago

Used to think big knives were dumb until I saw how flat they leave the mud.

the_linda24d ago

Yeah, that clumsy feeling at first is so real.