Drywall finishing is an art. It can take years to master the perfect finish, especially without your own Mr. Miyagi to mentor you along the way. Luckily, the industry has a strong online community dedicated to helping each other improve their craft and grow their business. We spoke with a few industry experts to get some insight on their best advice and favorite products.
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| Lydia Crowder is a second-generation drywall finisher with more than 18 years of experience. She is known as Drywall Shorty on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. | Scott Montgomery has been sharing drywall finishing advice, tutorials, and product reviews online for more than 12 years. Follow him on Instagram and TikTok at @drywallbydesign. | Jeff Patterson is a general contractor with over 18 years of home improvement experience. Find him on Instagram at @homerepairtutor or online at homerepairtutor.com. | Paul Peck has been a drywall and painting contractor for more than 25 years. Follow him on Instagram @peckdrywallpainting or find him on Facebook and YouTube. |
Finish quality, completing a job on time, good client communication—these are all things that can earn you good reviews and help build your drywall finishing business. But according to Scott, there’s one often-overlooked thing that can really set you apart from everyone else: Cleanliness.
“Make cleanliness your top priority,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good a job you do if someone else has to clean up after you, especially on residential renovations and repairs.”
Not only will a clean jobsite impress your clients, it can also improve the overall quality of your work. “Keeping tools and mud pans clean helps tremendously with smooth coats,” Jeff said.
Aside from clean tools, the right tools make a difference in getting a good finish, too.
“I prefer using stainless steel joint knives,” Jeff said. “While more expensive than most box-store knives, they won't rust and will provide an excellent finish when used properly.”
When it comes to the compound, Paul stresses that “less is best.”
“Always use the least amount of joint compound that you need when drywall finishing or doing drywall repairs,” he said. “This will result in less sanding and you will get a better finish in less time.”
Between coats, Paul suggests scraping away any high edges or ridges with a 6-inch drywall knife instead of sanding.
“That way, you are not trying to apply another coat of joint compound over a dusty surface, which can lead to bad adhesion of the joint compound,” he explained.
Sanding after the final coat remains vital. In fact, Lydia suggests taking your time here to get the best finish.
“For that perfect finish, don’t underestimate the power of a little extra sanding! Taking the time to lightly run a sanding sponge along your angles can make them sharp and clean, giving your work that crisp, professional look,” she said. “Drywall is a major part of the overall finish of a home, and putting in that extra effort to perfect the details can really set you apart from other finishers.”
Jeff, whose work is primarily in bathroom remodels, likes to use a setting-type compound for his first coat—something like USG Easy Sand 45, which cures quickly even in high humidity—then finish with a lightweight compound, like USG Plus 3. Lydia also swears by Plus 3 for her coat work.
“It's my go-to product because it gives me a buttery smooth finish every time,” Lydia said. “Whether I’m working on a first, second, or final coat, Plus 3 always provides that perfect texture, making the sanding process much easier and the overall finish that much better.”
When it comes to cornerbeads, the experts opt for something versatile and flexible.
“As my work is mostly repairs and renovations, carrying around multiple styles and lengths of corner bead isn’t very efficient,” Scott said. “I like to have a roll of Strait-Flex® Mid-Flex or Wide-Flex, as they can be cut to length and can be used on outside and inside corners of almost any angle.”
Lydia echoed the love for Mid-Flex.
“I absolutely love Strait-Flex Mid-Flex—the paper lays down so flat, it makes for a much faster finish with less coating required,” she said. “It really helps streamline the process and reduces the amount of work needed to get a smooth, clean result.”
From the same line of products, Jeff likes Strait-Flex Original for inside corners.
“It provides a more rigid installation versus paper tape at ceiling-to-wall connections, and the installation is stronger as well. It's also a great option if there are gaps between drywall panels,” he said. “I also use Crack-Tape for drywall repairs. It's especially helpful on exterior walls or walls with doors where movement can be problematic.”
Strait-Flex Original also works great for outside corners, which is Paul’s preference; for inside corners, he opts for Strait-Flex Perfect-90º.
“It’s my go-to for inside 90° angles and off angles,” he said. “If you want a nice, crisp inside corner, then this product is for you!”
Paul also keeps his arsenal equipped with Perma-Patch for repairing holes and miscuts around can lights and electrical boxes, Paper-Faced Corner Bead for new drywall projects, and Uno-Bead 222 for repairs to metal outside corner beads on remodels and water-damaged drywall projects.
The right tools and know-how can certainly make any drywall job easier. Still, mastering the art of finishing still takes time and practice.
“My biggest advice for beginners is to be patient,” Jeff said. “Mistakes will happen, but that's okay. And normally they can be fixed easily.”
“We're working with imperfect surfaces, wet compounds, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned,” Lydia added. “The beauty of drywall work is that you can always come back to it—touch things up, add another coat, or float areas out as needed. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get everything perfect right away or to avoid mistakes. It’s all part of the process.”
For more advice, demonstrations, and product reviews, join the growing community of drywall finishers online. Follow folks like Scott, Jeff, and Paul to start, as well as manufacturers like @ClarkDietrich on Instagram to stay up to date on new products and industry voices.