How to DESTROY YOUR SKIM COAT with TOUCH UPS!!!😭

For the love of smooth walls please stop doing this!!!!!

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Here is a link to some great sandpaper!

[TRCFL]

I taught myself to drywall via books, YouTube videos, and a ton of practice, mistakes, and swearing. Done many walls and ceilings over the years for various home projects. I’m quite good at it to be honest and the final result always passes my OCD final inspection. The topic you covered in this video has always frustrated me. Beautiful skim coat ruined by touch up ridges remediated by additional skim coats until perfection. Over the years, I have asked this question via many forums and nobody understood the problem correctly. Watched this video and it was like finding the answer to one of the last and most frustrating questions I have related to DIY drywall. Can’t wait to experiment for myself when another project pops up. Thank you so much. A simple concept, perhaps obvious in hindsight…but solves one of my last drywall frustrations.

[tvsma-eh]

Youve saved me thousands over the past years and though I rarely do any drywall work any more I still find myself watching your channel. Love the great instruction and sense of humor!

[jschlaud]

Cant tell you how long it took me as a handyman to figure this out but spot on. These days ill get things to "pretty close" status and then seal in my progress with primer. Makes it easier to spot areas that need touch ups and prevents the endless sanding and recoating battle.

[rlyman]

I am 82 and learning to do drywall skim coating and some repair on an 70 year old house. lived in it 40 years and remodeled parts of it 3 times. Lovely home and time to do some updates in drywall repair and painting. You are as compulsive as my wife and I have learned the value of taking my time. I am happy with the first repair of drywall in a lath/plaster wall.(Old wall furnace with bottom intake/top outlet that was turned into a hallway closet. Furniture covered the intake which was never removed. It is now.) Interesting experience. After what you said about your garage wall distracting you, I can understand having done your best. Your wall looks great. Trust mine will too. Let you know when finished.

[michaelmaimone]

Hey Ben I’m 38 years old and been taping since I was 15 honestly I’ve seen it all but since I found your channel 3 months ago you definitely dined tuned my skills just by watching yours thanks bud love the content

[FrancoDFernando]

Commenting after you read his email. I've definitely encountered that issue when I first started drywalling. Through trial and error, I came up with the best solution that works for me and my limited skill.
If I need to fill in a small divot, hole, or thin line I typically just put the mud on without trying to level it. This prevents any risk of really compressing the mud and forming those different layers. Once it dries, I just sand it lightly without pressure, letting the sanding sponge do the work. That's been working for me

[Vaedan]

I'm going to test this later today. I've been busy touching up my house for days now and just keep going to the same spots. I was definitely pushing the mud too hard when scraping it away. This is the clearest and best video i've seen about touching up a wall properly. I hope it works and can't thank you enough. You made my day! I wish you the best in life.

[Bluelude]

Really like that you go into detail on some of these topics.

There are a ton of "good enough" drywall videos out there, but limited examples of how to take things that next step up in quality of finish.

[RD-slyl]

“I’m actually having a hard time screwing this up”. I can help you with that if you like. I can do that really really easily.

[shawnhall]

Your the best drywall teacher I've ever seen. Thanks dude.

[ds]

Helpful video. I hired a drywaller years ago and they said it was good to go for painting. After I painted I found many such ridges. Now the ridges are under dried paint. And it's been 10 years this August and didn't think I could fix it. As I move to work on the guest bathroom I'll be doing my own drywalling (encouraged by your channel). And plan to rent the fancy wall sander ($63/day) at my local tool renter. Thanks for encouragement and tips.

[JJinKYever]

I'm so grateful for your sharing of knowledge! This information that you just shared (a year ago) is something that has bugged me for a few years now. I tried to research the issue but never found the answer. I have watched and learned a lot from you, and I greatly appreciate your time!!

[stevegipson]

Thanks a million for these videos. I’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with you guys but never actually touched the stuff. You’re a good teacher and doubt I could do my walls without your help!

[sergeyb]

Yep. Do touch-ups after a nice coat of primer (which solidifies the surface). Works like a charm

[garychandler]

The very problem I just had on a huge living room ceiling! Plumber patches, large holes, unsteady trusses on 2' centers. Many cracks in all townhouses. I need to watch even more of your videos! So much to know!

[vincenzodavey]

Great video. I am general contractor and self taught at drywall. Couple years ago struggled on a job with soft and hard joint compounds when sanding. Used hot mud first coat then a different compound on top. Top sanded easy leaving a hard coat with ridge’s all over, a bloody nightmare, Never again
On a recent job installed 70 sheets of drywall, used the same compound first and second coat and here and there the odd contour. Same compound yet hard to sand down the contours. And the contours have a slightly different color. After much analyzing, dilution. I don’t thin the mud much at all, yet the next day may add a little water to remix a previously mixed bucket. Thanks Ben now I am also aware of mud compression.

[berkleyman]

Best pole sander I've found is: circle brand express sander and using the foam backed sandpaper. What a dream compared to the old mesh sanding that scratched the hell out of the wall. This pole sander doesn't and has never ever flipped over when sanding in any direction. Leave it to the Canadians to make a great product. Compressing the mud was a great tip for me. Keep up the great videos.

[hmzbqng]

This is a problem that has vexed me for so many years on so many projects. Thank you for the comprehensive video and the excellent descriptions.

[gladehanson]

as a long time mud guy all i do to prevent this problem is....any place you want to touch up just wet the spot down with a damp sponge greater an area than you fresh mud and it will all blend when sanded in with a smoth transition no ridges

[philipcatuogno]

Wow! You are a true master of your craft. I forgot during the video that it is YOUR GARAGE! About to drywall an entire rent-house and will review every one of your videos before I begin. Thank you for making other lives easier. Take care.