Vent: My journeyman in Tacoma always said to skim coat with a 12-inch knife, no exceptions.

I tried a 14-inch on a big ceiling job last week because my shoulder was killing me, and honestly, it went way smoother with fewer lines. Now I'm wondering if that old rule was just his personal preference. What's the biggest knife you guys regularly use for skimming?

4 comments

4 Comments

susan811mo ago

Guess his shoulder wasn't the one hurting, lol.

oliviatorres1mo ago

It's funny how often that happens... people make a big deal about some small problem to hide a bigger one they're embarrassed about. My neighbor did the same thing with a leaky faucet when his whole basement was flooded. Just seems like a weird human thing to avoid looking foolish. We'd all save a lot of time if we just admitted the real issue first.

noahgreen1mo ago

Seriously, the bigger the knife the better for ceilings.

thomasgonzalez2d ago

Wait, @noahgreen, are you saying you just walk around the house with a machete looking at the popcorn ceilings like "yeah, this corner's gotta go"? That's a pretty bold strategy, I gotta admit. You'd definitely get the job done fast, but you might also take out a light fixture or two in the process. I tried using a big putty knife once and still ended up with more dust in my eyes than on the floor. But hey, if it works for you, go for it. Just maybe warn anyone standing below first.