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Watching a crew in Phoenix use a 14-inch knife for the whole ceiling changed my mind on tool switching.
Now I'm split between sticking with my 6 and 12-inch knives for control or just grabbing the big one to save time on the second coat, so what's your take on single-knife finishing for flats?
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ruby6599d ago
Mary, I gotta push back on that "wavy ceiling" thing. I've been using a 14 for everything on flats for about two years now, and the key is keeping a lighter touch on the final passes. The problem isn't the knife it's the pressure. You're right that a 14 can float over ridges if you're leaning on it like a 6, but that's just bad technique. If you hold it at a shallower angle and spread the mud thin, you actually cut down on the ridges because you aren't creating them in the first place. A 6 for the final skim makes sense if your first coat is heavy, but with a big knife you can lay down a thinner layer that needs way less cleanup. It's not about mastery of one tool, it's about matching the tool to the coat.
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marybutler2mo ago
That "single-knife finishing" idea sounds like a fast track to a wavy ceiling. A 14-inch knife is great for the first coat to spread mud fast, but trying to finish with it? You'll never get the pressure even. I use a 12 to lay it down, then a 6 for the final tight skim. The big knife just floats over imperfections instead of cutting them out.
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julia_carter612mo ago
Totally agree about the big knife just floating over problems. I tried finishing with a 14 once and had to go back with a 6 to fix all the ridges.
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