Drywall Finishing: How to Finish Your Drywall

Load some joint compound into a mud pan using a 6-inch drywall knife. Start filling the screw or nail dimples with a sweeping motion. Scrape the mud off so the dimple around the screw is filled flush to the surface. Closely spaced dimples can be filled or scraped in one motion.

Use fiberglass mesh tape on joints where two tapered edges come together. This self-adhesive mesh costs a little more than paper tape, but it is easier to use and it prevents air bubbles. Start at one end and stick the tape in place evenly across the joint along its length.

Cover the tape with a coat of joint compound applied with a 6-inch drywall knife. Scrape off the mud so the mesh pattern is revealed. Resist the temptation to apply a thick coat -- thick applications are hard to keep flat and they crack as they dry.

There is no need to sand between the first and second coats. Just scrape away the ridges and blobs with your knife after each coat has dried for 24 hours.

Apply the second coat with a 10-inch knife. After the coat dries, scrape the high spots and apply the third coat with a 12-inch knife. Feather out the edges of the mud as thinly and smoothly as possible.

After you apply the final coat of mud and it dries, the final step is to smooth the surface. You have two choices: sponging or sanding. Each method has its advantage. Sponging avoids creating dust, but sanding does a better job of making the joint flat.

To sponge, you'll need a bucket of water and a big sponge. Even better is a sponge made especially for smoothing drywall; it has a coarse mesh on one side that removes excess mud and a plain sponge on the opposite side for refining the surface. Wet the sponge and scrub the wall surface. Rinse the sponge frequently to get rid of the mud that builds up on its surface.

For an especially smooth, flat joint, you can't beat hand-sanding. This method creates lots of dust, but the results are worth it. Be sure to seal off your work area with plastic sheeting and wear a mask to avoid breathing the dust. You might be tempted to use a power sander, but don't. Power sanders fray drywall paper and blast large amounts of dust into the air.

For small jobs, a sanding block with regular sandpaper works well. For larger jobs, invest in a sanding screen (a screen mesh impregnated with abrasive) and a holder. Some holders attach to a shop-vacuum hose, which helps contain dust during sanding.