# Be honest, do you really do three coats on everything?



## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

After going thourgh thousands of seam/corners mudding... I am going to do painting tomorrow....

I have a question in mind.... Do professional or most people really do 3 coats? I myself, do 3 coats on most of the stuff, but some of them I know are only 2 coats.... why? one, for those 2 coats stuff, they are normally hard to reach places or not so obvious places ... or some of them looks pretty good already after 2 coats... and some even hard to tell where it is only 2 coats or already 3 coats... so after so many stuff... I just coat all obvious places 3 coats, and leave some 2 coats in odd places or I am not sure places....


Is this somthing like that in contractor world also?.... just curious... I have to admit, I myself is not a "perfect seeking" person...


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

KUIPORNG said:


> After going thourgh thousands of seam/corners mudding... I am going to do painting tomorrow....
> 
> I have a question in mind.... Do professional or most people really do 3 coats? I myself, do 3 coats on most of the stuff, but some of them I know are only 2 coats.... why? one, for those 2 coats stuff, they are normally hard to reach places or not so obvious places ... or some of them looks pretty good already after 2 coats... and some even hard to tell where it is only 2 coats or already 3 coats... so after so many stuff... I just coat all obvious places 3 coats, and leave some 2 coats in odd places or I am not sure places....
> 
> ...


 
K,

*We absolutely, positively, always do a minimum of 3 coats.* 

Sometimes on difficult patches (closing off a doorway, etc...) we may do a 4th or even a 5th to make the seams blend in properly.
Example:


























When we are done with the final coats and sand a wall, it looks like this:


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

The pictures you show are those I call obvious places... What I call unobvious is those soffet corners or window corners, especially inside corners.... which is a pain to coat... for seams, third coat is particular easy to apply with a straight head wipe through.... but for inside corner, it is a pain... and there are so many of them.... 



anyhow... up to now... unlike what the book's author said: "Mudding is the most enjoyable part, a break from hanging drywall"... my feeling is "Mudding is the most painful part, can make you have bad dreams for the rest of your life"....


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

*kuiporng*

You have a great sense of humour. :laughing: 

For me, right now, hanging drywall seems to be a big pain in the  .


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

Yep, been there. I have done plenty as a DIYer. We all chatted here about DIY drywall and hiring it out. I have done it sucessfully in the past but decided to hire out my basement recently. The pros did 3 coats in all areas. One seam I wish they had done a 4th to taper out further. Paint is up now and I think I am going to do that 4th coat over the paint and re-paint that section. I will be busy this weekend. Carpet is coming on Monday AM!!!! YEA. I want to be completely finished, all paint and punch list items done, before the carpet arrives. I'll post some pictures after the carpet goes in.


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

Just a bit curious... I also did painting last weekend... but if you hired pro did your basement, you should have done painting, may be a month ago or so.... consider I am also only a weekend warrier...


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

Yea, I only hired out the drywall. Everything else I did myself. I finished painting touch ups and a few other things this past weekend. I am also having the carpet professionally installed. They should be here any minute.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

*brik and kuiporng*

I have 2 guys that are willing to hang the drywall for me for free (retired contractor, friend of the family) (because I think they feel sorry for me.)

But I said, after I have put in all this time and work doing all the hard work ie. framing, etc, myself, there is no way in  that someone else is going to take the credit for finishing my basement. :laughing: 

So, here I am six months later, still not finished framing. :laughing:


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

You must be kidding me... reject such "once in a lifetime offer"....

you can at least accept the help and be part of it....


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

My husband said the same thing, but no way.


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

Nothing wrong with having them help you. You help them out when they need it. Get your husband to help too. Provide beverages, lunch, music etc. No way would I turn somone loose if I wasn't paying them and watch from the sidelines.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

*brik*

My husband will help me with lifting the drywall, but everything else I will do myself. 

These guys are willing to finish it for me, but still no way.


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## joasis (May 28, 2006)

To make the work look professional, and it is easily a DIY project, 3 coats is a minimum...the bigest mistake I see DIY'ers do in drywall taping and bedding is the mud...they buy the bucket or box, ready to go, and never learn to "thin" it down a little...sometimes very little, and this can make all the difference in the world. 

Now pro mud guys may disagree, but we fill the tray with compound, and "cut" a little bit of water in....get the consistancy you want...and go to work...lots smoother, and more workable.

A last thing about good work...don't lay it on heavy...every time you blade a joint, pretend you don't know what sanding is, and you are doing it for keeps.......never place the compound and think to yourself you will just sand down the highspots...all you are doing is making more work for yourself. Matter of fact, we rarely ever sand, unless we are doing a patch.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

I like your suggestion on thinking that there is no such a thing as sanding.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

joasis said:


> To make the work look professional, and it is easily a DIY project, 3 coats is a minimum...the bigest mistake I see DIY'ers do in drywall taping and bedding is the mud...they buy the bucket or box, ready to go, and never learn to "thin" it down a little...sometimes very little, and this can make all the difference in the world.
> 
> Now pro mud guys may disagree, but we fill the tray with compound, and "cut" a little bit of water in....get the consistancy you want...and go to work...lots smoother, and more workable.
> 
> A last thing about good work...don't lay it on heavy...every time you blade a joint, pretend you don't know what sanding is, and you are doing it for keeps.......never place the compound and think to yourself you will just sand down the highspots...all you are doing is making more work for yourself. Matter of fact, we rarely ever sand, unless we are doing a patch.


All very true points, *especially* about thinning the compound by mixing water into it.
Also, the point about sanding...I know that's what we do, try to get it so smooth that there is as little sanding as possible...because no one likes sanding...ugh


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## Sammy (Mar 11, 2007)

Only three coats!? 

Thats a norm but it always takes me a few more since I dont do it full time. Bout the time I get done with a mud project [one coming up soon] I get halfway decent at it again. I agree on the "cutting" of the mud with water to thin it out a little but go sparingly and always mix the water in your mud pan versus in your bucket. 

If your using premixed mud in the bucket, always keep it sealed up so it doesnt dry out. A dribble of water in the bucket before resealing it helps keep the top layer from drying. I always try and wipe down the inside of the bucket with a wet sponge to the mud level and set it down on the floor hard a time or two to level out the mud.


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## AllGoNoShow (Aug 8, 2006)

My house had an addition done with probably only 2 coats. When there is alot of light in the room it sticks out like a sore thumb.

On another note, what do you guys use to clean off the walls after sanding and before painting?

Nick


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

*patch it anytime*

while I agree it really requires minium of 3 coats ... I would be surprise that there are no missed places where only 2 coats where done ... I also find it if the whole damn thing is done by one person... that person will hate mudding so much and at the end, decide to skip the last coats just for the sake of showing how hateful he is for mudding...looks like I am talking about myself...


anyhow... I really find out even on places where there should be 3 coats rather than 2, or in inperfect places even after 3 coatings, it is not the end of the world... remud with thin layer can always fix any problem as long as you have the same paint on hand to cover up...

I don't know you need to do anything after sanding before painting... I done absolutely nothing in my case... and don't find problem cause by that...


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

AllGoNoShow said:


> On another note, what do you guys use to clean off the walls after sanding and before painting?
> Nick


Hi Nick,

Try a large bucket of water and a very well rinsed damp wall papering type sponge. Wipe away...


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