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For less trouble later, stagger the vertical joints as you work. Any butt seam that falls over a doubled stud should be fastened to the

Make some drywall

repairs for practice, then tackle

the installation jobs.

higher board, or the joint will come out stepped. For the same reason, a tapered edge shouldn't meet a square edge at a joint-the different levels are too difficult to match.

Before moving on to taping and finish work, the outside corners need to be protected with corner bead. Install any finish trim where a clean juncture might otherwise be a problem-such as against metal-framed windows or concrete block. Both these metal trims need to be nailed (not screwed) into wooden framing members, with the nails spaced every 9". The heads should be flat to the flange, but not driven deep enough to bend the metal (Fig. 10).

The beaded corner is designed to protrude slightly above the surface of each piece of wallboard to allow for fill over the nailheads. Don't spread the flanges beyond 90°, or the edges will spring out and they won't cover easily. If the corner is less than a right angle, pinch the flanges to close the bead slight ly before nailing it, or the same problem will occur.

Compound Interest

The two- or three-step filling and finishing process is probably the most misunderstood technique in the entire drywallhanging business. It's commonly referred to as spackling, after the brand-name powder paste that made its debut in the early 1950s. Whatever you call it, it's generally more tedious than difficult, and it really doesn't take much effort to do a decent job.

The cardinal rule in this game is cleanlinessnot allowing dust particles and globs of dried joint compound to get into your work. Keep your tools clean and, before you start, wipe down the joints and dimples with a fresh, dry rag.

Half fill your pan with compound, and, using the 6" joint knife, slice into the mud by dipping sideways with the blade's edge so it's about 3/4 loaded. From there, it's easy to scrape off the excess material hanging below the blade by drawing it back against the side of the pan. (Any hardened or soiled compound-in the pan or bucket-should be removed and thrown away.)

Do the butt joints first. Lay down a thin, even coat for the full length of the joint, aim ing to keep the paste bed just wider than the tape. Hold the knife at a low angle to assure smooth, even distribution.

Next, tear off the correct length of tape (knife-cut tape will leave too sharp a line), and lightly press it into the wet compound with your fingers. Then, with the blade, immediately push the strip flat, in the process removing any bubbles by drawing them out. Excess mud from the edge can be added to fresh to spread a thin layer of compound over the tape (Fig. 11). In this last step, hold the blade at a steeper 45° angle to produce a smoother finish.

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