Episode 3: Tools for an Efficient Fill Coat
Myron Ferguson demonstrates how a flat box and corner-finishing tools help get a faster, consistent fill coat on drywall jobs.
Sponsored by USG Sheetrock® Brand
I’m using a flat box for the seams and automatic corner-finishing tools for the inside corners for the fill coat on this drywall finishing job. Using these tools on intersecting butted seams, ceilings, and inside corners saves time, and with a couple tips, even a novice drywall finisher can learn how to use them efficiently.
Flat box
After I lightly sand the wall to remove small chunks of compound tool marks, I;m ready for the fill coat. Instead of the trowel that I use to feather out and coat seams, I use the flat box for this task to quickly do a fill coat. The blade on the box’s edge acts as the trowel. It is slightly concave and can be adjusted by turning a lever.
For fill coats, I like to switch my joint compound to a lighterweight solution, like USG Sheetrock® Brand Plus 3 or UltraLightweight Joint Compound, because it shrinks less and is easier to apply and sand vs. conventional weight.
To apply the compound to the wall, press firmly while moving along the seams. This pushes the mouth of the box in and forces the compound out through the finishing edge. If the application looks a bit ragged, that’s OK; you will go over it again with a taping knife to get it smooth.
Corner-finishing tools
Once all the seams are done on the walls and ceiling, it’s time for the inside corners, which I do with the compound tube. Before starting the corners, I like to thin the compound down a bit so it dispenses easier. If you find that you’re using a lot of physical exertion to get the mud out, it’s too thick.
Once compound is on the corner, I use a corner flusher that’s about 3/4 in. wider than the one I used for the first coat. Similar to the process completed with the first coat, I usually go over all of the corners twice. For vertical inside corners, I start at the bottom and push up.
Automatic tools such as the flat box and corner finishing tools make this process easy and give excellent results. Using these tools is easy to learn, and they give a consistent finish. It doesn’t take a lot of time to get all the tape concealed. I do need to point up all the corners and blend in the butted seams, so there is always a little bit of touch-up to do with hand tools.
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