- Getting a smooth, obstruction-free surface now will save you trouble later. Run your palms over the sheets looking for raised screws, and sink them with your screwgun. Tear off any paper from the drywall that's raised up off the sheets.
- Even mesh drywall tape with adhesive backing should be embedded in joint compound. Lay a thin line of compound with your drywall knife along the seams, lay your tape over it, and then lay another layer of compound over it and squeeze off the excess. It's okay if the tape shows through on the first layer; just make sure it's smooth and even with the surface of the drywall.
- After the first coat dries, run your drywall knife over it to scrape off any ridges, then lay the next layer of compound. Three coats is standard, with a top fourth coat if needed. Generally, each succeeding layer of compound on the seams should be be wider and thinner than the layer before it. This has the effect of gradually spreading out the seam and making it less visible in the end. Use successively wider knives to get the best effect.
- Drywall sanding is hot, dusty, dirty work. Wear a dust mask and goggles, and seal off the rest of your house from the room as much as possible. Also consider a sander that works with your shop vac, which grabs the dust before it gets into the air; some have a water filter that sucks the dust into a bucket of water before it gets to the vacuum filter.
Run your hands over the surface frequently and look at the seams from different angles to make sure you're smoothing out all the ridges and indentations. - Your goal should be to get the wall perfect before a paintbrush touches it, but be prepared to do some touch-up mudding after the first coat of primer. The white primer often helps identify ridges that weren't very visible before. Use a drywall knife to scrape off ridges, then lightly plaster and sand the area.
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