With drywall, practice makes perfect

I spent some time this week doing a bit of prep work in my own house for some painting. The "honey do" list is pretty big but still manageable, to keep the boss happy and to keep the list in check, I got started on some of it. The main items on the list are some painting and a bit of tile work. The painting will encompass the kitchen, the stairwell and the home office area. The tile is for the laundry room. I've been in my home for close to 20 years now, and a while back I added on with a large addition. That part of the house is pretty much perfect, and I have started to work on the older part of the house. Some of the areas to be painted in this round have not been touched since I moved in, other areas were addressed during the construction phase of the addition a few years ago, but are getting some attention again.

While prepping the walls for painting I got to examine them with a more experienced eye. I compared the original construction with the work I did a few years ago to my current work. The difference between the original work and my older work was obvious, my house was a little bit of a fixer upper, and sadly the original work was not up to par. What really surprised me was how my work has improved over the last few years. Things that I noticed most were how my drywall work and trim installations have evolved. I recently did a drywall / paint and trim job for a client of mine, and I have to say, I have gotten pretty good. Smooth corners, tight miters, clean caulk and trim lines. Way better than the work I did just 5-6 years ago. As with any skill, the more you practice the better you get.

This is an area where many DIY homeowners may get frustrated. After what seems like an eternity they look at the wall they just worked on and think, "Darn, that drywall is still not smooth enough. I look at my neighbors wall and its perfect, Why can't I get that look?" Chances are the neighbors wall was done by a professional crew, and most homeowners don't get to practice enough.

Many years ago when I was working in biotech I got to see many remodel and construction projects to the manufacturing facility. One thing I was always impressed with was the drywall crew. These guys would hang and mud a few thousand square feet in just a couple days. Doing a job day after day for years, these guys had it down to an art form. They were also doing it then at $12 a sheet. The only way to earn a living was to be fast...and good. 

By comparison a homeowner may spend 3 or 4 hours hanging and mudding a sheet or two. Is it worth it? Maybe? The sense of pride by doing it your self can have immense value, and it is hard to put a price on that. To match the quality of work done by pros will take time, if you keep at it you will get better...it just takes practice....lots of practice.

Blog by: Kevin Stevens