Homeowners rarely trust that the damage wasn't our fault.
I remember starting out with just a hand sander and a lot of elbow grease. Now, almost every crew has a power sander hooked up to a vac. It's faster, but the dust control isn't always perfect. Back then, we learned to read the mud by feel, not just by sight. I've seen new guys rely too much on the tool and miss high spots. There's a trade-off between speed and craftsmanship. Sometimes I wonder if we're losing some of the art.
I left my mud pan unattended for two minutes to grab a tape measure. Came back to find him about to taste it, saying it looked like cake icing. What's the most bizarre mix-up you've seen on a job?
Loose scraps can leak into groundwater. Use sealed bags every time.
Was tired of dust falling in my eyes. Started using a damp sponge to control it, and now the cleanup is way easier.
I avoided them for years because of the dust cloud. Now I see they cut sanding time in half and give a smoother finish.
Hot mud dries too fast, all-purpose lets me fix mistakes.
Floating looks nice, but beads seem stronger; how do you choose?