Shoutout to the guy who told me to switch to a 12 inch knife for taping

I was using a 10 inch for years on big ceilings, but after a job in Tacoma last month I tried a 12 inch and the difference in one coat was huge, way less ridge. What size do you all use for commercial flat work?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_coleman2mo ago

Man, you were using a 10 inch on big ceilings for years? I'm almost impressed by the stubbornness. That's like painting a highway with a one inch brush and wondering why your arm hurts. The 12 inch is the only way to go for that kind of work, it's not even a debate.

jana_fox502mo ago

My buddy Dave painted his whole living room with a 9 inch roller because it felt "right." Took him three weekends and he was so sore he couldn't lift a beer. I finally showed him a 14 inch and his face just fell. He'd been fighting the tool the whole time. It's exactly what dianal94 said, you get stuck in a way that works and you just stop seeing the problem. He bought the bigger one that afternoon.

dianal942mo ago

Ever notice how people will fight to the death for the tool they learned on, even when something better is right there? Pat_coleman is right, it's pure stubbornness. You see it with knives, drills, even the apps on your phone. People get stuck in a way that works okay and just stop looking. That switch from a 10 to a 12 inch is the perfect example of breaking that habit for a real payoff.