5 Drywall Finishing and Residential Painting Tips

header-background
< Go Back
Placeholder ImageDrywall Finishing Residential Painting Any great residential painting job starts with drywall finishing. As they say, the devil is in the details. Albaugh & Sons, located in Frederick, can help.

In today’s do-it-yourself (DIY) world, more and more homeowners are taking it upon themselves to undertake various home improvement projects, from unclogging the sink to repairing drywall. While this can certainly help save a few dollars, it can be a little frustrating at times. Okay, a lot frustrating! The professionals in those YouTube videos make it looks so easy, but no matter how hard you try, you can just never seem to produce the same results. This is perhaps never truer than when it comes to drywall finishing and residential painting. You apply layer after layer of spackle and sand for hours and never manage to get those clean lines and smooth finishes that they do in the videos. It’s enough to make you scream.

5 Drywall Finishing and Residential Painting Tips

Any great residential painting job starts with drywall finishing. As they say, the devil is in the details. If you do not properly spackle and sand, your new coat of paint is doomed before it ever touches the drywall.

1) Prepare the Drywall

It all starts with the drywall. The drywall must be tight against the walls studs or ceiling joists and your seams must be snug. A tight seam is best but a slight gap is acceptable. Large gaps are simply harder to fill. All screws must also be countersunk.

2) You Need the Right Tools

  • Mic the Mud: Your drywall mud must be the right consistency. Sometimes you need to add a little water (not too much!). You are looking for a consistency similar to creamy cake icing.
  • Don’t Forget the Tape: One cannot rely on spackle alone. You should use drywall tape at any seam, including corners. You have two options – paper tape or self-adhesive mesh tape. The choice is yours. Both work well.
  • Putty Knife: Make sure you have putty knives of various lengths. This will make your life a lot easier.

3) Be Patient with Corners

Corners can be difficult and one big mistake homeowners make is to try and second coat both sides of a corner at the same time. This can only lead to disaster.

4) No One’s Perfect

Don’t expect your spackle to lie perfectly. That’s why you will need to sand. As long as there are no craters or large globs of spackle, you will be fine. Get everything as smooth as you can and then smooth the rest when you start sanding.

5) When in Doubt, Hire a Professional Contractor

When you want to improve the look of your home and property, you need to hire experienced craftsmen who provide excellent service and use quality materials. If you want a professional finish, you need to hire a professional. It’s that simple/

Albaugh & Sons is a Home Improvement Contractor, Specializing in Residential Painting

Albaugh & Sons is a family business located in Frederick County that takes pride in the services we provide for our customers. Our specialties include installing fences, decks, and remodeling, as well as interior and exterior residential painting.

Receive a FREE Estimate!

The estimate you receive for your project is not only competitive; it is extremely accurate. You will not encounter hidden charges or “extras.”

If you are looking for a Residential Painting Contractor in Frederick County, Maryland, you’ve found them! Please contact Albaugh & Sons by calling 301-964-9379. Whether it’s painting, fence installation, or any other service we offer, the Albaugh & Sons team will get the job done right!

You can also follow Albaugh & Sons on FacebookTwitterGoogle+, YouTube, and Pinterest.

< Go Back
banner with a collection of local awards won by Albaugh & Sons

Customer Testimonials

We could talk all day about the happy homeowners we’ve provided additions and renovations for, but the real measure of merit lies in customer reviews. See what people are saying about Albaugh & Sons.

4.8
Based on 229 reviews
powered by Google
Bonnie
21:41 27 Nov 24
I just want to say this company is the Best.. did my fence and my screened in porch. The guys are professional and just a delight to deal with.. customer service is important.. their prices are reasonable.. I would never use anyone but them.. they do it All too..
Alexander S.
16:32 22 Nov 24
We could not be more pleased with the entire process and outcome of our experience with Albaugh & Sons. From the timely turnaround on coming out to give us an estimate, to the flexibility on adjusting our proposal, and to the quick and professional installation itself. I would highly recommend Albaugh & Sons to anyone in their area of serviceability.
Abby G.
14:50 04 Nov 24
So great to work with. Have had the pleasure of working with both sons who were knowledgeable and courteous. The entire process was easy from estimate to completion of my new deck. Both arrived on time, had my estimate for both deck and basement remodel in a couple of days. Danny, the project manager arrived on time and explained the plans, the work crew were amazing. Old deck demolished and beautiful new composite in its place in less than 2 days. Tiffany, the office manager is prompt in responding to all emails with courteous knowledgeable answers. They make you feel like you are their only customer. Look forward to working with them for my basement remodel. I 100% recommend this company.
James L.
13:49 10 Oct 24
We love our new fence. Thanks Emily and George for everything. Excellent communication, timeliness and excellent workmanship. We highly recommend Albaugh and Sons.
John K.
13:19 31 Aug 24
I had a beautiful deck built almost 2 years ago. I called yesterday about a few items that have come apart such as the pvc outside corners on the rim/ band board etc. The company was very responsive and ready and eager to help. Because of this, they have made a customer for life! Not only will you get an amazing product, but it appears you get a lifetime of amazing customer service!! 100 out of 5 stars!
Van Lavoy J.
17:06 01 Apr 24
We needed a fence as fast as possible for 5 rescue dogs that we took on. Albaugh and Sons was able to provide a great quote and a speedy installation. My wife and I love the new fence. It has literally improved our day to day lives by being able to let the dogs run free in the back. The materials were perfect and high quality. I would definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Bill D.
20:50 24 Mar 24
I hired Albaugh and Sons to tear out our old deck and replace it with a new composite deck/ screened porch. The front office was a pleasure to deal with and kept my wife and I informed on everything. The crew did an amazing job every step of the way. I was especially impressed with their finish work. The attention to detail was impressive! What I also liked Albaugh and Sons is they had a project manager (Danny) who would occasionally pop over and answer questions and would also keep me updated on progress. I would highly recommend hiring Albaugh and Sons for any of your fence/ deck / home improvement needs.
Joseph D.
15:39 04 Oct 23
We are very pleased with the work done by Albaugh and sons. We had them replace our side porch and they did excellent work and built it to our request. Also had them install a three tier rail fence around our property. It is excellent and looks great. We thank Danny and his deck crew and George and his fence crew for their excellent work. I recommend them for any projects you need done. Thank you very much!!
js_loader