Drywall finishing is one of the toughest jobs on a construction site. “Producing a flawless drywall finish takes a lot of training and skill,” says Jonathan Hughes, vice president of estimating and sales at Daley’s Drywall & Taping. The tricky part, he explains, is learning how to properly lay the tape and feather out the compound to an imperceptible edge. Simply put, drywall mudding and taping is hard, typically requiring a three-year-long apprenticeship before a taper can feel proficient.
In addition to being technically challenging, drywall finishing is also physically difficult. The sanding process, in particular, is tough on workers’ bodies. Sanding drywall requires workers to use either manual or power sanding tools, both of which involve repetitive motions, unnatural body positions, and above-head work with tools that are often heavy.