# Radius wall butt joints.



## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

I am about to do a huge radius wall, with a ton of butt joints. I don't know how many of you have experience with these things, but they are a big pain. They never look right. The wall is curved (round) and the butts always show up.

I was wondering if I used like a 2ft piece of tin or something and bent it over the thing. Obviously regular knives dont bend and finishing them the regular way, leaves a high point.


Do any of you have any tips to hiding the darn things?


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

On similar situations I would go to a plastic company and buy a thin piece of (plastic) sheet about 24 inches to 3 feet long. After mudding the butts I'd pull the plastic "screed" down (or up) each side of the butt seam to fill the void(s) between the high point of the seam and the wall further away. It would usually take a couple of coats to get everything smoothed out properly. Be sure that the plastic is long and ridged enough to span the distance without being too flexible. You want to get that surface contour consistent with the overall shape of the wall. Make sure that the plastic guy cuts both long edges straight and smooth, and make efforts to protect them! A lttle nick can ruin your day.

The plastic piece only needs to be wide enough to be comfortable and to load with a little mud as it's pulled down the wall. PVC is the most flexible but depending on the radius, 1/8th inch acrylic may be best. UHMW and Delrin are too expensive. 

Initially it's an awkward manouver so don't rush it.

_Hope that helps, maybe someone else has a better idea..._


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

do it like a tic tac toe board to build it up. bad example, but you get the point. Go vert 1 coat, go horz 1 coat. you may have to do it 3,4,5 times but if you want it to look right, you'll take your time.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

We often use a smooth garden hose. Hork a full coat on entire surface up to 3-5 feet wide and then pull the hose down as a screed. will take several hands to control. Also try an aluminum rod bent to the radius inserted in the hose for rigidity. The hdwe store should have these rods in their metal by the foot rack.


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## R.E. Plaster (Jun 27, 2009)

We use a slicker which is basically a flexiable piece of aluminum which works great for a bigger radius, just load up your butt and pull it up the joint no prob :thumbsup:


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

R.E. Plaster said:


> We use a slicker which is basically a flexiable piece of aluminum which works great for a bigger radius, just load up your butt and pull it up the joint no prob :thumbsup:[/quote
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## R.E. Plaster (Jun 27, 2009)

Thats what we do this way you can do your butts in just two coats like you would normally do. Less time and back tracking

You should be able to purchase a slicker at a good comercial drywall for about $40 company Lowes or HD will have no idea what you are talking about.

The slicker is a completly smooth tool and is thinner on the blade side but since it is aluminum you have to take good care because they will nick easily.


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## joepro0000 (Jun 14, 2008)

Yes the garden hose is what I used in the past.


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## ell (Jan 24, 2009)

*Radius wall butt joints*

The best thing I found to coat radius butts, columns,Sometimes barrel Clgs. Is The Radius Coater, Heavy duty Plastic with a handle on each end.Load the butt up and make usually two passes,and it comes out nice.


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

ell said:


> The best thing I found to coat radius butts, columns,Sometimes barrel Clgs. Is The Radius Coater, Heavy duty Plastic with a handle on each end.Load the butt up and make usually two passes,and it comes out nice.


 
Where in the world would I get such a thing? They actually make a "Radius coater"?

Hey R.E. Is this the "slicker" you mean?

http://www.marshalltown.com/Products.aspx?D=300&S=327&C=C3148


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## BANDIT8 (Sep 28, 2008)

There is a knife that is specifically made for radius joints. Not sure of it's name but it is plastic, curved and has two handles. Approx. 22" wide. Mud wall with 10" knife and then float with this knife. Should be able to get at supply yard.


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## mudslingercor (Jul 2, 2009)

I've done plenty of concave and convex walls. First I now make a jig of the curve esp if it the same through out the wall. For small areas I use 3 layers of cardboard and some hockey tape on the edge to make it smooth. Bigger stuff I'll make a more durable tool. This is to get the correct shape ( coating vertical) then I trowel horizontal. I use the same method to correct barrel ceilings that are out of round. I've made many a tool for this type of job and FOR ME anything that changes shape of that you have to hold at the correct curve, is troublesome. Pex plummer hose is the stiffest at a larger thickness but I prefer to make the tool, always a tempate out of cardboard (quick)then transfer to 1/4" to 3/8"Acrylic=strongest most durable, MDF, Corregated cardboard( each layer, switch carregation for strength). Hope this helps


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## R.E. Plaster (Jun 27, 2009)

no but I ve seen those radius tools in an all-wall mag never had the chance to use one though, but they look like they would work well


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## mudslingercor (Jul 2, 2009)

I've tried them waste of money, very easy to make. They IMO are way to flexable


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## tapingfool (Mar 11, 2009)

I have done these types of walls before, and my solution is simple. I went to the local seller of rubber products, and get a piece of firm thick rubber, about 2 feet wide and say 4-6 inches in length. After applying the compound to the joints a few passes with the rubber tool gives it a great finish and you see no high areas in the butt joint..send pictures...


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