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When mudding a wall is there a way to handle a high ridge, where the wall is flat and smooth to both sides but the ridge stands higher than all the rest of the wall and the taping knife can rock across it? In other words, a locally convex part of a wall?

I guess this is where a stud was proud when the wall was built.

It seems there is no way. I could punch it down but I'd end up breaking through the paper drywall face across a swath several inches wide, I'd probably reveal and mangle some mesh tape and who knows what else. I could rebuild the whole wall but it'll be behind a TV and furniture so not worth it to me.

I may just leave it but wondering if there are any tricks to handle ridges?

jay613
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    Depending on difference in height, about the only way is to feather it out about a foot or more so it is less visible. If it is high, might want to use a few thin passes, feathering them out more on each pass, than one thick pass. – crip659 May 28 '22 at 12:58
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    Depending on how prominent the ridge is, more than a foot each side might be needed. But try that first and see what you think. A 12-14” taping knife will help. – Aloysius Defenestrate May 28 '22 at 13:08
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    @AloysiusDefenestrate I'm enjoying my new 12 inch knife (had a 10 before.) – jay613 Jun 01 '22 at 01:43

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You just feather it out really wide.

You'll get these at end butt joints, for one thing - the edges have the tapered area for taping, the ends don't, so the tape ends up higher - you just work the joint with longer and longer knives until it's not noticeable to the eye.

You might want to ride out the full width of a long knife on each side (works best if you work up that via thin layers from shorter knives, each permitted to dry throughly.)

Ecnerwal
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  • See also https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/66334/18078 and https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/210638/18078 – Ecnerwal May 28 '22 at 13:58
  • If done right, it should be almost invisible except by eyeballing along the wall or using a straight edge. – crip659 May 28 '22 at 14:55
  • I marked this right because it's the best answer I can imagine and more specific than the ones linked in the comment. But unfortunately I have a door about 9 inches away. "Feathering out" in that direction would mean burying more than half the door trim. :(. But I will adapt this answer as best I can to the circumstances. And I think I'll promote my kit from a 10 inch max knife to a 12 inch one. – jay613 May 28 '22 at 15:11