north central Iowa, Hampton | I've used the sponge a lot. It keeps dust away on an inside job. I think sandpaper does a more even job and probably more quickly. With the sponge, you can actually get your joint wet enough to move some material around and deposit it in the low spots. BUT, when it dries, that low spot is still a little low--but the drop offs aren't as sharp, so you may think it's really good until you put paint on. If I was doing it professionally, I'd have a sander / vac combo.
I've seen really good pros do a decent job in two coats. Many do finish work in 3 coats--Me? Base coat with set fast or some other non-sand filler. Tape and run the seams, Run a taping knife over that when dry to knock off some high spots, more mud to fill low areas. Back over with a wider knife / knock off high spots. Repeat. I find it easier to do 3+ coats, maybe just filling in low spots, rather than sanding it to perfection right away. It's only time!
Yep, everyone should do drywall at least once.
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