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Drywall Repairs: Practice with Peanut Butter

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Home Tips for Women

little guy eating peanut butter sandwichApplying drywall mud is like spreading peanut butter?

You spread joint compound with a taping knife. Your goal is a smooth coating, to hide the seams joining 2 pieces of sheet rock along with the screws or nails used to hang the drywall. The smaller putty knife is used for repairing small dings and holes in the wall.

When making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, you spread the peanut butter and your favorite jelly with a butter knife. You've got steak knives for cutting steak.

Homeowners might think contractors speak a foreign language ... and they're right, sort of. We forget that what we know and the skills we have are those we've learned somewhere along the way - school, on the job, school of hard knocks. We forget where we learn things although I often think out kids must be overwhelmed with things because life seems much more complicated today than when I grew up.

Home repairs aren't fun, exciting or something most of us like to do. That's why I try to find analogies to help homeowners overcome their fear of the unknown.

If you'd like to learn more about peanut butter (kidding) or drywall, read the full article Peanut Butter and Drywall Mud.

If you've got other fun analogies between houses and life, please share them as I'm collecting all sorts of fun things.

  • Google windows ... it's not part of your house, it's the operating system on your PC?
  • Wallpaper ... doesn't go on walls, but rather your computer's screeen background?
  • Analogies are a great way to help people learn, so let's all learn together!
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Meet Tina Gleisenr, founder of the Association of Women Home Owners ... www.HomeTips4Women.com Tina Gleisner, from handyman to home owner advocate and founder of the Assn of Women Home Owners

Tina Gleisner, Founder and Home Owner Advocate
Connecting Home Owners & Home Professionals

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Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Yes, I find using analogies help.  For sanding & refinishing, I always compare to nail polish.  Just like you buff your nails for the polish to stay better, you do same thing for the floor.  They polyurethane is like the top coat...doesn't add color, but adds shine/lustre and changes the color ever so slightly

Jan 21, 2011 10:17 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

  I am from the ....make enough to pay someone to do what you don't know how OR don't want to do...starting with drywall.....and then there's vacuuming.....:)

Jan 21, 2011 10:24 PM
Tina Gleisner
Home Tips for Women - Portsmouth, NH
Home Tips for Women

Debbie, I love your nail polish analogy so now I need to find time to write it up or would you like to write an article, with bio box & link back to you ... for www.HomeTips4Women.com?

Sally/David, I absolutely agree on the cleaning & couldn't live without Patty who comes every other week. Ditto on the drywall as I once thought I'd learn how to help in my handyman business but after considering the 20+ hrs to get good enough, I decided my time was better spent elsewhere.  

Jan 21, 2011 10:48 PM
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

If you have joint compounded sheet rock suddenly Maine tongue in groove cedar, pine angled on the walls looks pretty darn special too!

Jan 21, 2011 11:05 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips - Eureka, CA
Realtor and Broker/Owner

Home repairs are fun if you have been a contractor, however drywall finishing is one aspect of building that requires an artist.  Great post Tina.

Jan 21, 2011 11:58 PM
Pat Walmsley
Lake Keowee Real Estate - Seneca, SC
REALTOR, Over 30 Years Experience, let me help you

The way I talk also  ...lots of analogies,  the way I understand too.

Jan 22, 2011 04:55 AM
Tina Gleisner
Home Tips for Women - Portsmouth, NH
Home Tips for Women

Pat, I'll be checking out your blog for more analogies I have uncovered myself. 

Dan, Hmmm, have you been a contractor and decided it was more fun selling real estate?

Andrew, I do like wainscotting and in certain situations like a mountain retreat, naked wood panelling would be perfect.

Jan 23, 2011 10:05 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

Happy Hump Day!

Jul 26, 2011 06:30 PM
Anonymous
Craig Sedoris

I completely love the peanut butter analogy!  You are absolutely right, and I have never thought of explaining it to my clients this way.  Thanks so much for the image!

Sep 05, 2011 07:29 AM
#9
Anonymous
Guy

I also battle with getting clients to understand how and why things are done, this is a very clever idea, will definately use an analogy next time!  Thanks Tina

Nov 15, 2011 05:51 PM
#10
Tina Gleisner
Home Tips for Women - Portsmouth, NH
Home Tips for Women

Craig & Guy, Thanks for your feedback. For those who've spent years in construction, it's easy to use our knowledge to understand a new product or material. For those with little familiarity, I find analogies very helpful when telling my stories. 

 

Yesterday a friend shared another one - you can have the best insulation, like a down jacket. You won't stay warm though if you don't zip up the jacket ... to explain the need to stop air leaks.

Nov 15, 2011 09:48 PM
Anonymous
Handyman

I completely love the peanut butter analogy!  You are absolutely right, and I have never thought of explaining it to my clients this way.  Thanks so much for the image!

 

<a href="http://northwestdenverhandyman.com/">Handyman</a>

 

Feb 17, 2012 08:08 PM
#12