Tools-3"knife, 12" knife, you may want an in-betweener. Mud pan.
Mud-green is the wettest, easiest for most folk to use for final coats. Blue is the stiffest, but shrinks much less-making it ideal for the first coat that sets and covers joint tape. USG has introduced a purple grade that's somewhere between blue and green-but i have yet to try it.
Since DIY folk tend to move more slowly than pros, if using paper tape for joints, after you've torn off a piece, soak it in a bucket of water for a few minutes. Take it out and use fingers as a squeegee to remove excess water. Place it in the bedding coat of mud, bed firmly and then coat over top. Wetting beforehand reduces the likelihood that the dry paper will leach moisture from the mud and then disbond.
DIY tip-don't try to work two planes at the same time-you'll never get it right. Do all the vertical seams or all the ceiling-wall joints in separate sessions-not together.
If you want to fast track the project, you can buy dry mix and mix what you need. A big honkin heavy duty drill and a mixing paddle is required for this. The number on the bag, 30, 60, 90, etc. is the time limit for setting, and is not for the faint of heart or those who like to take breaks. I halve the number to be conservative-when using 30, I mix what I can place in 15 minutes.
Rent or buy a water sander so your house doesn't have dust everywhere. Good luck.
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