Which drywall compound should i use

Enter your keyword Search. What is Joint Compound? Different Types of Joint Compound Visiting your local hardware store or home improvement store might seem overwhelming due to the variety of drywall mud. Topping Joint Compound The first type of joint compound that we see in the building materials industry is topping joint compound. Some benefits to using this type of joint compound include: It is smooth.

This product has a very smooth consistency, making it easy to spread and easy to work with. An easy sanding job will save you lots of time and hard work. It can be saved and reused. Topping joint compound is a dry powder that mixes with water, so you can make sure that you use only what you need to save the product for future use. All-Purpose Compounds The next popular type of joint compound is an all-purpose compound. Using this product includes the following advantages: It is lightweight.

All-purpose joint compound is a lightweight substance that is easy to apply and sand, making your project seem like a breeze. It has a highly durable surface. All-purpose compound is surprisingly strong for how lightweight it is with an excellent bond to ensure your project stays in top shape throughout the years. Some benefits of using taping compounds include: It dries harder. Although taping compound is difficult to sand due to its thickness, it provides a lot of durability and stability once it dries.

But when done correctly, the result is a wall so flat that few observers can spot the seams beneath. While professional drywall tapers make the task look easy, do-it-yourselfers find that it takes practice, skill, and—of course—the right stuff for the job in this case, the mud itself and the tape that prevents cracks from appearing in the seams.

Premixed joint compound is just that: The mud has already been mixed with water to a smooth consistency and is ready to be applied. This type of mud tends to shrink less than all-purpose premixed mud but it begins to harden very quickly.

Quick-setting mud works well for pre-filling large gaps or smoothing over crushed drywall corners before starting the actual mudding process. During the mudding process, tape acts as a bond to keep the finished wall from developing cracks along the drywall seams. Cover the floor with a canvas drop cloth plastic drop cloths can become dangerously slick and don goggles and old clothing. Mudding is a messy process, and splatters can sting if they get in your eyes. Remove the lid from the bucket of premixed mud.

If using powdered setting mud, mix as recommended by the manufacturer, beating until smooth with a heavy duty drill fitted with a paddle bit. Drywall panels come with slight bevels on both of their long sides. When the bevels are fitted together, they form a small indentation, about 2 inches wide, along the joints.

Use the 6-inch taping knife to smooth and work the mud evenly into the joint, filling the entire indentation and wiping away excess mud. Wipe away excess mud with the knife. With the 6-inch knife, apply a thin coat of mud to both sides of an inside corner, making sure to work it all the way into the center.

Cut, fold, and fit a strip of pre-creased paper tape in the corner over the wet mud. Smooth the paper tape carefully in the wet mud, using either a 6-inch taping knife or an inside-corner taping tool that features a preformed degree shape for easy bedding.

If a bag of hot mud contains even a few small parts of hardened mud, it can render the entire bag unusable. Hardened lumps of hot mud cause scratches in drywall seams and make it very difficult to create truly smooth finishes.

When it comes to hot-mud, there is a difference between hardening and drying. Hot mud hardens by means of a chemical reaction. Manufacturers mix different amounts of hardening agents into the material causing it to set up at different times. Hot mud is packaged according to the time it takes to harden. For example, quick-setting drywall mud is sold in packages labeled 5-minute, minute, minute, minute or higher. This refers to the length of time it takes from when the powder comes in contact with water to when it hardens and can be recoated.

Actual working time is generally less than the time listed. For example, minute hot mud may begin to set up in minutes. The working time can vary slightly depending on a few factors. High humidity or cooler temperatures causes hot mud to take longer to set.

Hot dry conditions can cause 5-minute mud to set before you even get a chance to spread it on your patch. If you need quick-setting drywall powder to set up faster than normal, using hot water when mixing will usually do the trick.

It is important to remember that the time associated with quick-setting drywall compound is the hardening time, not the dry time. For instance, even though minute hot mud may harden within 45 minutes, it can take several hours to dry completely depending on ambient temperature and humidity levels.

When using hot mud you will notice it turn from dark grey to white. The mud is not considered completely dry until it turns completely white in appearance. Unlike traditional drywall compound, it does not shrink as it dries, so it is possible to add additional coats of hot mud before it has completely dried. It is best however, not to paint over hot mud until it has completely dried. Quick-setting drywall mud is great for small patch jobs where you don't want to wait 24 hours before applying a second coat.

Hot mud is also used on large drywall jobs for bedding-in mesh drywall tape. This allows the pros to tape and first coat seams all within the first day on a job.

Many pros feel that quick-setting mud provides a stronger base coat and therefore protects better against cracking. Because of this, some use it as a first coat when finishing corner bead. Most pros agree that when you use mesh drywall tape , you should always use quick-setting mud as a first coat. Mesh tape does not provide a strong a bond with the drywall paper and therefore needs the added strength of hot mud.