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Selecting and Mixing Mud
Mud comes in “setting-type” and “drying-type” varieties.
Buy setting compounds only for filling gaps and repairing broken drywall corners. Setting compounds contain plaster of Paris to make them chemically harden. They’re usually available with different setting times. That lets you put on several coats in the same day, an advantage pros like. Once mixed with water, setting compounds can harden fast and if applied too thick are difficult to sand. Mix small batches so you’ll have plenty of time to work before the compound sets.
Buy drying compounds for actual taping. They come in powder or premixed in 5-gallon pails. We prefer premixed because it’s easier to mix and store. Despite its name, premixed compound is not ready for taping when you open the pail. You’ll need to add a little water and thoroughly mix the compound to the desired consistency before using it for the first time and before you begin taping each day.
Drying-type compounds come in three forms: taping, topping and our choice, all-purpose. All-purpose is designed to be used for all three coats in the typical three-coat taping system.
A 12 x 12-ft. addition will require about two 5-gallon pails of mud. You won’t need more than a few gallons of mud for the first coat, and since it’s mixed runnier than succeeding coats, transfer some mud to a clean 5-gallon pail before mixing and thinning it. Don’t let our colors throw you off; the mud for the second and third coats is exactly the same.
To keep the mud from drying out as you work, loosely cover the pails. At the end of the day, wipe down the insides of the pails and the bottom of the lid with a sponge to remove any deposits. Otherwise, dried chunks of mud will fall into the mix and you’ll discover the little troublemakers when you’re spreading mud. Then lock the lids on tightly. Every new day of taping, remix the mud before using, adding water as needed.
Buy the Old-Fashioned, Time-Tested Materials—They’re What Pros Use
Just as with tools, there are many new drywall products on the market purporting to make taping easier. But talk to a pro and you’ll find that few of them work any better or are any more durable than the old-fashioned taping supplies like paper tape and 1-1/4 in. solid metal corner beads.
Pick up enough corner beads to cover every corner with a single bead—no splicing!—plus one or two extras to replace mistakes. You’ll also need a small box of 1-5/8 in. drywall nails for fastening the corner beads. One roll of paper tape is usually plenty for the average-sized room, but they’re only a couple of bucks, so get two in case you come up short.
Spend the Time on the Prep Work; It’ll Pay Off in the End
No matter how accomplished you are as a taper, bad or incomplete prep work will make taping tougher than it has to be. It’ll also spoil a good taping job. Poorly installed corner beads will crack or work their way through the paint. Tape will peel, lift and blister if cracks or voids in the drywall are unfilled and simply taped over. Improperly set screws and nails or inadequately fastened drywall will cause nail pops for years to come.
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