Overheard a drywall guy say something about mud that changed my whole process

I was at the ABQ ReStore last Saturday picking up some old fence panels, and I heard two drywall contractors talking by the paint aisle. One of them said he never uses the pre-mixed mud from the bucket because the factory adds too much water and it shrinks like crazy on the second coat. He said he buys the hot mud powder and mixes it himself to a peanut butter consistency. I tried it on a small patch job in my laundry room this weekend, and I swear the finish was way smoother with less sanding. Has anyone else had better luck mixing their own mud for drywall repairs around here? The bucket stuff always gives me air bubbles no matter what I do.

2 comments

2 Comments

zarap142d ago

Yo I had the exact same experience last year and it blew my mind. Its like that thing where you realize the store bought stuff is just cutting corners for convenience and you pay for it later. Once I switched to mixing my own I never looked back, the control is just way better. Its the same as when I started making my own cleaning spray instead of buying the fancy stuff, you know exactly whats in it and it works better. But yeah the hot mud is a game changer for real, no more fighting with bubbles or weird shrinkage.

emmap161d ago

Ha good catch though I gotta gently push back on that hot mud thing. @zarap14 I tried hot mud for a while but it sets up too fast for me, especially if I'm doing a bigger patch job. I switched to the all purpose pre mixed stuff from the hardware store and it works way better, no weird shrinkage and I don't have to race against the clock. The key is to do thin coats and let each one dry completely before sanding, then you don't get bubbles either. But hey different strokes for different folks right, whatever works for your setup.