finishing drywall

[popcorn7]

someone told me to put dawn dish soap in my drywall mud to make it go on easier...is that good advise?

 

[info2x]

I wouldn't do it if it were me. I would be worried about adhesion to the wall and the primer.

 

[Tony_G]

I wouldn't do it either. What mud are you using? I've never had problems using pre-mixed joint compound.

 

[JerryB]

I would do it if it were me. I would be worried about adhesion to the wall and the primer.

I really do not understand this response:

First you say you would adulterate the drywall mud, then say you would be worried about adhesion!?? Why not just leave it alone in the first place?

IMO, the drywall mud is formulated and mixed to work. I have never added anything to the mix.

 

[cdestuck]

I really do not understand this response:

First you say you would adulterate the drywall mud, then say you would be worried about adhesion!?? Why not just leave it alone in the first place?

IMO, the drywall mud is formulated and mixed to work. I have never added anything to the mix.

My guess is that he meant to say that he WOULDNT do it.

 

[Viper98912]

what the.

 

[Jess]

If you go this route, use very little. It does help smoothing but there are lots of good drywall filler products that smooth easily. The biggest mistake most of us made starting out finishing drywall is putting too much on in one coat and overworking it to make if perfect first time. I use three or 4 coats depending where it is. The rooms in a house that have lots of natural light deserve 4 coats to get it pretty well perfect.

Have fun, its a learning process....

 

[JRC3]

Thin the mud with a little water. It comes thicker than needed and is meant to be loosened up a bit. It not only flows better but you will get way fewer bubbles and pinholes.

 

[info2x]

My guess is that he meant to say that he WOULDNT do it.

I really do not understand this response:

First you say you would adulterate the drywall mud, then say you would be worried about adhesion!?? Why not just leave it alone in the first place?

IMO, the drywall mud is formulated and mixed to work. I have never added anything to the mix.

Should have been wouldn't

whoops!

 

[Whitworth]

Just buy good quality Sheetrock mud such as USG and you'll be fine.

 

[CTyankee]

I wouldn't do it, but I've seen a few tapers that do. They claim it helps eliminate the small bubbles that sometimes form after drying. Were talking one small squirt into a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[popcorn7]

thanks for the good info everyone

 

[jetnow1]

use a mixing paddle on the mud first- it will do more for you especially as a non-professional.

 

[manwithtools]

I'll be the odd man out. There are occasions when dish soap makes sense in drywall compound. It's most useful on the final coat as it makes it a bit easier to float out, it's preferred over water as it does not evaporate as quickly as water. It makes a more manageable mixture that leaves less bubbles than the plain mud. I squirt a bit into a tray of mud when I'm applying the final coat.

 

[manwithtools]

use a mixing paddle on the mud first- it will do more for you especially as a non-professional.

Great advise! Even the pro's benefit from this, that's where I learned that trick.

 

[The Cobbler]

yup, a good mix up before you use it. careful not to create a vortex & introduce air tho
never tried the soap, but I will give it a shot sometime. we use hot 20 more than anything else tho. ( lots of patching)

 

[pstnbly]

someone told me to put dawn dish soap in my drywall mud to make it go on easier...is that good advise?

Yes, that is good advise taught to me years ago by a union finisher. Detergent is a surfactant and it will help eliminate bubbles in the mud that will cause pock marks when dry. I have finished many houses personally and never have had adhesion issues. Just don't go crazy, about an ounce per 5 gallon pail.

 

[engineer2]

I'd be worried about paint adhesion, but a good primer may fix that.

If you need to smooth the mud a little better, let is set up for a couple of hours and then go over it with a damp grout sponge. Saves some time sanding.

 

[jconnor3]

After your taping coat, go with topping mix. You can use the premix stuff, just add a little water and mix it up well if you think its a little stiff. That's what I did after using the 90min setting compound for taping and had great results. Topping mix flows and sands very well.

 

[Zeke]

After your taping coat, go with topping mix. You can use the premix stuff, just add a little water and mix it up well if you think its a little stiff. That's what I did after using the 90min setting compound for taping and had great results. Topping mix flows and sands very well.

Yeah, All Purpose is for small jobs where you don't want to buy separate boxes. Speaking of boxes, that's what embedding and topping mud come in around here. Once you open the plastic bag little splinters of mud start to dry on the inside of the plastic therefore ruining the rest of the contents. You have to dump the boxed stuff in a close-able bucket with a little water on top to preserve it. So to have both you need 2 buckets to store the stuff. I use my share of All Purpose but it's more difficult to finish.

I only use fast set on corner bead. I don't use it with paper tape.

 

[Trey T]

I never had to add soap - SOUNDS BIZARRE. I use the 20min and 45min setting time types (depend on project type) from start to finish.