My drywall finishing life changed when I learned the process for mudding without sanding in between each coat (see this post). That has saved me a lot of dust and improved my work. Now, I’ve added some speed to my smaller jobs. Here’s the secret-“20-Minute Mud“.
It’s a type of joint compound (or mud) that dries super-fast. They make a handful of varieties ranging from 20 minutes to 90 minutes. Today, I was working on a repair in a laundry room that only involved a small area. With the fast-setting joint compound I was able to get the first two coats on in just one day!
When you consider that you normally need to let the mud dry overnight, this saves me a day on a project. It’s especially helpful for smaller repars or patching holes.
The process is exactly the same as with the normal pre-mixed mud, except I’d suggest making it up in small batches. I make a mud pan worth at a time and that seems to be about right. Once you mix the powder with water, you’ve got around 15 minutes to work it before it sets up on you, so get a move on!
It’s supposed to clean off with water, but once it starts to firm up it will harden quickly and you’ll have to scrape it off to clean your tools. I have an old set of mudding knives that I save for this type of thing so I can keep my nice tools clean and gunk-free.
I especially recommend the 20-minute-mud for the first coat when you’re embedding the tape. About an hour afterward you can apply the second coat.
That’s the secret. Now keep it to yourself, okay?…
-Peter
