valwest•29d agoTop Commenter

Old timer from Ohio told me to wet my mud differently and I argued for 20 minutes before trying it

I was on a job outside Columbus about 8 years ago, doing a big basement finish. This guy, probably 65 years old, keeps telling me to add a little less water to my all-purpose mud because it makes the tape set better. I told him he was crazy and that I'd been mixing it the same way for a decade. Finally I tried his way on one wall just to prove him wrong, and the tape laid down so flat I couldn't even see the seam after sanding. Made me look like a fool but the results were unreal. Anyone else ever get handed advice from an old head that went against everything you learned?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_scott4428d ago

I used to fight that advice too until I actually tried it, now I swear by a slightly stiffer mix for taping. Did you notice it also helps keep the joint from cracking as much?

cole_bailey8528d ago

Yeah but does the stiffer mix actually help with cracking long term or just hide the issue for a bit? I tried going a little thicker last time on a ceiling repair and it was a pain to work with but the tape seemed to sit better. Though I'm still not sold on it being the magic fix everyone says it is especially if you're working with older drywall that's already got some movement in the framing. What's your go-to ratio when you say stiffer, like are we talking peanut butter stiff or more like frosting stiff?