Showerthought: I was taping a ceiling in a Boise split-level and my mud kept sagging.

My apprentice finally asked why I wasn't mixing my hot mud with a little bit of all-purpose. I'd been using it straight for years, thinking it was stronger. That one mix change stopped the sag and saved me a whole afternoon of rework. What other little mix tricks have you guys picked up that aren't in the book?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy3021mo ago

Got any other hot mud secrets?

burns.brooke1mo ago

Nathang67 is onto something with the dish soap trick. A little vinegar in your water bucket helps keep the mud workable longer, stops it from setting up too fast. Really useful on big ceilings. Warm water instead of cold makes a huge difference too, just don't make it hot.

nathang671mo ago

Ever try mixing a little dish soap in with your hot mud, @amy302? It makes it way easier to spread and cuts down on drag. I keep a small squirt bottle by my hawk just for that.