Bathroom patch job changed how I mix joint compound forever.

I used to mix my mud really thick for small repairs, thinking it dried quicker. After a messy patch in my bathroom, a buddy told me to thin it out more. The thinner mix spread evenly and needed almost no sanding. I'm never going back to thick mud for taping again.

3 comments

3 Comments

dylanfisher1mo ago

Your advice to add more water saved me so much time on my own patch job.

dixon.spencer1mo agoMost Upvoted

How do you tell when the mix is thin enough but not too runny? I've had times where I added a little too much water and it got soupy, then it shrank too much as it dried. My worst was a ceiling patch where it just sagged right out of the knife. Now I go for something like thick pancake batter. What's your go-to test for the right consistency before you start spreading?

the_barbara1mo ago

Man, you are so right about thinning the mud. I made the same mistake on my kitchen wall patch last year. The thick stuff was such a pain to spread and sand. Once I tried a thinner mix, it went on smooth and dried evenly. Now I always add a bit more water, and it saves me so much time.