c/drywall-installers

Spent years thinking my mud was drying too fast because of the heat

Turns out I was just mixing it way too thin. A guy on a Reno job saw my bucket and asked if I was making soup. Anyone else have a basic thing you messed up for way too long?

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caseyflores•1d ago

Need advice on a weird ceiling job from last month

Last month I took a job in an old house in Springfield, fixing a water damaged ceiling. The homeowner said it was a simple patch, but when I got up there, the whole thing was sagging like a hammock. The joists were spaced at 24 inches, but the old drywall was only 1/2 inch, which was way too thin for that span. I had to cut out a 10x10 foot section, and the dust was unreal. I'm used to putting up 5/8 inch on ceilings, but the homeowner is pushing back on the cost. Has anyone else run into a situation where the existing work was just plain wrong for the structure? How do you explain that to a client without sounding like you're just upcharging?

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baker.ruby•1d ago

Appreciation post: My old boss in Phoenix always said to mix mud for a full 5 minutes, but I tried just 2 minutes on a small patch last month and the finish was way smoother.

I mean, maybe it's just me but I think over-mixing can trap too many tiny air bubbles, idk, has anyone else found a sweet spot for mixing time?

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oscarh16•3d ago

Showerthought: My take on salvaging old drywall did a full 180

I used to think tearing out and trashing old drywall was just part of the job, no big deal. But after helping on a remodel where we reused boards from non-load bearing walls, I saw how much waste we avoided. The key was checking for mold and damage first, which wasn't as hard as I expected. Now I always look for salvage spots before demo, it saves money and feels better, lol.

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the_quinn•4d ago

Warning: Thin mud isn't always faster for finishing

I thought watery mud would spread easier. A recent patch job took twice as long to sand smooth. Now I mix it to a thicker paste for better results.

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quinn39•4d ago

Appreciation post: My vaulted ceiling job made me glad I skip the power sander

I know everyone says to use a power sander for speed, but I think hand sanding gives a better feel. This last job had a tricky vaulted ceiling with weird corners. I spent extra time with just a sanding block and it came out super smooth. The homeowner was blown away and gave me a shout out online. Maybe it's just me, but that patience really paid off this time.

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morgan329•4d ago

Taping that ceiling taught me patience the hard way

I had to wait for the mud to fully cure on a high humidity day, which took almost twice as long as usual. Rushing it would have meant bubbles and cracks showing up later. Now I always factor in extra time for drying, no matter what the schedule says. It keeps the finish smooth and saves me from callbacks.

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kevin_carr•7d ago

A small victory for proper drywall prep

On a quick bathroom remodel, the owner asked to skip sanding to speed things up. I knew it would show through the paint, so I did a light sand anyway. They noticed the smooth finish and were impressed. Sometimes doing the extra step pays off.

3 comments