holly420•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Thin mud mixes get a bad rap from my shop, but I prefer them

The crew always mixes joint compound thick to avoid sagging. I started making mine thinner, like pancake batter. It spreads easier and feathers out nicer with less effort. My finish coats dry smoother and need less sanding overall.

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie1161mo ago

Try that thin mix on a ceiling and you might see some sag. Honestly, I learned the hard way that it doesn't hold up over larger spans. Tbh, for bigger areas, I add a bit more compound to stiffen it up. Ngl, it's a balance between easy spreading and avoiding headaches later.

adams.beth1mo ago

When I redid my bedroom ceiling last spring, I used a mix that was too thin and ended up with sag spots after a week. I mean, it was a huge pain to fix, so I get what you're saying. Idk, maybe it's just me, but I started adding like an extra cup of compound to a half bucket for overhead work. It still spreads fine if you keep your trowel damp, but it holds up way better. Honestly, letting each coat dry fully before adding more helps a lot too. I learned that the hard way after rushing once and seeing cracks form.

the_tyler1mo ago

Yeah, that thicker mix makes sense. Pretty sure I read that same tip Jamie116 mentioned about balancing spread and sag.