Just remembered a trick from a Reno job in 2019

We had a vaulted ceiling with a tricky seam. The foreman had us mix a little extra water into a small batch of mud, just for that one seam, to slow the dry time in the heat. It let us get a way smoother finish before it set. Anyone else ever adjust mix consistency for specific spots like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_perry1mo ago

Wait, you're telling me there's a way to get the mud to actually cooperate on those awkward spots instead of me just swearing at it until it dries? That trick with the extra water is gold, but I've also found that on really hot days the mud gets this weird crust on the bucket before I even get it on the knife. @black.margaret I've had a few times where I just walked away and came back after the sun went down because the mud was fighting me so bad. I've definitely tried it but I've also had it backfire when I got a little too generous with the water and ended up with a saggy mess that looked like a melted candle. The trick is finding that sweet spot between smooth and runny. My personal record for "dumbest mud mistake" was when I used cold water from the hose on a 95 degree day and the mud seized up on me instantly like it was giving up on life.

wyatt_green3mo ago

Old-timer showed me that trick too.

black.margaret3mo ago

Yeah, I was totally stuck on the new way of doing it until an old-timer showed me that trick too, @wyatt_green. It just works better for the weird stuff we get in here. Changed my whole routine.