Old timer told me my mud was too thin, turned out he was right after 3 blown seams

I've been taping drywall for about 4 years now and always mixed my joint compound a little loose because I thought it spread easier. Last month a guy with 30 years in the trade watched me do a ceiling patch and said "son, your mud is thinner than my patience." He showed me how to get it to the right peanut butter consistency and I'll be damned if my corners didn't stop cracking. I used to add an extra cup of water per bucket which was ruining the strength. Has anyone else had to unlearn a bad habit from some crusty veteran?

3 comments

3 Comments

wells.evan15d ago

That old timer was right about the consistency. I made the same mistake for years, thinking thinner mud was better for smoothness, but it just led to weak joints and frustration. Learning to trust the right thickness was a tough lesson, but it saved me a lot of rework on finished jobs.

taylor_wells15d ago

My buddy Mark finally figured this out after he tried to skim coat his whole living room ceiling with pancake batter thin mud. He spent a whole weekend doing it and by Monday half of it had cracked and peeled off in big sheets. He called me cussing up a storm and I just laughed because I told him the same thing your old timer said. Now he mixes it like thick mayo and actually finishes jobs in one pass instead of three.

miaprice15d ago

Oh man, that peanut butter comparison is perfect... I feel your pain on this one. I spent my first two years in the trades fighting with mud that was way too runny because I thought it made my life easier. Turns out I was just making way more work for myself with all the extra coats and sanding. It's funny how the old timers will just watch you struggle for a while before they finally step in and drop the knowledge on you. But honestly, those are the lessons that stick with you forever even if they sting a little at first.