# What joint compound to use?



## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

I am doing a small project in the basement. 
I thought one small bucket might not be enough, but I certainly didn't need a large bucket. So I thought I would get two small buckets and return one if I didn't need it.

They had Sheetrock All Purpose Joint Compound (green label) and Lafarge Rapid Coat Low Dust.
The clerk said that the Sheetrock was thicker and easier to use, but the Lafarge made much less of a mess when sanding.
I bought one of each, figuring I would use the Sheetrock to tape and the Lafarge for the 2nd and 3rd coats.

I used up over half the Sheetrock bucket taping.
Should I try to finish up with that, or use the Lafarge as planned?

It is my first drywall project. The first wall is terrible and will never look good, but will be hidden by shelves. The second wall is much better and will be seen, though only be people in the basement.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Quickly---Green bucket is hard to sand---contains glue and is used to set the paper---some use it for a top coat but the sanding is very difficult--

Light weight is soft and easy to sand---no good for setting paper but good for the finish coat---


----------



## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

The first coat probably takes as much mud as the second and third combined. I'd use up the green label and then use the LaFarge as you need to. The green stuff sands harder, but it's not a killer. Especially if you use some care when appying it. You may finish it with only the green and never have to open the LaFarge.


----------



## paparocks (Jun 29, 2011)

Maintenance 6 said:


> The first coat probably takes as much mud as the second and third combined. I'd use up the green label and then use the LaFarge as you need to. The green stuff sands harder, but it's not a killer. Especially if you use some care when appying it. You may finish it with only the green and never have to open the LaFarge.


+1
green lid wont kill you and its better mud.


----------



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

mud is cheap!
lafarge rapid coat is awesome mud for second and 3rd coat. it is nice and creamy and is a very nice mud to work with. it dries fast and is very easy to sand. 
you can totally do the job with the green but the rapid coat is much nicer to work with and you'll be happier with the results.


----------



## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

What about the dry mix powder. I have used the 45 minute easy sand for the whole job, did I make a mistake?


----------



## coupe (Nov 25, 2011)

if you're happy with results? no misake I use USG green for all, I don't claim to be a pro, but an estimate of a million sheets hung and finished would not be a stretch


----------



## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

coupe said:


> if you're happy with results? no misake I use USG green for all, I don't claim to be a pro, but an estimate of a million sheets hung and finished would not be a stretch


Lets see. 260 working days per year times 50 years is 13000 days. That's 77 sheets per day to reach 1,000,000 or almost 10 sheets per hour. 1 sheet hung and finished every 6 minutes.

Sounds like a load of sheet to me :laughing:


----------



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

you can totally do the whole job with 45 but your not saving yourself any time. and the results are more likely to be poor. 
if your 45 starts to set up on you when your bedding the tape it will bubble. and on your final coat i would assume you water it down more then the other coats and depending on the conditions by the end of the day the 45 still wont be fully cured for sanding. and it doesnt give you as nice of a finish and its much harder to sand.

there is no need to rush a job unless its a small patch. If you cant find the time to do the job right the first time then when are you going to find the time to fix and do the job correctly?


----------



## coupe (Nov 25, 2011)

maybe your hearing is bad? 37 years 12-14 hours a day nothing but drywall. if you couldn't average it out to 5 minutes per sheet you weren't working! Sikorsky aircraft, Stamford Ct. 1000 sheets on ceiling alone 7 floors. Overlook hospital Summit NJ. 2000 sheets per floor ten floors Hyatt Regency hotel, Nashville,TN. 29 floors 2500 sheets per floor 7 W L Gore plants 6000 sheets per hundreds of houses 125-800 sheets per.

I've done jobs where we had to pay the city to close 2-3 miles of street just for tractor trailer loads of drywall do your calculating on someone else!

thank you


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Be nice----You all have gained skills and respect for them---let's keep it that way---Mike----


----------



## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

Not happy with the results, no. People think finishing drywall is unskilled work. I have just given up on ever being able to do a good job. Then matching texture and all that. Most of the drywall I have done has been small patch jobs that I just use that 20 minute stuff. I can move an outlet over 10 inches, cut a piece of drywall and patch it fairly quickly, but I am never happy with the results. Just hard to make money when you have to come back for a small job 3 or 4 times. I give all the patch jobs to a friend, after he is done it was like we were never there.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

That is the trouble with drywall work----it is a learned skill---until you have a lot of experience--and a certain natural talent--your work will look like a beginners----

Welding is similar-----lots of practice before you are consistently good---


----------



## coupe (Nov 25, 2011)

sorry Oh Mike, who decides how many wok days a year? being portrayed as a liar isn't nice without the facts.

paint, an experienced team can make money @ $12.00 per sheet, unloading,stocking house, hanging 125 sheets 52 sticks of metal corner bead, and being home in 4 1/2 hours. people moving in in 5 days


----------



## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

coupe said:


> maybe your hearing is bad? 37 years 12-14 hours a day nothing but drywall. if you couldn't average it out to 5 minutes per sheet you weren't working! Sikorsky aircraft, Stamford Ct. 1000 sheets on ceiling alone 7 floors. Overlook hospital Summit NJ. 2000 sheets per floor ten floors Hyatt Regency hotel, Nashville,TN. 29 floors 2500 sheets per floor 7 W L Gore plants 6000 sheets per hundreds of houses 125-800 sheets per.
> 
> I've done jobs where we had to pay the city to close 2-3 miles of street just for tractor trailer loads of drywall do your calculating on someone else!
> 
> thank you


What do you consider to be a pro then?


----------



## coupe (Nov 25, 2011)

Toller said:


> What do you consider to be a pro then?


one who claims to be a pro


----------



## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

oh'mike said:


> That is the trouble with drywall work----it is a learned skill---until you have a lot of experience--and a certain natural talent--your work will look like a beginners----
> 
> Welding is similar-----lots of practice before you are consistently good---


My second wall is much better than my first. Maybe if I did 10 or 20 more... But this is likely to be my only drywall ever.

Years and years ago I had a job that involved welding lacquer racks. I was really proud of my first one, until my superior took a hammer and broke it apart. It took a couple more hours until I made them that survived the hammer. So yeah, I agree it is similar.

I used the Larfarge for the 2nd coat and am glad I did. It spreads so much easier. Haven't done the third coat or sanded yet, but if it sands better that is gravy.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

It sands nicely------


----------



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

let us know the results


----------



## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

I was looking at a friends remodel and his drywall finish was perfect. I asked him his secret and he said he rents this big sander thing and goes over the whole wall.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

That sander is a very nice tool-----rental is cost prohibitive on small jobs---but the dust collection might make it worth the cost----


----------



## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

How about using a random orbital sander? I know it is overkill for drywall, but I can attach a vacuum to it.

I also know the drywall dust will be hard on it, but it is old and needs to be replaced soon anyhow.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

No do not use a random orbit sander, even with a vac hooked too it it can not control the dust. Just a regular vac is not good for drywall because the dust is so fine it constantly plugs the filter. Since its a small job why not just sand it with 180 grit sanding screen, then clean up the dust. Or if dust is that big a problem the big box stores sell a drywall finishing sponge that is rough on one side. It's made to wet sand then there won't be any dust.


----------



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

when you sand rapid coat you barely even have to sand. you only need to sand with the weight of the sponge do not push on it. i would set up a containment with plastic. if your that worried about dust rent an air scrubber to take the floating dust out of the air. i would not use an orbital sander. just try sanding it first and see how it goes.


----------



## Toller (Jan 2, 2013)

Sanding was much easier than I expected. The dust fell straight down; not a problem at all.

Sanding revealed two problems that will take another two coats to fix; but otherwise it looks okay. Well, not good, but its a basement.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks for the update.


----------



## brucem (Mar 28, 2012)

So everybody's general consensus is green first coat, blue lid next 2? 
What about this new brown lid stuff?


----------



## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't know were you live. So I have posted a link or two of what I like to use.
http://www.usg.com/beadex-taping-joint-compound.html#tab-features Just for taping and then I like to use this for everything else.
http://www.usg.com/beadex-lite-topping-joint-compound-ready-mixed.html
Just my Buck and a quarters worth of advice.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Must be west coast thing never saw it around here.


----------



## spaceman spif (Jul 28, 2009)

I haven't done near as much drywall as most guys on here, but I will say that taping and mudding is not a skill.

It's an art! :yes:


----------



## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

i use the green for taping and for 2nd and 3rd coat i use lafarge rapid coat beige


----------



## coupe (Nov 25, 2011)

it's just like everything else. it's a learned skill, you begin knowing the basics, you pick up tips from those with more experience, you learn from mistakes made. the simple 4" brush for inside corners cut my inside corner time by at least 1/3, plus sanding time cut 1/2.

a new team of 3 men hanging 12' sheets in a house will beat each other to death, after 3 years together, won't even break a sweat? the more you do, the better you get and easier.

it's only art, if it looks good when done I've never had a problem using USG green lid, other than my own mistakes! it's simply a process you learn for yourself that works for you. consistency,technique, and sequence.

best of luck


----------



## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

ToolSeeker said:


> Must be west coast thing never saw it around here.


That is why it says Pacific North west product only.


----------

