# Why is my hot mud setting so fast?



## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Anything different with your water source.

I don't know the chemistry of hot mud, but salt (potassium or calcium chloride) acts as an accelerant in cement/concrete, ... guessing it might accelerate hot mud mixture also.

Is a water softner involved...?


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> Anything different with your water source.
> 
> I don't know the chemistry of hot mud, but salt (potassium or calcium chloride) acts as an accelerant in cement/concrete, ... guessing it might accelerate hot mud mixture also.
> 
> Is a water softner involved...?


No water softener and it's standard city water. The same as I used last week when I mudded the other room....


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Don't know... never happened to me... don't think additives can settle out or up or down in a bag.... don't think so...

but possibly production lines do screw once in awhile.


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> Don't know... never happened to me... don't think additives can settle out or u or down in a bag.... don't think so...
> 
> but possibly production lines do screw once in awhile.


Yes it seems very odd. I'll pick up another bag from a different store tomorrow and see how that goes. I do remember this bag I have currently was one of the last few bags at the bottom of a skid but I got it at Home Depot and I would think they sell this stuff fairly frequently. Definitely often enough that the bag wouldn't have been sitting there's for years and years or anything like that


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## jeffmattero76 (Jan 4, 2016)

Lemkie said:


> Yes it seems very odd. I'll pick up another bag from a different store tomorrow and see how that goes. I do remember this bag I have currently was one of the last few bags at the bottom of a skid but I got it at Home Depot and I would think they sell this stuff fairly frequently. Definitely often enough that the bag wouldn't have been sitting there's for years and years or anything like that


Was there any old mud in your pan or on your blades? I believe that causes new mud to set more quickly than expected.

Sent from my LG-D415 using Tapatalk


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

jeffmattero76 said:


> Lemkie said:
> 
> 
> > Yes it seems very odd. I'll pick up another bag from a different store tomorrow and see how that goes. I do remember this bag I have currently was one of the last few bags at the bottom of a skid but I got it at Home Depot and I would think they sell this stuff fairly frequently. Definitely often enough that the bag wouldn't have been sitting there's for years and years or anything like that
> ...


None at all. I clean everything thoroughly after each use and I made extra sure to clean everything in between the two batches as I had originally thought the same thing so I made sure everything was absolutely clean.


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## Sir MixAlot (Apr 4, 2008)

How are you mixing your mud? 

Over mixing or taking to long to mix can cause it to set prematurely. 

Do you let the mud rest for at least one minute (longer in colder conditions) before remixing and getting the hot mud to the desired consistency?

Where are you located?


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

Sir MixAlot said:


> How are you mixing your mud?
> 
> Over mixing or taking to long to mix can cause it to set prematurely.
> 
> ...


I use a squirrel cage mixer to mix my mud, using my drill on low speed. I mix until the mud is uniform then I stop. 

I'll usually add extra water or mix while I'm mixing if it's too thick or thin. I've always done it like this but is that not the way to go? 

I am in Northern Ontario


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## Sir MixAlot (Apr 4, 2008)

Lemkie said:


> I use a squirrel cage mixer to mix my mud, using my drill on low speed. I mix until the mud is uniform then I stop.
> 
> I'll usually add extra water or mix while I'm mixing if it's too thick or thin. I've always done it like this but is that not the way to go?
> 
> I am in Northern Ontario





Sir MixAlot said:


> *Do you let the mud rest for at least one minute* (longer in colder conditions) before remixing and getting the hot mud to the desired consistency?


I have noticed here in Florida where it's mostly humid. In the Winter after a cold front pushes through and the humidity is low the hot mud seems to set up much quicker.


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

Sir MixAlot said:


> Lemkie said:
> 
> 
> > I use a squirrel cage mixer to mix my mud, using my drill on low speed. I mix until the mud is uniform then I stop.
> ...


Oh ok. The humidity here is very high. About 80 percent in my basement at the moment when the dehumidifier isn't running. It's not running at the moment.


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

I bought a new bag of Sheetrock 90 today, mixed it up and used it at usual without any issues. I mudded for a little over an hour and even then it still hadn't set as bad as the batches from yesterday. I used the same water and did everything the same. I don't know what to say other than a bad batch of product but I hate blaming the company just like that. In either case it's nice to know I'm not going crazy haha.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

Lempk.... Have ya been checked for alsheimers.....:wink2:


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## alexlacelle (Feb 27, 2012)

MTN REMODEL LLC said:


> Lempk.... Have ya been checked for alsheimers.....:wink2:


Lol maybe I'll put that on the list of things to do.


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