# Mixing Drywall Mud



## justinwillsie (Jan 8, 2009)

I do alot of eveything for the company i work for, we general contract jobs and do everything from exterior work too flooring too drywall mud and tape, cabinets, but im having trouble lately with air pockets in my mud. Im not sure if its how im mixing it or what tricks are too stop this??


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

I'm no pro drywaller, but I think it is pretty normal to have some voids due to small air bubbles in the first coat of mud. When it dries the second coat fills any such voids.

The only thing I'd do is try not to whip air into the mud by mixing it at high speed. When using a drill to mix it just do it at very low RPM.

When I mud anything I use a hawk and I pull my mud right from the box and mix it on the hawk with my taping knife. Sounds disgusting but I always spit in it to thin it out very very slightly.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Mix in a little liquid dish soap. Seriously.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

AtlanticWBConst. said:


> Mix in a little liquid dish soap. Seriously.


Second that. The soap should break the surface tension of the compound cutting down on the bubbles.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

That's a pretty cool idea. How much dish soap per box of mud? Like a tablespoon?


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## RippySkippy (Feb 9, 2007)

Are you adding water to the mud? I always thin down the pre-mixed stuff before applying, I like it thin. If it's stiff...the air pockets are a bit more difficult to work out. What kind of mixer are you using...some whip more air into the mix exacerbating the problem.

Lots of finishers ad a little bit of liquid dish soap, don't over do it. No Pock Pro is an additive formulated for use with drywall mud that will do the same thing...but will cost more.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Dependant on the particular brand of redimix compound, it is good to mix the product. Sometimes you may need to add a little water (as already suggested). This thins out the compound, and makes it more pliable and easier to work with. Sometimes, if the compound has been allowed to freeze, you may end up with inconsistency and more air bubbles.

The liquid dish soap is an old trick. You don't need alot of it. Add as you need it, dependant on the amounf of bubbling your getting. 1/4 cup to start or so.


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## justinwillsie (Jan 8, 2009)

thanks guys, ya i talked to someone about it before i did 3rd coat today and i used a drill with a variable speed too slow down the mixing and that helped alot, i will try the soap trick though too!


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

Bubbling is also caused by lifting the mixer out of the surface of the mud, thus mixing in air. Adding water reduces the mud, and is against proper mixing directions but is always done.


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## RippySkippy (Feb 9, 2007)

yeah...when I started...I didn't thin...and OMG...I fought and fought it. There must be a fairly large margin of error with regards to the quantity of water...I like it relatively thin and have never seen signs of it adversely affecting it's performance. Lucky maybe...


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## DUDE! (May 3, 2008)

mudding is an ongoing challange. Seems sometimes it goes so so smooth and other times you fight it to get a good finish. I am very jealous of the pros. This definitly falls into the catagory where more is not better.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Always add a healthy squirt of Lemon Joy when mixing mud (my own personal preference, love that lemony smell), and water. The tricky part is the amount of water as mfgrs. change redimix consistencies with seasonal temp changes. Add the water in small increments until you get the consistency you're comfortable working with. You can always add more, can't take it out....


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## Jack of most (Jan 21, 2009)

You must be using a premixed joint compound. I always use a powdered joint compound. Hand mix this. NO POWER TOOLS! You don't want to incorporate too much air. I like the 90 min. set time. It's enough work time and yet dries fast. Since I started using this I have not had an air bubble problem. It also seems to give a smoother finish and easy to sand.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

For small amounts of setting type (powder) compound, mix by hand in a mud pan. Large amounts can be mixed with a drill and paddle in a bucket. Adding a bit of dish soap reduces the bubbling effect. Also helps to have a variable speed drill for mixing powders at a slower speed. Less sloshing product out of the bucket and less air introduced.....


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

For mixing setting type (powder) compound in a mud pan Myron the Drywall Guy at the Las Vegas Remodeler's Show did DW classes at the USG booth, useing a small cake mixer attachment chucked into his cordless drill to mix the mud in the pan.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

I've heard of that, the wife just won't give up one of her beaters. Seriously though, the new formula USG Easy Sand claims "easier hand mixing" on the bag and I for one have found it true. Hardly any lumps mixing with a knife in the pan. Most of the time I'm using setting compound for patch work and eventually final skim with ready mix, so super smooth first coat(s) is not an issue.....


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## RippySkippy (Feb 9, 2007)

This past weekend I re-modeled my sister-in-laws bathroom. Saturday, was plumbing for the new valve, added the shower head drop-ell, framing and drywalling. Sunday I finished the drywall and I started with 45 minute durabond to bed the tape, and to fill in some areas that needed a little TLC, then I switched to the 20 minute easy sand light weight setting type joint compound from USG for finishing.

One technique I used that may help others...with the 20 minute mud, apply and smooth the best you can at first. Then, clean your tools and mud pan, and by the time you're done, go back to the mud you applied. With a clean knife, scrape off any excess bumps/ridges...with LIGHT TOUCH. When the mud is about 3/4 set, you can clean corners, smooth any rough areas and get ready for the next coat. The best things is that you can apply mud to one side of a corner, then in about 30 minutes, you can do the other. WAY faster than waiting on the pre-mixed stuff to dry.

I finished her bathroom with out sanding in about 5 hours; from raw drywall to completely finished (ready for primer). If I had used the standard pre-mixed stuff...I doubt the first coat would of dried in the same time. Granted you wouldn't do this in a whole house...but for a small bath where I didn't want to drive back to her house until the next step...it worked well. One word of caution though...don't mix up a huge amount...it will set up before you can use it! (not that I'd know mind you....) 

So if your thinking about using the setting type light weight compound...I'd say go for it...it has all the benefits of premixed (you can sand if you need) and the benefit of setting like durabond so you can re-coat faster. The easy sand products are available with varying setting times; 5 setting time of 8-12 minutes, 20 setting time of 20-30 minutes, 45 setting time of 30-80 minutes, 90 setting time of 85-130 minutes, and 210 setting time of 180-240 minutes.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Agreed! And if it's just a small area or patch, you can speed up the process even more with a heat gun (or ordinary hair dryer).


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## RippySkippy (Feb 9, 2007)

And your right the new setting type easy sand mixes well...follow directions though...mix let it sit for a minute, and remix...that minute of setting allows any little clumps to absorb some moisture and when it's re-mixed, it will blend in. I like the idea of using a mixer beater, I'm off to goodwill on the way outta town...


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Yeah, it really does seem like a good idea. Read it on another site somewhere. Will have to keep an eye out when garage sale "season" gets cranked back up this spring.....


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## cfye (Feb 25, 2009)

DUDE! said:


> mudding is an ongoing challange. Seems sometimes it goes so so smooth and other times you fight it to get a good finish. I am very jealous of the pros. This definitly falls into the catagory where more is not better.


bubbles come from mudding over old walls that are painted.never new walls.it does not come from over mixing or at high speed mixing.stiff mud will have bubbles, add water, mix well.soap only makes mud creamy and easy to pull.try adding soap to a box with no water its still not right.mud wil bubble also if you sand each coat.only need to sand once. and thats when the job is done.even bead that has 20 on it.its all in the coat.keep the mix clean and keep the walls clean.


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## cfye (Feb 25, 2009)

DUDE! said:


> mudding is an ongoing challange. Seems sometimes it goes so so smooth and other times you fight it to get a good finish. I am very jealous of the pros. This definitly falls into the catagory where more is not better.


bubbles come from mudding over old walls that are painted.never new walls.it does not come from over mixing or at high speed mixing.stiff mud will have bubbles, add water, mix well.soap only makes mud creamy and easy to pull.try adding soap to a box with no water its still not right.mud wil bubble also if you sand each coat.only need to sand once. and thats when the job is done.even bead that has 20 on it.its all in the coat.keep the mix clean and keep the walls clean.


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## cfye (Feb 25, 2009)

justinwillsie said:


> I do alot of eveything for the company i work for, we general contract jobs and do everything from exterior work too flooring too drywall mud and tape, cabinets, but im having trouble lately with air pockets in my mud. Im not sure if its how im mixing it or what tricks are too stop this??


 add a little more water to mix.thicker mix has more bubbles and you have to pull it tighter to get them out.three coats they say.but two nice coats is just fine .all purpose for tape .lightweight for coats.


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