General purpose drywall mud
#1
02-13-21, 07:35 AM
General purpose drywall mud
I'm not able to get a satisfactory answer from the home improvement store. For general drywall repair, including embedding tape, and panel replacement (my intended use) I dont see a big difference between USG green lid General Purpose mud and USG Soquete. The Soquete seems to tout "lighter", but I guess that appeals to someone holding a mud tray all day long.
Based on my needs above, is there really an advance of one over the other? There are just soooooo many choices on USG site to pick from for a mud choice.
Based on my needs above, is there really an advance of one over the other? There are just soooooo many choices on USG site to pick from for a mud choice.
#2
02-13-21, 08:38 AM
Group Moderator
Some guys like to use the green lid stuff for setting the tape as it dries harder and then use the Plus3 (blue lid) for the final coats as it sands easier. I learned from the commercial tapers I work with and just use Plus3 for everything and I have never had an issue with any of my taping. Plus, I do not do a lot of taping and don't need to be keeping two types of mud. 
A lot of it is a personal preference.
A lot of it is a personal preference.
#3
02-13-21, 08:54 AM
Group Moderator
Either will work, so don't overthink it. I often use Durabond 45 for taping and for fill coat, for the reasons Tolyn mentioned... it is much harder and less prone to crack. It also shrinks less and is hard... so hard you can't sand it. Once its dry, I use a topping mix, either Green or Blue lid for the final coats.
It really doesn't matter what you choose... All purpose or Soquete. Not that big of a difference.
It really doesn't matter what you choose... All purpose or Soquete. Not that big of a difference.
#4
02-13-21, 10:21 AM
Thanks. Green lid it is.
BTW, the 3.5gal boxes I see on the shelf say premixed. Is that just mud in a bag, in a box?
BTW, the 3.5gal boxes I see on the shelf say premixed. Is that just mud in a bag, in a box?
handyandy2
voted this post useful.
#7
02-13-21, 04:09 PM
You can usually dump the mud into the bucket without a mess. Open the box, pull the bag around the outside of the flaps of the box then pick it up and turn it over onto the bucket. Scooping is just too slow and messy. And as marksr suggests storing the ud in the bag after you open it is inviting gobs and scratches in the finish.
#8
02-13-21, 05:18 PM
I've stored mud and wall texture for long times in a sealed bucket with good results so I have experience with large quantities. I'll say tho, that its been a good 8 years since the mud box and knife has seen some action, it was just recently that I got an eyeful of the different joint compounds. Either they are new to the market over the past 8-10 years, or I was just never exposed to anything other than the general (green lid) mud. For a while there I was puling down the popcorn ceiling in the house, and using the wall texture mixed thicker for embedding tape. From my conversation with USG they said wall texture mixed to joint compound consistency was not optimal.
Who knew?
Who knew?
#9
02-14-21, 03:49 AM
From my conversation with USG they said wall texture mixed to joint compound consistency was not optimal.
Box mud has been around for a long time although I've not seen any since I moved to east tenn. The lightweight [blue lid] mud has been around for a long time [decades] The low dust mud is fairly new [5yrs or so]
edit - I think maybe I understand the quoted statement, are you saying the powdered texture shouldn't be mixed thick and used as j/c? if so I agree. Textured walls are rare here in northeast tenn and when the walls are textured it's almost always thinned down j/c.
#10
02-14-21, 05:00 AM
Happy to elaborate.
I have a half bag left of wall texture and used this in the past for joint compound when mixed to the needed consistency. I did this because I was burning through the smaller green lid joint compound and was not in need of the larger pail.
The call to the customer line at USG brought an agent that just said wall texture and joint compound were for different purposes and would not elaborate. I pressed on, wanting to better understand the rationale, but he stuck to the same line. I asked to speak to someone else.
The next agent gave me the detail I needed to satisfy my curiosity about the increased water content for promoted adhesion, and was not recommended for joint compound. We didnt go into details of cracking, leveling, sanding, etc. At that point I accepted the reasoning.
At the time (8-10 years ago), I believe I read somewhere that you can use the wall/ceiling texture to mix to a joint compound consistency, and use it. I did just that, but my usage of it was for probably 3 sheets of drywall being used in a small bathroom remodel, and some patch panels. They have since not shown any crack damage, shrinking, etc, but I have gone back to the green lid as a result of this conversation.
Textured walls and ceilings are de rigueur here in the west.
I have a half bag left of wall texture and used this in the past for joint compound when mixed to the needed consistency. I did this because I was burning through the smaller green lid joint compound and was not in need of the larger pail.
The call to the customer line at USG brought an agent that just said wall texture and joint compound were for different purposes and would not elaborate. I pressed on, wanting to better understand the rationale, but he stuck to the same line. I asked to speak to someone else.
The next agent gave me the detail I needed to satisfy my curiosity about the increased water content for promoted adhesion, and was not recommended for joint compound. We didnt go into details of cracking, leveling, sanding, etc. At that point I accepted the reasoning.
At the time (8-10 years ago), I believe I read somewhere that you can use the wall/ceiling texture to mix to a joint compound consistency, and use it. I did just that, but my usage of it was for probably 3 sheets of drywall being used in a small bathroom remodel, and some patch panels. They have since not shown any crack damage, shrinking, etc, but I have gone back to the green lid as a result of this conversation.
Textured walls and ceilings are de rigueur here in the west.
#11
02-14-21, 05:07 AM
It's been 30 yrs since I've been around any powdered wall texture but I don't recall ever knowing of anyone trying to use it as j/c. I suppose it would work in a pinch.
I normally use Durabond 20 for repairs and sometime when taping a new rm or two. I usually buy the all purpose mud because it's supposed to have better adhesive properties and I'll thin it if/when I need to spray texture. It's rare locally for walls to be textured although ceilings often get textured.
I normally use Durabond 20 for repairs and sometime when taping a new rm or two. I usually buy the all purpose mud because it's supposed to have better adhesive properties and I'll thin it if/when I need to spray texture. It's rare locally for walls to be textured although ceilings often get textured.
#12
02-14-21, 03:36 PM
marksr,
Are you using the term Durabond 20 as a generic term for 20 minute set mud or for Durabond brand? I don't see anything but Durabond 90 around here and it is rare but everyone stocks the quickset muds in 5,20,40 0r 45, and 90 minute sets. There have been some times I wished I had the hardness of Durabond but usually I use EasySand or its competitors and I use a lot of 5 minute mud. I cut 1 gallon pool chlorine jugs the long way and mix in them. Milk jugs work but the Cl jugs are heavier duty. I have dozens of them. I clean them up in bulk when I get a lot of them dirty and reuse them a few times before they get pitched. Of course I don't mix setting compound in a dirty jug, that is why I keep a lot of them on hand.
Are you using the term Durabond 20 as a generic term for 20 minute set mud or for Durabond brand? I don't see anything but Durabond 90 around here and it is rare but everyone stocks the quickset muds in 5,20,40 0r 45, and 90 minute sets. There have been some times I wished I had the hardness of Durabond but usually I use EasySand or its competitors and I use a lot of 5 minute mud. I cut 1 gallon pool chlorine jugs the long way and mix in them. Milk jugs work but the Cl jugs are heavier duty. I have dozens of them. I clean them up in bulk when I get a lot of them dirty and reuse them a few times before they get pitched. Of course I don't mix setting compound in a dirty jug, that is why I keep a lot of them on hand.
#13
02-14-21, 03:54 PM
Group Moderator
Tightcoat, I won't speak for Marksr but around here Durabond 45 and 90 are stock items, and 20 is available special order. Its also a stock item at other stores... just not around here.
And the EasySand lightweight setting compound is a stock item in 5, 20, 45, and 90.
And the EasySand lightweight setting compound is a stock item in 5, 20, 45, and 90.
#14
02-15-21, 03:29 AM
I buy the Durabond 20 when I can although sometimes it's out of stock so I'll buy whatever they have. The 20 minute mud works best for me although the 90 minute seems to be the most popular. I don't recall ever seeing the 5 min mud for sale.
