Do any of you guys have a way you estimate how much drywall mud a job will take that factors in corner bead, #sheets, etc.?
We really have missed it on this job: basement/ 66 sheets 4×8 (installed vertically), walls only (except soffets covering ducts) 120 linear feet of outside corner bead. We are heading for 25 gallons of all purpose. Obviously the corner beads eat mud, but – 5 buckets?
I’d like to benefit from someone else’s genius on this.
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Replies
5 buckets for 66 sheets?
Sounds 'bout right.
So what's your prob... @ $14 a bucket? Big whoop.
I didn't hear Fonzie's request as a complaint; more of a question about how to estimate quantities of rock v. mud. Is there a rule of thumb you use to decide how much of each to buy?
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
In this neck of the woods the mud comes in boxs, about $7 a box. Amount of mud changes, depends if you use square or round corners. Add slick finish vs. a texture & your sure to have not enough or to much.
you still have to mix your own?
I haven't seen that around here in years
Yer not gonna like the answer.
Its always a guess . There are guys that measure but franky it depends on the job. Ive been in this discussion at least 2 dozen times.
When standing drywall up you are setting it level and not running with the ceiling so that takes more .
How well its hung in general make a difference . Is the house level and straight ?
Metal does eat a lot of mud on corner bead . Try taping the sides of it . Was the metal put on tight ? If you tape it you cant put it on really tight .
The studs and framing in general can make a big difference too . It eats the mud if you are floating out butts 3 ft wide to 4.
1/2 inch drywall on 2 ft centers eats a lot of mud over 16 centers, High low high low. Nothin you can do except finish it . Then running joints get wide. 12 to 14. My joints on 5/8th drywall are never more then 10 inches . Most can be ran on 8 inches.
Is that telling you anything?
Tim
Memphest 2006
November 18th
Thanks Tim,I knew there were a lot of factors - just know there are a lot of guys smarter though. What IS getting a little embarassing is calling the lumberyard for more and more mud - especially when you think you got extra the first time.It is unusual for us to be installing it vertically and I thought we would use way less - that didn't help the delivery order. We always DO tape the corner bead, like you. So it's a gut thing, huh.
Edited 8/28/2006 9:35 pm ET by Fonzie
No since beatin yer self up over it .
Its cheap enoough to order extra.
Tell ya what I do.
If it looks like 15 boxes , I load 20. Sure I would say that huh?
I take the extra mud to the shop and stack it up after a job so Ive got some inventory. I like to have 10 boxes in the shop so I can pull a small job out of it or do a weekend job. If I miss an order on the mud, metal, texture, etc, I just pull it out of inventory before I pull out . JUst have to remember to put it back when its handy to do so. I keep a lot of white and off white paint plus primers , laquers , etc for the same reason.
Just seems to help my half azz mind .
Tim Memphest 2006
November 18th
USG says to figure 0.9 gallons of joint compound for every 100 square feet of board.
That means you would need 4 pails at 5 gallons each, or 20 gallons total. There might be factors requiring you to go more, or less.
For whole-house jobs, the USG factor has worked for me.
He bought too much mud the way that figgures.
All it ever is , is an estimate anyway. Too many oh shids involved.
LIttle more:
Different tapers use different amounts. The type finishing done does to.
I run a bazooka and use 3 to 4 dips with a pan in a box uf USG joint compound to tape . Thats pretty thin. If the rock is not tight , it will take three coats on top. that uses more.
Ive had tapers working on payroll doing different jobs for years . Theres always some that use consistantly more than others.
its a toss up
Tim
Memphest 2006
November 18th
Edited 8/28/2006 9:58 pm by Mooney
I've figured one bucket for every 10 sheets of drywall and come kinda halfway close.
10 shts of what ?Memphest 2006
November 18th
I figure 5 gallons for 500 sq ft. So on your job my estimate would be about 4 and a quarter 5 gallon buckets. Round it up to 5 and that would have been my estimate. It varies though like everyone else has said. A gallon per hundred will get you close though.
Thanks guys I've got that in my pda now. If I had that for this job and it came out 4 1/4 I would have added for the extra outside corner for sure and it would have worked. I'm boycoting those boxes - the buckets are too handy.
Something to consider is that running all of your sheets vertical creates a lot more joints than a job with horizontal sheets in the longest lengths practical (thereby reducing the number of butt joints). Most commercial work is done with the sheets vertical, and for jobs with typical 9'-10' boards, we figure 1 bucket per 10 boards and that's usually dead on.
Bob
And it looks like that would have been right for this job. I found the online USG calculator. If I did it right this should work: http://www.usg.com/resources/onlinetools/sheetrockEst.jsp#top Since it didn't "light up", I guess I didn't.
Many times it is impossible to get anything bigger than 4x8 sheets in the basement. So you hang them vertical and there is no butt joints. Use 4x12s horizontal if you can.
I could'nt get thru to confirm,but I'm pretty sure USG has a calculator on their website.Punch in the square footage and they give you the totals of everything-sheetrock,screws,mud,tape,etc.
....interesting, thanks. I'll give that a try.
First rule -
The less experience you have, the more you will use and waste.
But five buckets sounds good to me
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