… joint compound. What is it, theoretically? Tastes great? Less filling?
If your view never changes you’re following the wrong leader
… joint compound. What is it, theoretically? Tastes great? Less filling?
Check out the lineup for the 2024 Building Science Symposium featuring experts like Steve Baczek, Dr. Joe Lstiburek, and more.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Fine Homebuilding
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
© 2024 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.
Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.
Start Your Free TrialGet complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.
Already a member? Log in
Replies
glass microbead aggregate.
------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
less filling. Used it a couple of times, drove me to drink.
melts in your mouth, not in your hand
Shaving cream that had expired on the shelf life term.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
So why use lightweight vs regular joint compound?
There is light weight premixed joint compound that is also used for general mud and tape jobs. It usually has a blue cover. Sheetrock¯ Plus 3™ Lightweight All-Purpose Joint Compound, by USG is one brand. It is used for embedding drywall joint tape and for filling, leveling, and finishing coats over drywall joints, fasteners, corner bead, and trim. Offers all the benefits of a conventional-weight all purpose compound plus 3 key advantages: up to 35% less weight, lower shrinkage, and exceptional ease of sanding. Compound features superior ease of handling, good crack resistance, and excellent adhesion. Designed to provide low shrinkage, usually requires only two coats over metal, such as corner beads and fasteners, saving time and money. Also can be used for repairing small cracks and holes in drywall and plaster surfaces and for simple hand-applied texturing. Not recommended for skim coating drywall." http://repair-place.com/page2/3942~What's_better,_light_weight_or_regular_joint_compound.htmlI personally only use it for the ease of sanding benefit, but most of the time I use all-purpose
Edited 1/7/2008 2:49 pm by nater
Lightweight gets important at the end of the day after slinging the mud and holding the tub or hawk all day. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
in my experience, lightweight has zero shrinkage and is ready to paint in a veryshort time. it does have a bit more texture though, so regular mud is a better finish to match drywall. if i had a deep area to fill, i'd fill with the lightweight and in about an hour (at max; would likely be ready much sooner), skim with jc.
Edited 1/8/2008 3:03 am ET by msm-s
Have you used setting compound for that kind of filling? Much faster. You can speed it up or slow it down by the temp of the water, too.
LOL- do you have insomnia too? i gotta get to be so i can be useful tomorrow. but first- i've never heard of the term "setting compound". is it a generic term? what are some brand names. I tend to use actual plaster, jc, or lightweight spackle depending on my needs.
nighty-night!
Normal hours for me. <G>Setting compound is easy to sand:http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/19653/
Setting compound - a joint compound which sets by chemical reaction rather than by air drying, although there is an air drying component in it.
Not positive as to the chemistry involved although I can tell you that it does exotherm during the setting process. I believe it contains some POP.
I use Sheetrock brand's product line, comes as a dry powder in bags, mixed with water at time of use.
Available locally in 5, 20, 45 and 90 minute setting-time formulas. I find the material workable for about half of the published time - 40 minutes or so for the 90.
My normal procedure for a room sized job is: tape with 90, 2nd coat with Mid weight premix, top coat with lightweight premix.
Sand once after top coat - and not much then.
Sheetrock brand lightweight compound has "Plus 3" technology which supposedly produces less dust when sanded.
This seems to be somewhat true.
The total volume of dust is the same as the volume of material removed is the same, however, the dust produced seems to fall straight to the floor rather than remaining airborne - keeps air cleaner in the room and makes clean up easier. So I guess it produces less "airborne dust".
That's all I have to say about that.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
thanks for the details. sounds like 'new and slightly improved' plaster.you still have to mix it, but it has a slower set up time and the dust is less likely to spread?
>>you still have to mix it,<< yes
>> but it has a slower set up time<< yes, and is variable depending on the formulation you buy.
>> and the dust is less likely to spread? <<
no, the comments on the "Plus 3" technology pertain to Sheetrock brand Lightweight joint compound only - a premixed product, comes in a bucket.
Plus 3 comments do not pertain to the setting compounds.
As usual, my dissertations are "just as clear as mud".
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
For most of my projects (small and with ugly details) hot mud is too much of a PITA. I only use it for areas that might get some moisture.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
I use a lot of setting compound, only ever buy the 45-minute stuff, though, then vary the set times by the temp of the water. I use it for everything but the final coat. It may be my imagination, but i don't seem to ever have it popping out of a screw head like i've seen ready-mix JC do.
As far as I am concerned all the lightweight is, is a waste of money. All of it sands easy enough. The lightweight almost sands too easy though. Granted I have used it before, but only cause that's all we had on hand.
Personal lubricant. Just don't let it get too dry. .....ouch!
Tapers I work with like the light weight for second and possible third coats.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements