Taping and mudding drywall in the cold
I’m in the process of building a machine shop in the corner of my unheated barn. The intent is to climate control just the area where the machines will be. Toward that end, I have drywalled the two walls that form the corner and am now ready to tape and mud. (After the machines are in place, I’ll drop in the two interior walls)
The problem is that here in central Connecticut its too cold and rainy to mud at this time of year(according to the directions on the packages of drywall plaster). A friend in the trades told me of a special type of mud that can be used down to 40F. However, he can’t remember the name.
Does anyone know of such a product?
I have a torpedo heater that could be directed toward the corner to raise the temperature long enough to dry the mud, but its obviously not the best of solutions.
Any and all comments welcome
Art
Replies
Art,
Close the corner-or just around these two walls. Use visqueen, or drops-make a sealed area with enough room to work, but not too big to heat.
Use bagged compound rather than bucket mud. Durabond for setting the tape-lightweight from USG for successive coats.
These come in "timed' varieties-120, 90, 45, 20, 5. These are roughly the "setting" time-not the working time necessarily. It will not be "dry" in those times-but "might" be able to be recoated if conditions are right (in your case-not really optimal-so times might stretch between coats). Always best to let dry completely-so you don't booger up or compromise the previous coats.
The above set in more of a chemical reaction rather than total dehydration.
Durabond dries HARD and care should be used in application-you won't want to sand that stuff.
The lightwt is much more forgiving.
Hot mud is still going to set up a lot slower in cold weather.
Exactly
Hot mud is still going to set up a lot slower in cold weather.
That's what the enclosure is for-to provide a smaller space that he might be able to heat reasonably.
mudding in the cold
sounds like a plan - thanks for the advice
Art