Hot Mud, also known as fast set joint compound, or chemically hardening joint
compound, is a terrific product for the plaster repair person. And, it
works equally well for drywall finishing.
It is so versatile, and has so
many uses, that I call it my
"miracle
mud."That said, it also has some limitations, the principal one
being that you have a limited amount of time to use it up before it starts to
harden. So ... it takes some getting used to, but once you are familiar
with how it behaves, you too will discover what a marvelous product it
is.
Hot mud comes in sacks of powder. Depending on the brand you
are using, it comes with various time parameters. For example, the
product line I use comes in 5 minute, 20 minute, 40 minute and 90 minute
varieties. The working time for each is clearly marked on the
bag.
Because longer setting times are readily available, a newcomer to
using quick set compound can opt for the 40 or 90 minute bags, so he is not
quite so pressed for time. It is always a good idea to make smaller
batches. You don't want to have to throw partial batches out because your
stuff is hardening before you can use it up.
Here's how you mix it.
For small projects, I use a small mud pan. When I am doing plaster
patching or a small taping job on drywall, I often make a small batch of 40 or
20 minute mud, mixing it right in the mud pan I will be working out
of. For my brand of mud, I usually figure that I will get a volume
of mud of the right working consistency of about twice the volume of the water I
am putting the powder into. With a small pan, when full, I have about a
quart of material.
I fill my mud pan about 40 percent full of water,
slowly adding the powder and stirring it up with my 4 or 6 inch taping
knife. I can usually get the lumps smoothed out before I am ready to use
the mud. Mixing a small batch like this takes me about 2 or 3
minutes. I try not to stir the mud more than absolutely necessary, because
too much stirring will cause the setting time of your batch to shorten.
Now, 20 minute mud becomes 15 or 10 minute mud.
This is also why it is
not a good idea to use an electric mixer for mixing larger batches of hot
mud. You can cut the working time by as much as half or
more.
Why is hot mud so great? First, it can be a huge time
saver. You can do one operation, then a few minutes later, after it is
hard, go right back over it with the second step in the plaster repair or taping
project. Without the setting time feature, you would have to wait 12 to 24
hours for things to dry before you can continue.
Because hot mud contains
glue (like all taping and regular all purpose joint compounds), you can use it
to glue backing materials in place for filling in holes in plaster or
drywall. Hot mud is great for filling gaps and small holes that regular
compound can't handle (because it shrinks too much). Once it hardens, fast
set mud quits shrinking. You can tape with it, top coat with it, even
texture with it - provided you can work within the time
restrictions.
Some varieties of quick set compound are harder to sand
than others, so I often top my work with regular joint compound.
One
caution: every time you finish using a batch of this stuff, you have to
thoroughly clean all the tools you used, as well as the mud pans, buckets,
etc. Otherwise, the debris left behind on your tools and container will
cause the next batch to go off quicker, reducing your working time.
A
great clean tool is those orange plastic scouring pads called Mister
Tuffy.
And last of all, you must mix your batches in CLEAN water.
Again, to allow you to have full working time.
Now, go do some
miracles.
Edwin Brown has been serving clients for over 35 years on the
west coast of the US, as a specialist in the field of plaster and drywall repair
and renovation. To subscribe to his free email plaster repair course,
HOW TO REPAIR YOUR PLASTER RIGHT,
go to
his
webpage.
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