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Mudding patches, butted up to a semi gloss top coated walls

960 views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  hdavis 
#1 ·
Hi Guys

New to the forum, I can see by looking around, there are a lot of pros lurking around this place

I am betting some, like me had a mentor that taught them more then they ever thought they needed to know about building trades. Couple that with some serious years of trial and error under their belts; Now somedays, I feel capable of fixing anything, with nothing, and other days i am left wondering, why is everything always broken in my life? 🧐🤯

With that said, wanted to start off and say “Hey!” I hope for everyone’s sake 2020 is going to get better from here. To anyone out there down and out, justin case no one ever told you, you need to know; life is about enduring suffering and the people that do well in this life can take these big hits, and the next day they’re up and moving with a smile on their face, It will turn around it always does. You can’t win if you are sitting around feeling sorry for your situation. Sometimes you gotta fake it to make it around here!


Anyway sorry for the motivational sentences.

My first topic I am asking about, is something I have never really enjoyed about the trade (mudding and patching drywall) I don’t think many guys commonly gravitate towards it and these days my time seems to be spent repairing more and more drywall. Which is almost always from vandalism caused by tenants in low income rental units.

Patches range from smaller then a golf ball, up to full 6 or 7 foot tall right between the studs body checks...

All drywall and or gypsum board has been painted many, many times times with every kind of paint that’s existed since the 60’s and 70’s but almost always has a latex semi gloss topcoat.

The paint sometimes does have adhesion issues- resulting in peeling and sometimes bubbling, which often comes and goes with the humidity in the area.

I haven’t had any adhesion problems with my patch work, which to be honest I am often somewhat surprised about. Is there prep required/ recommended other then, making sure the area is clean and free from grease, silicone, tape etc; when mudding patches over a latex semi gloss top coat. Or should the area be primed or scuffed?

The tape I use usually depends on what I am given by our supply handler, I find with paper, I end up with a flatter patch, so I use it as much as possible, but our supply guy has been supplying mesh more and more. I have actually just went and bought paper in a few cases, I refuse to use mesh on corners.

I personally hate the mesh stuff, and never have understood why it even exists? Is it stronger for patches like the ones i am referring to, at least when properly used with a bed in coat; Or is paper stronger?

I know some guys prefer it and I’ve seen guys using that pink spray trim tex adhesive and no bed in coat 🤨. some using the 3m 77 adhesive, that you use to put the mesh liner back on you car stereo speaker covers 😂. I know Ive noticed it’s quite common to see guys using the CGC premix dust control crap for the bed in coat. I have often wondered why, it shrinks like crazy, takes way to long to cure and is very soft. I always use powder for my first two coats typically 90 min stuff - I don’t find the 20 dries faster it just hardens A LOt faster.

That’s my question- you guys feel free to give me any direction and/or advice - tell me am i doing it all wrong, if you think that’s the case- should I be using some different process or product? Or maybe I should just subcontract out more of the patching and stick to what enjoy, plumbing and electrical.

To be honest I’ve always thought the guidance counselor doing the old “ohh you like wood shop, be a carpenter!” is kinda bad advice. I absolutely love working on cars/trucks and I know the best way to ruin my favorite hobby would be to do it for a living 40 plus hours a week 😉 - I need variety.

Typically; I am putting my mud on with a 4 or 6 inch Richard mud knife in my left hand and a 16 inch Marshalltown in my right hand.
I am right handed so unless I have to switch for a specific patch, due to location this is how I roll. I have tried using hawks and trowels in the past, but I always come back to this combo.


cheers
 
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#3 ·
I usually carry a bag of 20min and 45min in my van but picked up a bag of 5min for job that needed to be done sooner than the rest. with 20min I usually have enough time to cleanup the tools before it sets up and if I aim a fan over it, can usually get the first two/three coats on in 45-60 mins.

when time is important, I'll stop with 45min and after a scraping with the knife to get the knife edge down then go over it with a sponge or wet paper towel. fan dry it a little longer and a run a sanding block over it while sucking up the dust w/ my little vacuum.

re: your comment about your use of 20min hardening faster, I base my use of 20min vs 45min on how deep the joint is. closer my patch is (without filling between panels) the quicker I get out of there.

only use 90min when I'm doing something like a small kitchen/bath remodel where I have repairs all around and I need the additional time to smooth it out.

I only use mesh tape with setting compound-never with premixed. wall patches always receive mesh tape and corners get paper. that's just the way I've been doing it and since it works haven't tried anything new lately-maybe paper on the patches would be just as good (?)
 
#5 ·
There are rentals around here that get sprayed out with all one color of semigloss. If it has been cleaned, I haven't seen adhesion problems.

There are a lot if different ways to do patches, and I've pretty much used them all. Paper, mesh, fibafuze.
 
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