It offers good crack-resistance, excellent adhesion, and superior ease of handling. Lightweight Joint Compounds including All Purpose with Dust Control are not recommended for skim coat applications.

Should I use all purpose or lightweight joint compound?

Lightweight joint compound weighs less than regular and offers lower shrinkage. After applying any type of joint compound, it must dry before sanding it. When sanding it, lightweight compound is easier to sand than regular. It is used for all drywall needs, including covering joints, corner beads, fasteners and trim.

Can you skim coat with lightweight joint compound?





USG 381466 joint compound is a lightweight joint compound that is specially designed for skim coating. It has all the benefits of a joint compound and comes in a convenient ready-mixed tub, making it easy to use with metal taping as well as other protection and joint materials.

What is lightweight drywall compound used for?

Lightweight compound is often used for first and second coat of seams and corner bead. It is almost always used as a finish coat because of its ease of sanding.

What’s the best drywall mud for a finish coat?

Topping Compound: Best Mud for Final Coats



Topping compound is the ideal mud to use after the first two coats of taping compound have been applied to a taped drywall joint. Topping compound is a low-shrinking compound that goes on smoothly and offers a very strong bond. It is also highly workable.

What’s the difference between joint compound and skim coat?


Quote from Youtube video: Because it's super soft and scratch is really easy so it it really doesn't leave a very durable surface. Now if you're skim coating over raw drywall.

Do you have to skim coat the entire wall?





Prime the ENTIRE wall to seal any loose paper and to help ensure a nice, even finish. These are thin layers that won’t fix holes or torn-away paper, or make uneven sections level. Patch these problems with setting-type joint compounds. Make sure the primer dries before applying the skim coat.

Which drywall mud should I use?

All-purpose mud is commonly used as a first coat because the bonding agents in the mud cause the drywall tape to hold better. All-purpose mud is harder to sand and not often used as a finish coat. Topping mud is a form of dry mud that is lighter than all-purpose. It is best used for final coats.

How many coats of drywall mud do I need?

Applying Mud



You need to lay one layer of mud onto the bare wall to hold the tape, and you can usually lay another immediately after you lay the tape and scrape it. After that coat dries, you topcoat with a third layer, using a wider knife than you used for taping.

How do you use all purpose drywall compound?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: We recommend that all purpose be used with paper joint tape. It's also excellent for skim coating. And hand applying simple textures.

What is the difference between all purpose and topping compound?



All-purpose mud, or taping mud, is best for embedding the tape and filling nail and screw holes, but pros generally switch to topping compound for the top coats. Topping compound is lighter, easier to apply and sand, and shrinks less than all-purpose mud.

What is the difference between all purpose joint compound and plus 3?

What is the difference between All Purpose and Plus 3™ joint compounds? Sheetrock® Brand Plus 3™ Lightweight All-Purpose Joint Compound weighs about 30% less than Sheetrock® Brand All-Purpose Joint Compound. It is also easier to sand and shrinks less.

Do you need to add water to all purpose joint compound?

Do I need to add water when mixing Sheetrock® Brand UltraLightweight All Purpose Joint Compound? No, Sheetrock® Brand UltraLightweight All Purpose Joint Compound is formulated as a ready-to-use product. Simply mix and use.

Why do you put soap in drywall mud?



Adding Dish Soap to drywall mud would help make the mud smoother, thereby producing a better finish. It also prevents bubbles in your drywall mud, as long as you follow the proper mixing procedures to the required consistency.

How thick should mud be over tape?

Embed the Tape Completely



To do this properly, begin with applying a thick layer of joint compound (a “bed”) down the center of the seam. Then smooth it down to make its consistent thickness of nearly ⅛ inch using either a 5-inch or a 6-inch taping knife.

How do you prevent pockmarks in drywall mud?

Preventing pockmarks in joint compound



Add a couple of squirts of dish-washing liquid to your compound to reduce the surface tension.

What causes fish eyes in drywall mud?

What Causes Bubbles in Drywall Mud? AsktheBuilder says that the bubbles or blisters in drywall from under paper drywall tape. This happens because too much joint compound was scraped from under that tape. More specifically, there is a lack of joint compound between the tape and the surface of the drywall.

Do you need to sand between drywall coats?



After the first coat has dried completely, you will need to sand and apply two more coats to the fasteners, sanding between each coat.