Old timer told me to wet my mud, I thought he was nuts

Back in '08 I was working with a guy named Chuck who must have been 60. He told me to spray a light mist on my compound before taping, said it would help it flow better. I figured he was just being old school and ignored him for like a year. Finally tried it on a big ceiling job in Portland and he was dead right, the mud spreads way smoother and you get less bubbles. Any of you guys still do that or is it just a boomer thing?

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patriciacarr3mo ago

Wetting your mud is a trap, I don't care what Chuck says. I tried it once on a small patch job and ended up with a soupy mess that took twice as long to dry and sagged right off the ceiling. If your compound is mixed right and you're not rushing, you don't need extra water to make it "flow better" - that's just masking bad technique. An old timer told me the same thing and when I pushed back he admitted he only did it on hot, dry days in Arizona, not for regular work.

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jones.brooke3mo ago

@patriciacarr I feel you on that. I had the exact same experience on a small ceiling patch a few years back. Added just a splash of water to make it 'smooth out' and ended up fighting that soupy mess for an extra hour while it dripped on my head. Your mileage may vary, but I've never messed with water since then.

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