However, in home remodeling, drywall mud and joint compounds aren’t new, they play a key role in the world today. We use to create seamless smooth finish for walls and cover small cracks.
Many individuals can’t distinguish between the two. Due to that, we decide to dedicate this about Drywall mud vs. joint compound.
Drywall Mud vs. Joint Compound: what’s their differentiation?
Well, the fact that there is no considerable difference between the two, and the only difference probably backs to their spelling of their name.
Actually, drywall mud is a joint compound, so you can often use them synonymously. It contains gypsum, helping skim coating and drywall finishing.
Is Drywall Joint Compound the Same as Drywall Mud?
Yes, drywall joint compound the same as drywall mud and the only difference lies in their different spelling. It can effectively skim coats, create smooth finishes, and fix breaks in existing drywall and plaster surfaces.
It’s a good option for fixing holes, though it needs some time to completely dry and may even shrink. Therefore, it’s advisable to apply it in stages to prevent shrinking.
One of its benefits is its simplicity, which can let you sand it easily. And another, you’d have some of it available at home, presumably the leftover from the previous renovating project.
Is It Ok to US Drywall Compound as Mud?
In fact, mud is a type of joint compound. In the US, for example, most workers and professionals referring ‘joint compounds’ as mud, but in Canada, it’s known as a drywall filler.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preferences, because if you see a ‘joint compound’, you’ll notice it’s resemble to mud. Moreover, you can substitute joint compound with a combination of salt, flour, and a few of water droplets. Mix them in a container until they from as a paste, just like a mud. Then, as usual, apply it.
Which Type of Drywall Mud Is Used More Often by Professionals?
While professionals may use different types of drywall muds in distinct stages, we recommend using lightweight all-purpose compound, as it easy to use and you can use it in all stages of your drywall installation.
Please notice that we won’t try to persuade you using specific type of drywall mud for any stages. On the contrary, we recommend using ay available drywall mud.
For example, when it comes to final coats and texture finishing, using topping compounds can be a good option. It’s a low shrinking compound, offering a very sturdy bond.
Please note that when embedding joint tape in the first coat on most drywall joints, using taping compound instead of topping compound is the best choice. However, taping compound takes pretty long time to fully dry and is more difficult to sand than lightweight all-purpose and topping.
Typically, taping compound is the best option for covering plaster breaks or if you need a superior bonding. And also, it is the best choice for overlaying drywall boards in multi-facet allotments and ceilings.
The best joint compound when you need to wrap up task quickly or when you need to apply different coats around the same time is a hot mud. Hot mud is an ideal option for filling profound breaks and opening in drywall, especially when we are in hurry and drying time is our big concern.
If you are working in places with high amount of humidity, utilizing hot muds can give you guarantee a legitimate drywall finish.
All-in-all, the type of drywall mud you used, highly depends on the type of application, where you want to apply it and how you want to serve the damages. Regardless of any factor, a lightweight all-purpose compound can be a good choice in almost every case.
Joint Compound vs. Spackle
A common question frequently asked us “can we use joint compounds as spackles?” the answer to this question is yes, however, we advise you to use spackle where it’s rightfully applicable.
Both drywall joint compound and spackle are used in covering blemishes and imperfections on plaster walls and drywall. However, there’s a slight difference between them, it relies in their scale.
Typically, professionals used drywall joint compounds for repairing big cracks and holes and finishing large houses, while spackles mostly used for small openings.
Joint compounds consist of water and gypsum dust, helping in covering tape seams and neilheads in drywall installation. They need long-time to dry, but they’re easy to apply and cover huge imperfections and large surfaces areas.
Please pay attention that joint compounds shrink as dry, therefore, you may probably need multiple coats to create a good, seamless surfaces.
Spackle, on the other hand, doesn’t shrink and has a simple application methodology. It contains gypsum dust and a good choice for narrow repairing like tiny bits, tiny cracks, and nail holes.
Spackles dry faster and shrink less. Regardless of its limitations, you can still use them in filling large patches or imperfections. For instance, to cover patches about an inch wide, using a spackle is good choice. If you want to use spackle in any situation, always remember to prime the patches before painting over them and apply a small amount of it with a putty knife. Avoid excess spackle with the knife.
To apply spackle, point the blade around 45 degrees and run it downwards movements till filling the opening completely.
All in all, best drywall mud for small repairs is spackles while for large areas, the best choice is to use drywall joint compounds.
Can We Use a Joint Compound as a Plaster?
Yes, you can. In fact, in some cases, professionals prefer to use both plaster and joint compound together to ensure the effectiveness of the project. To do so, apply one coat of plaster with fiberglass tape, and then apply 3 coats of drywall mud.
Plater is known for sturdiness, but it’s also very brittle and relatively hard to install. Therefore, if you’re not a trained professional, you can’t probably install it smoothly.
Alternatively, installing gypsum drywall panels over wood or metal studs are well-acceptable for interior wall coverings. Regardless of their expensive price, they are easier to install, clean and remove for possible future renovations.
You may be curious about the idea of plastering over drywall. Some professionals compare it to shaving a bald head, suggesting that all we need is to install the drywall, tape the seam, and apply a joint compound.
Nevertheless, using plaster over drywall in some areas like north London is still more common, but we don’t recommend it because it’s not economical and drywall mud still seems the better choice, particularly in the cases of drywall.
Using a drywall joint compound lets you spread more thin coats, and easily sanding it.
When you choose using plaster, the task will be more stressful due to its thicker consistency. This feature probably forces you to sand the plaster down more vigorously to have a seamless surface.
However, for fixing little repairs and jobs, using plaster is the better choice because it can dry quickly. Also for a difficult-to-deal-with-issue or visible deformities in the drywall, plaster can be a good choice. Because it’s thicker and less possible to break, so easily help us cover various surface, dings, and marks.
Although Plaster and drywall joint compound seem resemble, they should be used for different purposes. Therefore, before jump into purchasing materials, evaluate your needs carefully. Even for better evaluation, you can ask an assistance of the local home improvement store to guide you toward the choosing the best materials, matches your specific needs.
Conclusion
Drywall mud vs. joint compound, the expression you’d probably hear about it frequently. In fact, both are the same. The only thing you should care about is that choose the type of drywall mud that perfectly suit your specific needs.
Generally, lightweight all-purpose compounds can be used in almost every cases, though in some cases, using them may not give you that kind of satisfaction you’re looking for.
While you can choose joint compound rather than spackle or plaster, we recommend you paying extra attention to your needs, as some specific products can give us maximum satisfaction!
Lastly, if you need a professional to install any drywall products, contact us at Confirmed Contracting Corp. Our professionals are always here to help you and address all your concerns and questions.
