Taping compound vs pre-mixed - one blew my whole ceiling job

I was mudding a living room ceiling in an old house near downtown Nashville last Tuesday and tried switching to a fast-set taping compound mid-job because I was in a hurry. The stuff set way too fast and I ended up with ridges I couldn't smooth out before it hardened, had to sand for 2 extra hours. Do you guys stick with pre-mixed for ceilings or is there a trick to using the bagged stuff without it ruining your finish?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa9761d ago

Tried switching to a fast-set" - yeah, that stuff will bite you on ceilings every time.

cameron6841d ago

Huh, that's interesting because I've actually had the opposite experience with fast-set on ceilings. A buddy of mine talked me into trying it last year on a living room ceiling job and I hated every second of it. The stuff started kicking off in the bucket way too quick even with cold water, so I had to mix smaller batches and rush like crazy. Ended up with a few ridges I had to sand down (which is the worst). I'll stick with my regular all-purpose for overhead work, even if it means waiting longer between coats.