An old timer told me my mud was too cold for taping

He said it in a garage in Tacoma last fall, watching me struggle with a seam. I started mixing my hot mud with water that's just a bit warm now, and it sets up way smoother. Do you guys have a specific water temp you aim for?

4 comments

4 Comments

mila_campbell2510d ago

Guess my mud's been giving me the cold shoulder.

theagibson10d ago

My uncle used to keep a little electric kettle on his job sites just for mixing water. Said 110 degrees was his sweet spot, like a warm bath. He swore it made the mud more friendly to work with, gave you more time before it got angry and set. I tried it once on a basement job and the tape just melted into the wall. Never went back to cold water from the tap after that.

riley4310d ago

Notice how many things work better when you just add a little warmth.

claire_gibson10d ago

riley43, warmth is nice but some things just need to work right, not feel cozy. A broken car or a bad app won't get fixed by being friendly. It's a sweet thought, but not a real fix.