Shoutout to the guy who showed me drywall mud consistency

I was working a bathroom remodel in Phoenix last month, and this old timer walked over while I was mixing a batch. He said, "You want it like mayo, not like cake batter," and just walked off. I adjusted my mix on the fly, and the finish was way smoother than any job I'd done before. Has anyone else had a random tip from a stranger that totally changed how you work?

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dakota_patel983mo ago

Wait, hold on. Dipping the knife in water before the scoop? That's a thing? I've been fighting with stiff second coats for years, literally wrestling chunks out of the pan and having to wet the mud back down in the bucket because it started to skin over. I always just blamed the humidity or the brand of compound. I could kick myself for never thinking to just... wet the knife first. That little detail is the kind of shortcut you normally only get from watching a guy who's been doing it since the 80s, not from a forum. I'm honestly shook I've never heard that one before in all my years of finishing drywall.

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the_stella3mo ago

Yeah that mayo tip is gold. I'd add this: if you're doing a second coat and it feels a little stiff, dip your knife in water before you scoop. Just a quick wet, don't soak the mud. It gives you that little extra slip so you aren't pulling chunks. Also for topping compound I like it just a touch wetter than mayo, almost like a thick ranch dressing. Makes sanding way easier the next day.

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