When you reach the other side of the room, start a second row across the ceiling working parallel with the first. Work all along one wall, stroking back into previous sections to overlap and blend with the new section. On ceilings work across in 3 or 4 foot rows, breaking each into manageable sections. Work in small rows like this, across the wall to the next corner. Skim stroking up to overlap the top part a bit and blend the two parts together. Next, move down and work from the baseboard up to the midpoint. Working from the ceiling to about midway down the wall, apply the mud with back and forth strokes and immediately skim off the excess working from top to bottom. To skim a whole wall, work on a manageable swath of a few feet at a time. If you need to fill in a thick texture on a large area, use setting compound to make the deep fills and build up the finish and then use ready-mixed for the last couple of coats. To avoid problems, use ready-mixed joint compound for large areas whenever possible. Skim coating an entire wall or ceiling will require plenty of time to work before the mud gets hard. Always alternate the direction of your strokes with each new coat, and always clean the blade off on the pan after each stroke. As you work, if there is excessive rippling or other surface imperfections, sand them lightly and wipe the dust away with a damp rag before applying another coat. Allow the mud to set and dry completely before proceeding.Īpply as many subsequent skim coats as needed to build a smooth finish over the repair area. This will help to level the surface by filling any ripples and other irregularities in the first coat. If your first coat was applied horizontally, stroke vertically with the second coat. To apply a second coat use the same technique of buttering and skimming used with the first but this time remove the mud, stroking in a perpendicular direction. Vacuum up dust and lightly wipe the whole area with a damp cloth or sponge before applying a second coat. If there are a lot of ripples, bumps or other protrusions on large areas, use a sanding block or pole sander to go over it lightly. When the mud sets, scrape off any ridges using the joint knife in upward strokes and lightly sand with medium grit sandpaper. Don't wash it down plumbing drains, it will set in the pipes and cause a clog. Use a razor-blade glass scraper or putty knife to shave the set mud from the pan and joint knife into a trash container. To avoid the extra cleanup later, scrape off the hardened mud right away. Note: After powdered compound sets for a few hours it will be hard to remove from tools, etc.

Transfer the mud to the work surface by 'cutting' a portion from the rim of the pan, and then spreading it back and forth like buttering a piece of toast. This will help to keep it under control and avoid spreading it to unwanted areas which can create a mess and make it harder to get a smooth finish. This type of joint compound will set quickly, so use it right away.Ĭollect the wet mud onto one side of the pan, scooping it up with the knife and scraping it onto the rim.

If your mixture is too thin and soupy, add a little more powder until you get the right consistency. To be sure you can use the mud before it sets, start with about a cup of powder.Īdd about a half cup of water and mix the mud so it's thick enough to remain on a joint knife when held upside down. Use a 2 to 1 ratio of powdered compound to cool, clean water. Use a mud pan to mix small amounts of mud at a time for skim coating. It's easier to spread than setting-type, allowing for a thinner application and it's soft, making a smooth finish easier to achieve when sanding.Ĭlose Window Mixing Setting-Type Joint Compound Ready-mixed is also good for the final coat over any skim coating job. Use ready-mixed compound for finishing drywall and for minor wall imperfections requiring one or two coats to cover. Use a relatively slow setting compound like Durabond90® for big jobs like this. This would include any water-damaged plaster or drywall, and very rough surfaces like drywall textures that will require several coats of mud to smooth out. For most major damage, the best choice is setting compound. Which compound to choose depends on the surface to be skimmed. It takes several hours to dry and is soft compared to setting compound. Ready-mixed joint compound comes wet and ready to use out of the bucket. It comes in setting rates of a few minutes to an hour or more. Setting compound is a powder that sets to a very hard finish when mixed with water, similar to the way concrete sets. There are two types of joint compound that can be used for skim coating: setting-type joint compound and ready-mixed joint compound.

Skim coat joint compound