# What Mud Do You Use for Knockdown?



## igorson

Hey Guys, just wandering about your experience. So what kind of mud you use for Ceiling Textures: Fog, Knockdown, Orange Peal. 
http://1drywall.com/textures.html


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## SlimPickins

I use Fastex or Hamilton's Ready Spray for everything but skip trowel. I really like the way Beadex Light Taping mud throws a skip, but you have to be uber-careful when sanding it if you choose to do so.


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## smisner50s

Litex commerical texture.


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## Captain Drywall

I use bagged , spray texture. mix myself with a drill, or in my rig (that i bought for only $500 what a steel) USG is my fav. brand.


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## drywallnflorida

Bagged wall and ceiling spray!:thumbup:


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## igorson

It is funny but in Minnesota there is none of any that products:blink: I use regular mud for most of my ceiling knockdown spray (cheap way) but for fog powder ceiling spray must be better (not too good for sanding). 
http://1drywall.com/textures.html


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## chris

SlimPickins said:


> I use Fastex or Hamilton's Ready Spray for everything but skip trowel. I really like the way Beadex Light Taping mud throws a skip, but you have to be uber-careful when sanding it if you choose to do so.


we also use Hamilton redy and fastex,havnt seen fastex for a while is it still around?Tapin mud for a skip:blink: never would think to try but I bet it works fine. That beadex tapin is pretty good tapin mud. I know you dont try to spray it though


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## cdwoodcox

Usg all purpose.


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## Soultear

igorson said:


> It is funny but in Minnesota there is none of any that products:blink: I use regular mud for most of my ceiling spray (cheap way) but for fog powder ceiling spray must be better (not too good for sanding).
> http://1drywall.com/services.htm


The only problem with using normal mud is that it yellows over a short period of time. Its like boarding a basement and not painting the drywall after its finished. Give it 2- 3 years and the drywall will start turning yellow the mud also. Drywall material has to be sealed for a lasting finish. 

Unless of course you paint your ceilings last after texture is applied instead of beforehand. Then it should be ok but hard to patch if something that needs to be repaired at a later date.

My guess is that an additive is added to the ceiling texture products so that this scenario "yellowing" doesn't happen. 

For a better and longer lasting finish is probably "OK" to add a small amount of "Flat" paint to the mud so that this doesn't happen. This is a suggestion (something I would try *ONLY* in a bind) but you are better off texturing the ceiling first then paint afterwards. Its harder to patch though if you have to do a small repair to it.

I would ask your supplier to start stocking the product needed to do the jobs properly though, nothing wrong on using normal mud ( I do not recommend it) but it sucks to seal it all with ceiling paint.


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## 2buckcanuck

igorson said:


> It is funny but in Minnesota there is none of any that products:blink: I use regular mud for most of my ceiling spray (cheap way) but for fog powder ceiling spray must be better (not too good for sanding).
> http://1drywall.com/services.htm


So it's a Minnesota thing then :whistling2:

In a older thread, Silver stilts questioned why we would paint then spray our ceilings. And I was trying to explain that we have pre-mixed mud that is specially made to do knock down, and I don't think he believed me :blink:

Turns out, it's just a Minnesota thing.

Now it's my turn to be in silvers sites


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## Soultear

2buckcanuck said:


> So it's a Minnesota thing then :whistling2:
> 
> In a older thread, Silver stilts questioned why we would paint then spray our ceilings. And I was trying to explain that we have pre-mixed mud that is specially made to do knock down, and I don't think he believed me :blink:
> 
> Turns out, it's just a Minnesota thing.
> 
> Now it's my turn to be in silvers sites


HAHA a link to the thread or "it didn't happen" Hey if these boys don't have the proper product to use then hey, what else can they do right?

Minnesotains huh. Go figure 

Thankfully a scope can only aim at one target at a time.


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## Machine

igorson said:


> It is funny but in Minnesota there is none of any that products:blink: I use regular mud for most of my ceiling spray (cheap way) but for fog powder ceiling spray must be better (not too good for sanding).
> http://1drywall.com/services.htm


LOL, where are you buying your material? Its no problem getting bag texture in the Mpls area. I can get National Gypsum(EM, and Walls & ceilings), USG Unaggregated, and have seen Hamiltons in the past. You can even buy the USG at Menards.


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## Machine

2buckcanuck said:


> So it's a Minnesota thing then :whistling2:
> 
> In a older thread, Silver stilts questioned why we would paint then spray our ceilings. And I was trying to explain that we have pre-mixed mud that is specially made to do knock down, and I don't think he believed me :blink:
> 
> Turns out, it's just a Minnesota thing.
> 
> Now it's my turn to be in silvers sites


Nope not a MN thing your just talking to the wrong guys. If you want to texture with the big boys in the Mpls area you better be using bag texture.


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## Capt-sheetrock

If you know a supplier that handles USG or Goldbond(national gypsum),,, they have, OR ,can get bag texture.:yes:


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## SlimPickins

chris said:


> we also use Hamilton redy and fastex,havnt seen fastex for a while is it still around?Tapin mud for a skip:blink: never would think to try but I bet it works fine. That beadex tapin is pretty good tapin mud. I know you dont try to spray it though


Yeah, we have it (Fastex) over here. As for the Beadex Light Taping for skipping, I think we did it one time on a whim, and loved the way it pulled off the knife (mid 90's I think)...been doing it ever since, except lately I've been using the Fastex because I've had some laying around. The taping is great not only because it skips so nice, but also because it weighs so much less :thumbsup:. I don't sand my skip unless I want that specific look, but it sands really easily which is a bonus compared to the rock-hard texture muds.


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## SlimPickins

Machine said:


> Nope not a MN thing your just talking to the wrong guys. If you want to texture with the big boys in the Mpls area you better be using bag texture.


Yeah, anyone around here doing volume texture jobs mixes powder in the rig. It's almost half the price of the boxes. I don't do spray textures for the most part, so I spin buckets as needed.


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## igorson

Machine said:


> Nope not a MN thing your just talking to the wrong guys. If you want to texture with the big boys in the Mpls area you better be using bag texture.


So you use "bag texture" for knockdown? If yes how much do you charge for that?
http://1drywall.com/ceiling.html


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## Machine

igorson said:


> So you use "bag texture" for knockdown? If yes how much do you charge for that?


I charge the same price, a bag will go further then box mud.


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## silverstilts

So what is the best bag mud for texture specifically knockdown?


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## chris

silverstilts said:


> So what is the best bag mud for texture specifically knockdown?


 there used to be a bag mud called for kd. I believe it was usg. We switched to box spray mud and never looked back at the bag stuff. Dont spray any kd unless pathing into existing. Fastex and readyspray in 50lb box is so much easier to work with IMO


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## Captain Drywall

any compound that is pre mixed has stablizers that burn my eyes when sprayed.


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## igorson

Machine said:


> I charge the same price, a bag will go further then box mud.


How much water you you use per bag?
http://1drywall.com/textures.html


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## 2buckcanuck

igorson said:


> How much water you put in the bag?


Well, logic should dictate that weather you use the bag spray or the box spray, you should mix either one to the consistency you were using your taping mud from before to spray with. another words, you know your spray machine.

and slim and chris sorta spelled it out for you too. If your just doing the odd spray job here and there, go with the box mud if you can get it. It's more user friendly. Those doing it all the time go with the powder mix b/c of cost and so forth, they may even like it better, but, they will have their mixing method down to a science, just like a brick layer does with his mortar.

so, taping mud, bag powder or box spray, you mix them all the same, for your machine or your liking


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## igorson

2buckcanuck said:


> Well, logic should dictate that weather you use the bag spray or the box spray, you should mix either one to the consistency you were using your taping mud from before to spray with. another words, you know your spray machine.
> 
> and slim and chris sorta spelled it out for you too. If your just doing the odd spray job here and there, go with the box mud if you can get it. It's more user friendly. Those doing it all the time go with the powder mix b/c of cost and so forth, they may even like it better, but, they will have their mixing method down to a science, just like a brick layer does with his mortar.
> 
> so, taping mud, bag powder or box spray, you mix them all the same, for your machine or your liking


Not quite understand. What is "powder mix b/c of cost and so forth"


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## 2buckcanuck

igorson said:


> Not qite understand. What is "powder mix b/c of cost and so forth"


Read post #16, from slim again, I'm just repeating what everyone else said, since there's no one on here to night to help :whistling2:


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## chris

we used to mix about 3 bags of spray mud per mid size steel garbage can... quite a bit of water dont know exactly,. The smaller steel cans work better beings you have to lift them.Dont mix it xtra soupy until spray day. We would mix cans day or 2 b4 to let mud breakdown,,like I said a lil heavier mix 1rst go around. Soup it up where u want it the day u spray.


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## Captain Drywall

spray prices: If there is enough footage i charge a drywall contractor as low as 2 cents per foot. General contractors i charge more. If i have to wait for my money it costs more. If the job is to small i have a 150$ minimum. Unless its a remodle i charge based on how much masking. You can kill a lot of time masking a skylite. cabnets floors, If i work for a piggy contractor who didnt cover anything first, I charge alot to clean then mask. Sometimes i just leave.


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## drywallsprayer

*Powder Mix*



silverstilts said:


> So what is the best bag mud for texture specifically knockdown?


We use a bunch of USG Tuff Tex bag powder mix for all of our spraying. I've tried Pro-form Wall and ceiling bag spray as well. USG is by far the best product we have ever sprayed. Mixes very nicely and knocks down really well. Creates a great finished pattern. Works really well on orange peel as well, just let it soak a little longer and remix it a couple of times. Creates a beautiful finish that stands out and has more body than ready mix mud. The Pro-form is better than any ready mix but not close to as good as the USG imho.


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## Mudshark

*Canadian powder mix*

Up here we have a product called Kal-Tex which is a Synko product. Synko is CGC (Canadian Gypsum Company) and I believe a subsidiary of USG. It is likely similar to or the same as your USG product line. It also needs to be mixed and soaked for some time before using but it works well. :thumbsup: Ceilings get a coat of primer first.


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## PrecisionTaping

*Knockdown ceilings*

For my ceilings I dont use any type of special bag mix.
Just regular CGC Machine Mud. I use Machine Mud for absolutely everything. Tape, Beads, Fill, Skim, Designs. You name it, Machine Mud! 








Here's some pics of a house I did last week.


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## chris

Nice work for knockdown:whistling2: not a big fan of it but that looked good:thumbsup: I like how you seperated from ceiling in kitchen


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## PrecisionTaping

chris said:


> Nice work for knockdown:whistling2: not a big fan of it but that looked good:thumbsup: I like how you seperated from ceiling in kitchen


Thanks bro.


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## Tim0282

igorson said:


> How much water you put in the bag?


Don't put any water in the bag. It'll be real messy...


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## A smooth finish

what kind of mud do you guys use for a stomp texture


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## Captain Drywall

here is my problem with spraying any premixed mud. It burns the hell out of my eyes. Whatever they use to keep the mud from seperating in the bucket. All premixed mud has it, Seems to burn . So i use powdered mud. cheaper too.


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## jcampbell

PrecisionTaping said:


> For my ceilings I dont use any type of special bag mix.
> Just regular CGC Machine Mud. I use Machine Mud for absolutely everything. Tape, Beads, Fill, Skim, Designs. You name it, Machine Mud!
> 
> Here's some pics of a house I did last week.


Awesome stuff man!!


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## moore

A smooth finish said:


> what kind of mud do you guys use for a stomp texture


 USG advance formula.


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