I absolutely LOVE that you did this US based comparison. Typically in the areas I’ve lived in on the east coast, I’ve been limited mainly to the USG green and blue lid buckets, and since watching your videos I have been hugely interested in knowing how they match up to the products you typically use. Thank you, Ben!
Currently doing a skim coat in one of our bathrooms and my wife randomly popped in the room and asked if Vancouver Carpenter would approve of the job I’m doing. Not sure you would, but you’ve taught me a lot!
I'm doing taping and mudding for the first time ever and these videos of yours have been super helpful. It's lovely that you actually explain why you do the choices you do instead of just saying "do this, not this". I have a century old house where nothing is square and there are decades of bad decisions that I now have to deal with when trying to make things nice. Understanding the reasons behind your choices helps me make decisions on what to do in all those little spots where things are not quite how they're supposed to be. Thank you!
If you have an old home, you should watch Kirk Giordano's channel. He's a master plaster and stucco applicator in California and has a thousand videos on everything to do with plastering.
I have been following you for over a year. Now that I’m helping my husband build his shop I re watched all your videos. Thank you for great content. I learn so much from you. Aka a somewhat helpful wife hahaha😅
Thank you thank you thank you. This was awesome. One for validation on some the tools and products I own/use that you showed and two for showing comparable products to the ones you regularly use back in Canada. Takes the guessing game out of what to use when I’m lamely attempting to replicate what you’ve demonstrated in past posts while working on my projects at home.
My typical Home Depot experience. “Hello there sir, I am looking at your website and I see that in aisle 7, bay 10 there are 300 listed 1/2” valves in stock, but I’m not seeing any here”. HD associate “Yeah I don’t know what to tell ya”. “Awesome, I’ll just go ahead and borrow your ladder and find them”.
For trowels he recommended curry or marshalltown or gold steel, 13x5 straight with no curve, made of stainless. He also said, you may have to look in the concrete aisle. I'm on the east coast (Atlanta, GA) and regarding mud at the box stores we have mostly USG and not as many choices as in your video. USG all purpose (green), plus 3 (blue), and lightweight (light greenish) - all in buckets, no boxes. Then USG easy sand (hot mud) in different setting times - in bags. Then there is usually one other all purpose brand and that's it.
Same in PA/NJ/NY. So based on the video it’s all purpose (green) for joints, Plus 3 (blue) for everything else, and the unmixed quick sets when time is an issue?
You've helped me greatly in improving my home jobs. Thanks for that! Sadly, I don't do it often enough to get good at it, but my work has improved 100% since I started watching.
Thank you! I've been struggling with repairs I'm doing myself (no choice there) and not understanding the different products. I'm in the US midwest. I am learning a lot from your videos and gaining confidence.
This was super great to watch. I have been doing drywall patching and touch up so knowing I bought the product you would is very reassuring. I really appreciate your info and hope you are enjoying your time in the States!
Thank, Ben! I appreciate all your videos and they've been very helpful to me. I switched to hawk and trowel due to your videos. Lowe's here in Central Kentucky sells Marshalltown QLT and gold stainless trowels here in various sizes. Hawks at Lowe's are only QLT. I am going to order a Kraft Magnesium hawk for better feel, lighter weight, and no more black aluminum oxide streaks. Thanks, again! I really love doing drywall work using the hawk and trowel and that is thanks to you! 😁
man you are a library of knowledge on this stuff! thank you for sharing and giving me the confidence to be able to do this on my own and saving me thousands in the process. YOU ROCK!
CTS Rapid Set One Pass is a do it all, cement based 20 minute joint compound. Cool stuff for small jobs that that works both indoors and outdoors. I only bought it because it was the only thing that came in a small box. Definitely worth a try.
This was so helpful! I’ve had to guess what you would think is best when buying here in the states. But primarily because of you, I’ve been able to do some significant repairs myself. They may not be quite as pretty as a professional, but the price was right 😂! Plus, it’s been fun. Thanks!
Wow. I live on the east coast and the HD here has totally different products. The stuff you use in your demo videos look more familiar. I've never seen that trowel in my life. And have never seen those solid stainless knives before either.
In Toronto here and Home Depot ships Marshalltown 13x5 trowels pretty quickly. In-store they carry some other size flat and curved trowels and hawks. There's a bit of a learning curve but I definitely see why you recommend the hawk/trowel combo so much! As for mud it's mostly CGC stuff in the stores near me. Thanks for all the videos Ben!
Been watching you for last 2 or 3years. Hey man don't sleep on the patches. Lol. Love the Content. Helped me with my confidence. Helped me to know that I know and I was and have been doing it right. I no longer do home repair, but we had one hell of a ride together. Only I knew, lol. Thanks again Brother!
Retired now, did drywall finishing for years, here in the US, we always taped with the USG/Sheetrock green lid all purpose, prefilled with the Sheetrock Durabond lite 90 quick set, did all butt, flat and corner bead bed coats with the USG durabond lite 90 quick set, and all top coats with the USG/Sheetrock Plus 3.
Thanks for putting this out. The mud questions I had were answered in this video. I won’t be an expert when I start but I will have enough knowledge to get me going in the right direction on my drywall jobs.
WOW! Thank you so much for answering the question of which USA mud products do I use to try to come as close as possible to VC's awesomeness with his CAN products has been answered! I can now toss all my little scrap notes about about US vs CAN mud which were referenced in your videos!
Thank you so much! This is incredibly valuable information. I've been buying the wrong products and now I know better 😬 and just in time too, going to be doing a lot of work in our kitchen soon.
Yep, so Home Depot will carry whatever they can get. Westpac in some, and USG Easy Sand in others for hot mud. Home Depot Pro stores in the US will almost always carry USG Easy Sand instead of Westpac. All of them will likely carry USG Plus 3, and Westpac stuff in boxes. Westpac Taping mud is exactly that, it's mud with lots of glue.
Thanks for posting US based products. I have been following along and learned a great deal from you. So far the project in coming along thanks to your expert advice
So it took a UA-cam video to flesh out the good, the bad, and the alien where Home Depot products are concerned. This was a super helpful video for those of us who still in large part use the shelf selection to determine our needs. (Always problematic). You not only know what you like, you know WHY you don't like what you don't like making this' comparison' a truly great resource. Much appreciated!
Here in Kentucky I know the two different common muds as blue top and green top because of the colors of the lids. Green top is for tape, blue top is for everything else; pretty simple. Thanks for making this video.
Wow, as an American living in the Northwest, this is extremely useful. I'm wondering how many of your viewers in other countries are going to be asking you to do their Hardware stores next. 😂
Great video, I feel like I will never learn everything even as my own work is finally satisfactory to me. this was as helpful as any mechanics/technique video has been. Thank you.
Thank you! Welcome to SoCal! Since Long Beach is So “old”❤️…..the HD tend to have a deeper mix of repair supplies than the HD in younger communities here in the OC.
I actually use Home Depot for all my smaller jobs that I load myself because their sheetrock prices are pretty good. Anything larger though I use local drywall supply houses because the local HD's don't have boom trucks. I don't see much boxed mud here in CT either. It's all bucket mud whether it be Proform Black and red lid or , especially at HD, USG green lid or the plus 3. I love their purple top midweight for topping and skimming..
This was indeed interesting and informative. Specially about the plus 3. I was about to start a large pantry project in out home we recently purchased. Unfortunately it was a rental home before we purchased it, so I have a good deal of project lined up for the next year or so. Thanks.
Thank you for so much for the good information. If I understood correctly, is best to use all purpose heavy compound for taping, but for the successive coats you suggested Plus 3 including the last coat.
I have a bathroom repair coming up. Need to tear down a small wall repair the sheet rock. Nothin huge. Haven’t done tape/mud in over 20 years, so lots has changed. Even back then I was a definite DIYer. 😂. Your videos are very helpful, succinct and informative. Mahalo.
Very useful. About to start a garage project on my new build going from a pretty decent quality Level 2 they left me to a Level 3/4 (don't need perfection, it is a garage). This helps with what I should be buying.
I'm on the East Coast of the US and our Home Depots carry both the USG lightweight that you showed as well as the USG green lid that you showed briefly.
Thank you! You taught me well. You confirmed most of the products I use. Tools I purchased online from All-Wall Equipment. One thing you don't speak much of, and I found out that I needed, is drywall shims. I spent more time making sure my walls are flat vs. hanging drywall.
@@vancouvercarpenter I use a wooden carpenter's scrub plane to remove high spots from framing... bows, mis-nailed framing, etc. I find that getting rid of the high spots is at least as important as filling in low spots! The plane originally belonged to a carpenter who worked from about 1920-1950. I inherited it and his tool box from his son, also a carpenter, along with his son's tool box. Lot's of hand tools that most people wouldn't want to or know how to use!
Eastern Oregon, In the 90s, and early 2000s, I was a sheetrock contractor. We didn't have big box stores. We had 2 lumber yards. The one I shopped at only had Hamiltons mud. I used that for years. Fast forward 20 years and I can't even find it locally. We do have a Home Depot and the lumber yard has been bought and sold 3 times. Love your channel, I don't always agree on everything but you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thank you.
And if you come to the east coast you will find even more different products out here and better trowel selections. We take pride in our trowels out here! Great video as always!
On all commercial jobs, we don't touch any premixed blue or green lid stuff. We always tape with 20 or 45 minute quickset. Then follow with the same for your block coat. Everything is drying hard and fast so you can go right back over your coats within a couple hours tops. Then you skim with purple bucket premixed. Any other methods I have seen people try to use, is just too slow. Also mesh tape will work if you do it my way. In my opinion, nobody who cares about the longevity of their work should be using premixed on your first 2 coats. It is weak garbage that is only good for a final smoothing coat. We only use paper tape on inside corners because we have to. Mesh tape lets you get right to block coating so you aren't wasting time. Time is money.
Man, the selection in that Home Depot vs. mine is about triple. In my area we hardly have anything, and the items that are stocked are usually sold out. Lowe's sells Marshalltown gear, and I picked up a 6 inch blue steel taping knife. It's a great knife, and helped me get through a ceiling corner tape job. I also have an Anvil 4 inch knife, but for some reason it doesn't seem to have that slight bend in it so I have to be really careful so I don't gouge the drywall. Thank you for all your knowledge, and instructionals because I would have never even tried to do the repairs I've done, had it not been for your videos. I still have a long way to go with our home, but it's getting easier, and looking better each time I do it.
That extra strength mesh tape is actually really good as it has diagonal threads. However, it's a little thicker than other mesh and paper tape so use only when you have the available depth. But it is really strong for repairs. (I use it on tile backer board sometimes too.)
You were at "my" Home Depot!!!???!!! I always joke with my gal about hiring you to come do your magic on my walls but figured you would never come to CA - you could've had another "what not to do" video featuring my never-ending headache! But on a serious note, this video is perfect for someone just getting started on their project. I've watched so many of your videos for some time now (thank you for making them). I can remember writing down all the Canadian products you recommended and then heading to the local HD, but couldn't find them. By mere luck I managed to buy the bags of quickset 40 and 90 you noted in this video, as they were the only dry versions that seemed similar. I'll be working on my finishing coats this week and will give the recommended ones for that sort a try as well. That mixer attachment, however, will indeed "zest" the orange homer buckets (many "niblets" found their way onto my walls). So, my advice is to get a better bucket if mixing to avoid the "where did that line come from" after applying a coat. Thank you!
Thanks for pointing out the Plus 3 mud. I have never used Plus 3 despite recommendations from other drywallers. I am skimming an aggressive floor to ceiling popcorn texture on 1960s drywall. The paper is weak so my first two coats were all-purpose mud. I bought a box of Plus 3 and said “let’s try this”. Wow it goes on so smooth with a skimming blade. Like marshmallow crème walls. I love this stuff and so does my back.
for popcorn just lightly wet it and scrape it off with the drywall knife. I use a sharpened 12 inch knife for lower and I have a carbide knife for ceilings. It comes right off as the base is light weight mud. no glue in it. For skimming I would still use Green lid All purpose for the 1st coat to get maximum adhesion. Then you could switch to plus3 if you wanted. USG green lid will sand if you slick the top coat. Wont need to sand much at all this way.
@@kendallwillis bummer. elbow grease it is. Scraped a lot of it that way. Carbide floor scraper from any paint store is worth the investment. grind the edge flat so you basically have 2 cuttings edges and it helps a ton.
YOOOO THE SKATE TRIP REAPED SOME DRYWALL VIDS TOO LET’s GOOOOO!!!! As a drywall guy who skated I pride myself in being involved of both of your universes
I just use the 3 quart 'dust control'. I figure it's got a blue lid too, so it's probably the same as Plus 3. They just market it differently expressly for the homeowners. Because contractors are gonna use the big bucket as it's more cost effective.
Very good and informative tutorial. Welcome to the US. I hope you had a good visit. You were a couple hours south of me, and Long Beach is a cool place to visit.
The part of the trowel that connects the handle to the blade is called the shank. The part of the shank that is riveted along the back length of the blade is the spine, and the part that connects the spine to the handle is the neck.
This was so awesome Lolololol:) It does bring up one of those questions that I've had with you for years now, is whether or not taping with setting compound is okay, holds up, I sure prefer it. But I guess it's still something I will always wonder about... Also something you brought up in this video was the sand ability of setting compounds, I am nervous when using topping compound because it's Sands faster way faster than the layers below it, and so I often times end up sanding the paper on the drywall too much. My typical level layers are 20-minute for Phil, 90 or 2:10 for taping and then lightweight for successive layers. Can't stand when i have to do a job quickly, and get stuck sanding a setting compound... It's soo hard to get a nice transition that way.
That one pass wall repair stuff is actually pretty good stuff ! It's not traditional drywall compound, it's a "repair material" made out of hydraulic cement that works great for "structural" repair of drywall, cement board, plaster, stucco, masonry, etc.
I first bought it by accident thinking it was 90min, but after getting home realized it was 20min. I have since been through several boxes. I like how it's hard but still sands/scrapes reasonably.
Well looks like every product I've been using that you said you would never use is going straight to the garbage on Monday morning since I consider you like that highly experienced foreman when it comes to all things drywall finishing !! Just not actually on the job sites with me haha. But Seriously, ever since I've been signing Alot more jobs that include new drywall and finishing , your the guy I go too to reassure myself or learn best ways to do things . I've been in Home Improvements for about 20yrs mostly consisting of exterior work and carpentry , flooring , framing etc and always considered drywall finishing an art only few can perfect but for some reason lately found myself motivated to do more of it and enjoying it , seeing how much better I get at it each job and let me tell you it is satisfying haha . I've learned Alot from your channel man , Thank you for putting out these great videos !!
Your videos are always informative and you do a great job of explaining your craft. I’ve been doing small drywall jobs for years but I’m finishing a 2000sq ft basement with about 170 sheets of drywall. The problem is not knowing how much mud to get. I use the green bucket for tapping and Plus 3 for consecutive top coats. Any tips would be great. Keep up the great videos.
Hopefully you got home in time to enjoy the snow. I would hate to see you suffering in that heat and sun. Always a great source of info and knowledge. Thx.
West Coast HD has WestPac (they are based in Southern California), East Coast has USG products. WestPac muds are pretty good. Low shrinkage, easy sanding, even with the quick sets (as long as it is lite version). The TNT lite is a low shrink lightweight taping mud, good for 1st coats, not so good for 2, 3 coats because it has a lots of glue. Plus 3 shrink a ton, but it has a superb finish.
Warning. I bought that exact same Walboard mixing paddle. Exactly the same. And I got a home depot bucket as I was doing personal work for myself without access to the good buckets my company gets. That paddle absolutely tore up my home depot buck and left tons of carrot peelings in my mud. Real pain in the rear to pluck them all out while I was coating. Ended up spending 10-15 minutes with a grinder trying to knockdown any place that could be sharp. But yeah, Home Depot brand buckets suck and it was in fact partially the mixers fault. I'd buy a different paddle if you could. Or take this one, stick it in a cheap bucket, fill it with gravel, and run it slow to medium with a high torque drill. Just to try and really knockdown any place that could cut into buckets.
@@KGrant-ty3oy Thank you for the info. Yeah, the orange Home Depot bucket are definitely not good for mixing mud. The buckets we used at work were left over primer buckets (white in color) after using an airless to prime our sheetrock before texture. Those buckets were awesome, never had to fumble with getting "dried coconut flakes (love that name)" out of our coats after the fact.
West coast Home Depot has a significantly different selection than here in the Midwest flyover country. Here we have the USG brands and Pro Form muds. I prefer the Pro Form AP mud over the green lid stuff. I think it has a smoother, easier to trowel texture leaving a finer surface once sanded.
Hey! You're just up the road from me. I live like 7 miles from Long Beach...It's great to know that you'd get Westpac...I switched to Westpac doing my house mostly because I didn't want to drive all the way to the Lowe's just to get USG.
Not many choices here where I live, but at least they have the good stuff.. USG All Purpose Green lid/box, USG Plus 3 Blue lid/box, USG Easy Sand Setting compound in various times, and plenty of paper tape as well as the others you showed and is about all the Home Depot or Lowe's carries in Lafayette LA. Forget about any kind of real tools in stock; all cheap compared to what I have (but very expensive to buy). Glad I bought good stainless knives years ago. I used the setting compound for taping and for the metal corners and the Plus 3 for the second, third coats.
A lot different products than what Home Depot carries elsewhere in the states. I like to use USG Total mud. It works good for taping, second and third coats and texture mud
I'm not sure; however, I think tapers and finishers used Plus 3 when taping with mesh.... I always used the green bucket mud for taping and cornerbead and the Plus 3 for first/finish/skim coating.... Thanks for explaining about the other products! You're a Master of the craft Sir! 🙂
I’m more excited about this than I should be
Right there with ya😂
100%
Same. I was about to put my iPad away and saw this. I guess kids bedtime can wait ten minutes,😂😂
Same here!
Haha Same
I absolutely LOVE that you did this US based comparison. Typically in the areas I’ve lived in on the east coast, I’ve been limited mainly to the USG green and blue lid buckets, and since watching your videos I have been hugely interested in knowing how they match up to the products you typically use. Thank you, Ben!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Currently doing a skim coat in one of our bathrooms and my wife randomly popped in the room and asked if Vancouver Carpenter would approve of the job I’m doing. Not sure you would, but you’ve taught me a lot!
I'm so glad that your still making videos. You are definitely a Master of All Trades and you deserve your own show on the HGTV channel.
Wow, thank you!
Ben is better than those HGTV shows. They are so scripted. If they let him do a tv show like his videos? Then that would be amazing
HGTV series would be INCREDIBLE.
@@susanwayne3333 That's exactly what I was thinking. Stay the way you are, Ben!
I'm doing taping and mudding for the first time ever and these videos of yours have been super helpful. It's lovely that you actually explain why you do the choices you do instead of just saying "do this, not this". I have a century old house where nothing is square and there are decades of bad decisions that I now have to deal with when trying to make things nice. Understanding the reasons behind your choices helps me make decisions on what to do in all those little spots where things are not quite how they're supposed to be. Thank you!
If you have an old home, you should watch Kirk Giordano's channel. He's a master plaster and stucco applicator in California and has a thousand videos on everything to do with plastering.
I have been following you for over a year. Now that I’m helping my husband build his shop I re watched all your videos. Thank you for great content. I learn so much from you.
Aka a somewhat helpful wife hahaha😅
You are so welcome!
Thank you thank you thank you. This was awesome. One for validation on some the tools and products I own/use that you showed and two for showing comparable products to the ones you regularly use back in Canada. Takes the guessing game out of what to use when I’m lamely attempting to replicate what you’ve demonstrated in past posts while working on my projects at home.
Glad it was helpful!
Literally one of your best videos ever.
My typical Home Depot experience.
“Hello there sir, I am looking at your website and I see that in aisle 7, bay 10 there are 300 listed 1/2” valves in stock, but I’m not seeing any here”.
HD associate “Yeah I don’t know what to tell ya”.
“Awesome, I’ll just go ahead and borrow your ladder and find them”.
For trowels he recommended curry or marshalltown or gold steel, 13x5 straight with no curve, made of stainless. He also said, you may have to look in the concrete aisle. I'm on the east coast (Atlanta, GA) and regarding mud at the box stores we have mostly USG and not as many choices as in your video. USG all purpose (green), plus 3 (blue), and lightweight (light greenish) - all in buckets, no boxes. Then USG easy sand (hot mud) in different setting times - in bags. Then there is usually one other all purpose brand and that's it.
Same here in the midwest (Wisconsin)
Same here in NE Ohio.
Also, not nearly the selection of drywall either.
Same here in North Texas.
Same in PA/NJ/NY. So based on the video it’s all purpose (green) for joints, Plus 3 (blue) for everything else, and the unmixed quick sets when time is an issue?
@@billsedutto8824 unmixed quick set is used for the nylon mesh style of tape, and for filling larger gaps because it doesn’t shrink.
You've helped me greatly in improving my home jobs. Thanks for that! Sadly, I don't do it often enough to get good at it, but my work has improved 100% since I started watching.
Thank you! I've been struggling with repairs I'm doing myself (no choice there) and not understanding the different products. I'm in the US midwest. I am learning a lot from your videos and gaining confidence.
This video was really informative and important for someone like me who dabbles in diy drywall work around the house. Thank you very much.
Glad it was helpful!
This was super great to watch. I have been doing drywall patching and touch up so knowing I bought the product you would is very reassuring. I really appreciate your info and hope you are enjoying your time in the States!
Thank you very much!
Thank, Ben! I appreciate all your videos and they've been very helpful to me. I switched to hawk and trowel due to your videos.
Lowe's here in Central Kentucky sells Marshalltown QLT and gold stainless trowels here in various sizes. Hawks at Lowe's are only QLT. I am going to order a Kraft Magnesium hawk for better feel, lighter weight, and no more black aluminum oxide streaks.
Thanks, again! I really love doing drywall work using the hawk and trowel and that is thanks to you! 😁
man you are a library of knowledge on this stuff! thank you for sharing and giving me the confidence to be able to do this on my own and saving me thousands in the process. YOU ROCK!
Thanks for coming down. This is the video we needed!
I hope I'm down there again soon!
CTS Rapid Set One Pass is a do it all, cement based 20 minute joint compound. Cool stuff for small jobs that that works both indoors and outdoors. I only bought it because it was the only thing that came in a small box. Definitely worth a try.
This was so helpful! I’ve had to guess what you would think is best when buying here in the states. But primarily because of you, I’ve been able to do some significant repairs myself. They may not be quite as pretty as a professional, but the price was right 😂! Plus, it’s been fun. Thanks!
Thank you for your content!! I've been watching a lot of your videos and this is a great companion to understanding what to buy.
Wow. I live on the east coast and the HD here has totally different products. The stuff you use in your demo videos look more familiar. I've never seen that trowel in my life. And have never seen those solid stainless knives before either.
That's interesting because my dad was an east coast carpenter and had a couple of those. Makes me wonder what the story is there
In Toronto here and Home Depot ships Marshalltown 13x5 trowels pretty quickly. In-store they carry some other size flat and curved trowels and hawks. There's a bit of a learning curve but I definitely see why you recommend the hawk/trowel combo so much! As for mud it's mostly CGC stuff in the stores near me. Thanks for all the videos Ben!
Been watching you for last 2 or 3years. Hey man don't sleep on the patches. Lol. Love the Content. Helped me with my confidence. Helped me to know that I know and I was and have been doing it right. I no longer do home repair, but we had one hell of a ride together. Only I knew, lol. Thanks again Brother!
Thanks!!!
Awesome video Ben-you've answered many of my questions in this one! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
glad while you were down in the states skating you made this video of the product that i see down here in the big box store. thanks Ben
Thank you!!! I've learned so much from your videos but have been less than confident when choosing products in my local HD.
Retired now, did drywall finishing for years, here in the US, we always taped with the USG/Sheetrock green lid all purpose, prefilled with the Sheetrock Durabond lite 90 quick set, did all butt, flat and corner bead bed coats with the USG durabond lite 90 quick set, and all top coats with the USG/Sheetrock Plus 3.
Thanks for putting this out. The mud questions I had were answered in this video. I won’t be an expert when I start but I will have enough knowledge to get me going in the right direction on my drywall jobs.
WOW! Thank you so much for answering the question of which USA mud products do I use to try to come as close as possible to VC's awesomeness with his CAN products has been answered! I can now toss all my little scrap notes about about US vs CAN mud which were referenced in your videos!
Thank you so much! This is incredibly valuable information. I've been buying the wrong products and now I know better 😬 and just in time too, going to be doing a lot of work in our kitchen soon.
I hope your kitchen project goes well!!!!
This is such an awesome and informative video. I know nothing about drywall but I love all your content. You’re very knowledgeable.
Than you very much for the helpful information and advice you share.
Remodeling our bathroom has gone smoother than I thought thanks to you.
Cheers!
Love that you did this. I was trying to look through your vids to see brands of muds u keep using
Yep, so Home Depot will carry whatever they can get. Westpac in some, and USG Easy Sand in others for hot mud. Home Depot Pro stores in the US will almost always carry USG Easy Sand instead of Westpac. All of them will likely carry USG Plus 3, and Westpac stuff in boxes.
Westpac Taping mud is exactly that, it's mud with lots of glue.
Thanks for posting US based products. I have been following along and learned a great deal from you. So far the project in coming along thanks to your expert advice
So it took a UA-cam video to flesh out the good, the bad, and the alien where Home Depot products are concerned. This was a super helpful video for those of us who still in large part use the shelf selection to determine our needs. (Always problematic). You not only know what you like, you know WHY you don't like what you don't like making this' comparison' a truly great resource. Much appreciated!
Trowel and Hawk for LIFE. Ive learned so much from you over the years. Thank you from USA!
Here in Kentucky I know the two different common muds as blue top and green top because of the colors of the lids. Green top is for tape, blue top is for everything else; pretty simple. Thanks for making this video.
Bc of you and your knowledge I’ve learned so much. Thanks and please keep the new to videos oncoming.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for crossing the boarder to help us southern brothers out!
I hope your project's going well, but more importantly, I hope you're doing even better!
Westpac is sold on the west coast. My local Wisconsin Home Depot carries only USG brand mud. Lowe's sells USG and Proform.
Wow, as an American living in the Northwest, this is extremely useful. I'm wondering how many of your viewers in other countries are going to be asking you to do their Hardware stores next. 😂
Great video, I feel like I will never learn everything even as my own work is finally satisfactory to me. this was as helpful as any mechanics/technique video has been. Thank you.
Thank you soooo much for giving us the U.S. version of what you use. Super helpful!!!!
Happy to help!
Thank you!
Welcome to SoCal!
Since Long Beach is So “old”❤️…..the HD tend to have a deeper mix of repair supplies than the HD in younger communities here in the OC.
Great video. Very helpful! Glad you're enjoying your time here in CA!
I've been waiting for this exact video after watching for a long time! Excellent
I actually use Home Depot for all my smaller jobs that I load myself because their sheetrock prices are pretty good. Anything larger though I use local drywall supply houses because the local HD's don't have boom trucks. I don't see much boxed mud here in CT either. It's all bucket mud whether it be Proform Black and red lid or , especially at HD, USG green lid or the plus 3. I love their purple top midweight for topping and skimming..
This was indeed interesting and informative. Specially about the plus 3. I was about to start a large pantry project in out home we recently purchased. Unfortunately it was a rental home before we purchased it, so I have a good deal of project lined up for the next year or so. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for so much for the good information. If I understood correctly, is best to use all purpose heavy compound for taping, but for the successive coats you suggested Plus 3 including the last coat.
This was more useful than I think you realize. Thank you!
Really appreciate this video. Thanks Ben. You're the goods!
*Thank you for making this episode, Mr. Ben!*
It is 💯pure 🔥🔥🔥 --TEXAS USA
I have a bathroom repair coming up. Need to tear down a small wall repair the sheet rock. Nothin huge. Haven’t done tape/mud in over 20 years, so lots has changed. Even back then I was a definite DIYer. 😂. Your videos are very helpful, succinct and informative. Mahalo.
Very useful. About to start a garage project on my new build going from a pretty decent quality Level 2 they left me to a Level 3/4 (don't need perfection, it is a garage). This helps with what I should be buying.
I'm on the East Coast of the US and our Home Depots carry both the USG lightweight that you showed as well as the USG green lid that you showed briefly.
Thank you! You taught me well. You confirmed most of the products I use. Tools I purchased online from All-Wall Equipment. One thing you don't speak much of, and I found out that I needed, is drywall shims. I spent more time making sure my walls are flat vs. hanging drywall.
True. I walked right by them.
@@vancouvercarpenter I use a wooden carpenter's scrub plane to remove high spots from framing... bows, mis-nailed framing, etc. I find that getting rid of the high spots is at least as important as filling in low spots!
The plane originally belonged to a carpenter who worked from about 1920-1950. I inherited it and his tool box from his son, also a carpenter, along with his son's tool box. Lot's of hand tools that most people wouldn't want to or know how to use!
@@johngrossbohlin7582 I use a Ryobi cordless plane for high spots AND cardboard shims for low spots.
This might be one of the most helpful drywall related videos I’ve seen
Thanks Ben, appreciate all your tips
Nice! Glad to see you in my area, big fan of your videos
Eastern Oregon, In the 90s, and early 2000s, I was a sheetrock contractor. We didn't have big box stores. We had 2 lumber yards. The one I shopped at only had Hamiltons mud. I used that for years. Fast forward 20 years and I can't even find it locally. We do have a Home Depot and the lumber yard has been bought and sold 3 times. Love your channel, I don't always agree on everything but you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thank you.
Here in southern Oregon Hamilton is all they got at Home Depot. Weird you don’t get it on the east side.
And if you come to the east coast you will find even more different products out here and better trowel selections. We take pride in our trowels out here! Great video as always!
On all commercial jobs, we don't touch any premixed blue or green lid stuff. We always tape with 20 or 45 minute quickset. Then follow with the same for your block coat. Everything is drying hard and fast so you can go right back over your coats within a couple hours tops. Then you skim with purple bucket premixed. Any other methods I have seen people try to use, is just too slow. Also mesh tape will work if you do it my way. In my opinion, nobody who cares about the longevity of their work should be using premixed on your first 2 coats. It is weak garbage that is only good for a final smoothing coat. We only use paper tape on inside corners because we have to. Mesh tape lets you get right to block coating so you aren't wasting time. Time is money.
Man, the selection in that Home Depot vs. mine is about triple. In my area we hardly have anything, and the items that are stocked are usually sold out. Lowe's sells Marshalltown gear, and I picked up a 6 inch blue steel taping knife. It's a great knife, and helped me get through a ceiling corner tape job. I also have an Anvil 4 inch knife, but for some reason it doesn't seem to have that slight bend in it so I have to be really careful so I don't gouge the drywall.
Thank you for all your knowledge, and instructionals because I would have never even tried to do the repairs I've done, had it not been for your videos. I still have a long way to go with our home, but it's getting easier, and looking better each time I do it.
Appreciate the insight. Useful to know comparisons.
That extra strength mesh tape is actually really good as it has diagonal threads. However, it's a little thicker than other mesh and paper tape so use only when you have the available depth. But it is really strong for repairs. (I use it on tile backer board sometimes too.)
You were at "my" Home Depot!!!???!!! I always joke with my gal about hiring you to come do your magic on my walls but figured you would never come to CA - you could've had another "what not to do" video featuring my never-ending headache!
But on a serious note, this video is perfect for someone just getting started on their project. I've watched so many of your videos for some time now (thank you for making them). I can remember writing down all the Canadian products you recommended and then heading to the local HD, but couldn't find them. By mere luck I managed to buy the bags of quickset 40 and 90 you noted in this video, as they were the only dry versions that seemed similar. I'll be working on my finishing coats this week and will give the recommended ones for that sort a try as well. That mixer attachment, however, will indeed "zest" the orange homer buckets (many "niblets" found their way onto my walls). So, my advice is to get a better bucket if mixing to avoid the "where did that line come from" after applying a coat. Thank you!
Thanks for pointing out the Plus 3 mud. I have never used Plus 3 despite recommendations from other drywallers. I am skimming an aggressive floor to ceiling popcorn texture on 1960s drywall. The paper is weak so my first two coats were all-purpose mud. I bought a box of Plus 3 and said “let’s try this”. Wow it goes on so smooth with a skimming blade. Like marshmallow crème walls. I love this stuff and so does my back.
Night and day difference. The few times I’ve used a real all purpose I’m like “what is this stuff and why doesn’t it spread!!!”
for popcorn just lightly wet it and scrape it off with the drywall knife. I use a sharpened 12 inch knife for lower and I have a carbide knife for ceilings. It comes right off as the base is light weight mud. no glue in it. For skimming I would still use Green lid All purpose for the 1st coat to get maximum adhesion. Then you could switch to plus3 if you wanted. USG green lid will sand if you slick the top coat. Wont need to sand much at all this way.
@@terrygonyon4490 painted popcorn texture won't soak off. I tried
@@kendallwillis bummer. elbow grease it is. Scraped a lot of it that way. Carbide floor scraper from any paint store is worth the investment. grind the edge flat so you basically have 2 cuttings edges and it helps a ton.
Dude you're my favorite youtuber and an amazing drywaller/carpenter
So thankful for you doing this!
YOOOO THE SKATE TRIP REAPED SOME DRYWALL VIDS TOO LET’s GOOOOO!!!! As a drywall guy who skated I pride myself in being involved of both of your universes
Great review and very helpful! Thank you!!
I wish the USG Plus 3 was available in smaller buckets for homeowners who do small repairs.
I would think anything that says lite all purpose would be comparable. We have many brands of lite all purpose in small tubs around here.
I just use the 3 quart 'dust control'. I figure it's got a blue lid too, so it's probably the same as Plus 3. They just market it differently expressly for the homeowners. Because contractors are gonna use the big bucket as it's more cost effective.
Very good and informative tutorial. Welcome to the US. I hope you had a good visit. You were a couple hours south of me, and Long Beach is a cool place to visit.
I did!
The part of the trowel that connects the handle to the blade is called the shank. The part of the shank that is riveted along the back length of the blade is the spine, and the part that connects the spine to the handle is the neck.
Love your videos, especially this one because we’re at my local Home Depot😮
This was so awesome Lolololol:)
It does bring up one of those questions that I've had with you for years now, is whether or not taping with setting compound is okay, holds up, I sure prefer it. But I guess it's still something I will always wonder about...
Also something you brought up in this video was the sand ability of setting compounds, I am nervous when using topping compound because it's Sands faster way faster than the layers below it, and so I often times end up sanding the paper on the drywall too much. My typical level layers are 20-minute for Phil, 90 or 2:10 for taping and then lightweight for successive layers. Can't stand when i have to do a job quickly, and get stuck sanding a setting compound... It's soo hard to get a nice transition that way.
Thank you for doing this. So helpful!!
That one pass wall repair stuff is actually pretty good stuff ! It's not traditional drywall compound, it's a "repair material" made out of hydraulic cement that works great for "structural" repair of drywall, cement board, plaster, stucco, masonry, etc.
I first bought it by accident thinking it was 90min, but after getting home realized it was 20min. I have since been through several boxes. I like how it's hard but still sands/scrapes reasonably.
I wonder if it's the equivalent of Confill?
@@brianwolf2902 Yes I believe that is a US comparable to Confil.
Well looks like every product I've been using that you said you would never use is going straight to the garbage on Monday morning since I consider you like that highly experienced foreman when it comes to all things drywall finishing !! Just not actually on the job sites with me haha. But Seriously, ever since I've been signing Alot more jobs that include new drywall and finishing , your the guy I go too to reassure myself or learn best ways to do things . I've been in Home Improvements for about 20yrs mostly consisting of exterior work and carpentry , flooring , framing etc and always considered drywall finishing an art only few can perfect but for some reason lately found myself motivated to do more of it and enjoying it , seeing how much better I get at it each job and let me tell you it is satisfying haha . I've learned Alot from your channel man , Thank you for putting out these great videos !!
Thank you!!!
Thank you for sharing your helpful thoughts
YOU ARE A GREAT TEACHER THANKS FOR THE COMPARISONS
Your videos are always informative and you do a great job of explaining your craft. I’ve been doing small drywall jobs for years but I’m finishing a 2000sq ft basement with about 170 sheets of drywall. The problem is not knowing how much mud to get. I use the green bucket for tapping and Plus 3 for consecutive top coats. Any tips would be great.
Keep up the great videos.
I don’t have a set amount per sheet. I just kind of look at the job, the amount of beads and guess!!!😂
Hopefully you got home in time to enjoy the snow. I would hate to see you suffering in that heat and sun. Always a great source of info and knowledge. Thx.
Dude answered almost all my questions in one video. Mad props, bruh.
Thanks for this Ben! You should see our Condiment aisles! 🤣💕👍
PS- California tan looks good on ya! 😎👍
😂
West Coast HD has WestPac (they are based in Southern California), East Coast has USG products. WestPac muds are pretty good. Low shrinkage, easy sanding, even with the quick sets (as long as it is lite version). The TNT lite is a low shrink lightweight taping mud, good for 1st coats, not so good for 2, 3 coats because it has a lots of glue. Plus 3 shrink a ton, but it has a superb finish.
West coast lowes has USG. if you want USG you go to lowes, if you want west pack you go to HD.
Here in WA state and Oregon we carry Hamilton drywall products in HD not WestPac. Never knew they had a sister company
Very great information every bit of time.
Thanks.
what an amazing video keep up the amazing work Ben.
Warning. I bought that exact same Walboard mixing paddle. Exactly the same. And I got a home depot bucket as I was doing personal work for myself without access to the good buckets my company gets.
That paddle absolutely tore up my home depot buck and left tons of carrot peelings in my mud. Real pain in the rear to pluck them all out while I was coating. Ended up spending 10-15 minutes with a grinder trying to knockdown any place that could be sharp.
But yeah, Home Depot brand buckets suck and it was in fact partially the mixers fault. I'd buy a different paddle if you could. Or take this one, stick it in a cheap bucket, fill it with gravel, and run it slow to medium with a high torque drill. Just to try and really knockdown any place that could cut into buckets.
Anecdotal observation: Watch out for colored buckets- orange, blue etc. Seem to always produce “dried coconut flakes” regardless of mixer.
@@KGrant-ty3oy Thank you for the info. Yeah, the orange Home Depot bucket are definitely not good for mixing mud. The buckets we used at work were left over primer buckets (white in color) after using an airless to prime our sheetrock before texture. Those buckets were awesome, never had to fumble with getting "dried coconut flakes (love that name)" out of our coats after the fact.
Lowe's carries a Marshalltown brand 15x5 trowel. Mine has held up great.
Watching your videos converted me to the hawk and trowel.
West coast Home Depot has a significantly different selection than here in the Midwest flyover country. Here we have the USG brands and Pro Form muds. I prefer the Pro Form AP mud over the green lid stuff. I think it has a smoother, easier to trowel texture leaving a finer surface once sanded.
Thanks for this! Taping bathroom this weekend!
11:32 yep. You’re absolutely right. USG mud and Walboard tools where I live and I’ve never seen any of those other brands at my store. Interesting
Hey! You're just up the road from me. I live like 7 miles from Long Beach...It's great to know that you'd get Westpac...I switched to Westpac doing my house mostly because I didn't want to drive all the way to the Lowe's just to get USG.
Great video.
Here in Connecticut, we don't have that much options as far as mud.
Keep up the good work, big fan here.
Thanks 👍
Not many choices here where I live, but at least they have the good stuff.. USG All Purpose Green lid/box, USG Plus 3 Blue lid/box, USG Easy Sand Setting compound in various times, and plenty of paper tape as well as the others you showed and is about all the Home Depot or Lowe's carries in Lafayette LA. Forget about any kind of real tools in stock; all cheap compared to what I have (but very expensive to buy). Glad I bought good stainless knives years ago. I used the setting compound for taping and for the metal corners and the Plus 3 for the second, third coats.
USG Easy Sand is good stuff. Sounds like you have everything that matters. This HD variety was kind of insane.
I hate doing drywall and you get me excited to do it!!!! Thennnnn, I do it and say I’m never doing it again!!!😂🤣😂. Great vids.
A lot different products than what Home Depot carries elsewhere in the states. I like to use USG Total mud. It works good for taping, second and third coats and texture mud
I'm not sure; however, I think tapers and finishers used Plus 3 when taping with mesh.... I always used the green bucket mud for taping and cornerbead and the Plus 3 for first/finish/skim coating.... Thanks for explaining about the other products! You're a Master of the craft Sir! 🙂