Drywall Lightweight Mud or Durabond

Sheetrock Lightweight mud or Durabond witch do you prefer
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[@josephtaylor3281]

I’m a drywall contractor and doing about 50 years and I agree 100% with you

[@rockobukkako813]

I learned how to tape with durabond

[@andrewcarr2431]

durabond reminds me of regular plaster, wet sandable and workable if you time it right. used it to patch a plaster house we owned, not fun to work with. Even found the easy sand hard to sand, but very easier to wet sand. Coming from the UK don't know anything else about "Drywall" products as we plaster the whole walls (Level 5 finish). Now I feel i'm an expert after following the drywall doc for a number of years.

[@powers6963]

Great video. You found a new subscriber. Out of these two products, which one would you recommend for repairing settlement cracks?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Light weight

[@SOLDOZER]

I hate mesh tape. Mud ozzes out of the squares and makes you sand. I dont have that issue with paper or Fibafuse.

[@gregmcbrien2106]

Was wondering about any shear strength data on these materials. I've used durabond and hardness equals shear strength. If the drywall wants to shift a little bit you get those hairline cracks. Whats the shear strength of easy sand 90? It's chemically cured, so there must be some. Water based air dry mud has very little strength.

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I don't know but I will tell you it's not as strong as durabon.

[@davetenney5800]

I finish whole houses with 2 products - Durabond and Green top all purpose.

[@jpvielleux]

For those new to this stuff the number on the bag tells you how many minutes you have before the product hardens. So durabond 45 will take roughly 45 minutes to set up. For it to completely dry it takes a bit longer but the surface will be set up. Just in case anyone is confused about the numbers.

[@2318291]

What mud are you using for your factory/butt joints and what mud are you using for angles and corners ? The same one or different? And also question about consistency of it ?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I tape with an all purpose but finish with USG +3

[@robertgrist8496]

I taped 3 small rooms with the light green 40% lighter usg bucket topping. The tape sticks but seems to peel right off the bed easily. Im going to use plus 3 to top off 2 finish coats. I did a sample tear off with plus 3 and the 40% lighter and the plus 3 leaves some tape on the wall where light green totally pulls off. Any thoughts?

[@georgesorisho1681]

Always informative vid, thank you.

[@Rob-mv7oj]

Finafuse max is the bees knees. Love it!

[@rickjohnson1632]

Always appreciate the tips 👍

[@J..P..]

Question: I have several cracked seams running from floor to ceiling (classic no prefill with mesh tape crack) whats the best procedure here? Ideally, I want to use paper over mesh if possible. My original plan was to prefill and tape with paper and durabond all at once, but I've seen several people warning of durabond with paper. Should I just use the mesh instead? Or can I prefill with durabond, let it set and then come back with my regular compound and paper tape later? Or can I just set the paper in the durabond as I originally intended?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I would cut into the crack and paper tape with a lightweight setting compound not durabon.

[@fbad3]

Thanks for the info, Doc. I found your comment about paper tape possibly blistering easier with Durabond very helpful and will avoid this combination (I've never paper taped with Durabond (I used USG green lid) since in your past videos you've really only recommend using Durabond for prefill and I trust your advice, which is based on 40+years of experience, it's never let me down yet).👍

[@kirkdunn1379]

I dont even think we had durabond on west coast when I started in 80s, possible but i didnt see it....we would use Plaster of Paris and mix it with all purpose......we didn't even have Home Depots or Lowes......83 I started framing didn't do drywall til late 80s

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Started in 76 and we would prefill and tape two homes in a day with one journeyman and two apprentices. Always use durabon 90

[@DCtaping]

Well said my friend well said!!👌😎💸👍

[@donpoitras5188]

Hi Dr. Drywall,I enjoy all your videos and you're great at what you do.Could you tell me if sheetrock 90 or 20 is pretty much the same strength as all purpose drywall compound except for drying faster?Thanks,Don

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Ho no lightweight compounds are much harder when dry than all purpose.

[@donpoitras5188]

@@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 thanks

[@robre6840]

tough to find the brown bag durabond lately havent seen it at any home depots sometimes at ace hardware but mostly see the ez sand cause its more sellable to home owners they think its sandable which of course it isnt not meant to be sanded really either pre filling or roughing in patches with it then running light weight for remaining coats. you could patch a hole in your driveway with durabond stuff rock hard

[@seephor]

I use Westpac Fast set 20 for taping and filling then finish with all purpose. i've also finished hot mud what you have to be careful when you layer the stuff because any inconsistency with the amount of water between coats gives you a slightly harder/softer product and when you go to sand these layers, you end up with ridges where the mud tapers into the sheetrock. With enough experience though, you can do more with products that are less forgiving and get away with it.

[@marcellemay7721]

I only used durabond once and never used it again, that stuff is impossible to sand. . That had to be 20 years ago. Easy sand has been around since about 20 yrs ago, maybe longer. Easy sand is what I use mostly, if it's a small job and I just gotta get outta there. I do mostly remodeling so most of the jobs are 1, 2 or 3 rooms. I almost never first coat with anything other than Easy sand, if i do that, I can usually get the second coat on the same day. Depending on the heat and humidity, I might second coat with all purpose if its hot and dry weather, If it's humid, rainy, I'll probably second coat with easy sand again. I try to finish coat with blue lid because it feathers out nice and it's easy to sand. But on small patch jobs, in and out in a day, Easy sand for all the coats. Get in, get out, pay me. 🤑

[@dereckthompson1572]

I just say no to drugs and durabond!

[@tompanek7511]

After 40 years of Drywall taping it’s refreshing to see someone of equal or even better than myself. Old school taping is tried and true. You young and up and coming tapers need to watch and learn.

[@nes999]

After 40 years you shouldn't be complaining about the young tapers. You should teach them!

[@tompanek7511]

@@nes999 U Tube the Drywall Doctor. Sit back - Watch and learn from a master. Cost nothing.

[@tompanek7511]

@@nes999 As for teaching new and want to be Tapers - Try The Drywall Doctor on youtube. For the most part that is practically how I do my taping. If you follow his instruction you WILL be successful every time on every project and won’t waste time. Time is money.

[@ES-bn1bi]

I love The Drywall Doc! And now I don't feel so bad that my durabonded-paper tape in my bedroom bubbled. I am watching this video to procrastinate remedying this situation. Okay, off to carve out the bubbled tape and/or remove it completely.

[@johnnichols2710]

I like durobond for corners and patch. Good when patching plaster.

[@primabellas6856]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have a 1908 building that has plaster walls and ceilings. Some areas of ceiling are so cracked, they're at risk of falling and part of the kitchen ceiling did recently break away. I was wondering if this would work to "glue" the overhead cracks and prevent future falls and also if it can be used to fill in the space in the kitchen?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

When plaster is falling off its best to laminate over it or remove it completely.

[@primabellas6856]

@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 - thank you. I appreciate your quick reply. :)

[@danielrussell9416]

Thank you for this. I'm repairing plaster walls and so many people say to fill with Durabond. On your advice I started using Easy Sand to fill. It shrinks very little, is harder than all purpose and it can be sanded. I tape with Fibafuse and all purpose and then finish with lightweight all purpose.

[@johnnichols2710]

Lightweight chips easy. Try topping compound

[@MAGAMAN]

I can't even find durabond around here. That being said, it's probably for the better, because that easy sand isn't easy to sand at all and kind of made a mess of my last drywall install. Anywhere that had that stuff and the bucket mud looked bad because the bucket mud comes off a lot easier than the easy sand. and you could see it through the paint even though it looked fine before priming and painting.

[@johnspencer1145]

Hello thank you for the videos I am by no means a taper but I do it often with my work I have a question for you about knives I’m super fussy about my knives I’ve used for years I recently tried a 6” stainless taping knife and I can’t get use to it for some reason the steel ones are so much better for me have you experienced anything like that or does it not matter to you ? Again thank you for the videos 👍🏻

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Yeah I'm not a fan of stainless steel.

[@lonewolf744]

I have a hard time even getting Durabond in my area without ordering it. Their for I usually use easy sand to pre fill with and even tape with on small jobs. I wonder if USG would back a job pre filled with easy sand instead of Durabond? Or Durabond only because it sets up harder?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Yes they will

[@lonewolf744]

@@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 Thanks Doc.

[@jerseyjim9092]

So you use don't use regular fibafuse for taping seams, just for patching?. Max fibafuse is better for seams?

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I think so

[@jerseyjim9092]

@@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 The looks of it reminds me of fiberglass tape so id wonder if it would have a similar tendency to bubble up from the wet mud especially since it's not self adhesive. Doesn't look like you had an issue though.

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I haven't ever with this. But like I said it hasn't had the test of time like paper tape.

[@jerseyjim9092]

@@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 Thanks Doc, seems like the Max may have been developed to address the problem with using the regular fibafuse in corners. I'll give it a shot for my ceiling seam crack project. I'm removing most of the old material from the seam and veeing it for prefill with durobond 90. Then I'll tape with green top and Fibafuse Max. I'm looking for max strength so it makes sense to go with the stronger, probably thicker tape, especially since I'm working in the tapered area of the board.

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

Make sure you don't need a control joint otherwise the crack will always come back.

[@Rangertex2.3]

Great video

[@benjaminziegler7437]

Brownbaggin' it baby

[@munnymatchmaker8662]

About 10 years ago Home Depot (in Chicago) carried a product call Rapid Set - One Pass, which IMHO had the combined qualities of Durabond brown bag and Easy Sand. And the best part, you were able skim it out to zero, with no humps. Sadly, this product is nowhere to be found now. Yes, you can buy it online, but they all want double, triple the price for a single bag, and that doesn't include shipping cost, lol

[@kirkdunn1379]

We still have "one pass" I use it in bathrooms, wet areas..... Good stuff......rapid set HQ is close to me or one of em

[@munnymatchmaker8662]

@@kirkdunn1379 The rapid set sales reps are asleep at wheel here in Central Wisconsin. Right now, I am having trouble finding brown bag 20........Glad I am retired and doing this stuff just to keep busy.

[@LukePitney1991]

Hey Doc, great video! I was wondering if you could expand on this a little bit? How would you address corner cracks in the ceiling due to truss uplift? I’ve left the house set two years since I’ve built it and I believe the cracks are opened as far as they can go now. They disappear in the summer. Would you open them and pre-fill with Dura bond before taping? And would a polymer tape like no-coat or strait flex be more suitable for strength and future movement? Thanks I’m advance! -Luke

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

I would stay away from straight flex and use no-coat or level line. Shouldn't need to prefill unless the gap is over 1/8" . I think I would still just tape it with level line.

[@LukePitney1991]

@@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1 You’re awesome, thank you for the advice! Hope to meet you some time. I’m a contractor in Rockford, IL. Not too far away!

[@THEDRYWALLDOCTOR1]

My daughter lived in roscoe but moved to Wisconsin dells

[@fatcat-hc4pj]

Love me some durabond for prefill

[@mr.kenslifeshop4034]

I primarily do patches and I prefill and tape often with durabond 45. with fiberfuse. I have read on forums that people say don't tape with it has no bond at least compared to taping mud. The fact of the matter is if you accidentally get that on any of the unprimed drywall paper when you go to scrape or chisel It off the paper will come with it it has a hella-bond. If I'm not in a hurry for a several day job I paper tape with all purpose. If you get a hump that you absolutely have to get rid of you can chisel it off or use a shaving knife to knock it down.

[@fbad3]

Side comment - Although I don't think there is a solid relationship, Durabond is 'conventional weight' and so is USG green lid. I assume because of this that Durabond has a good amount of adhesive in it. I suppose a counter argument would be USG Topping, which too is a conventional weight but sands pretty easy and is not recommended for taping. Your comment is making me think I may be right, sort of?

[@mr.kenslifeshop4034]

@@fbad3 true all purpose is heavy and is hard to sand as well. The key to taping with durabond is make sure it's wet for bonding purposes and to pull the extra mudd out.

[@fbad3]

@@mr.kenslifeshop4034 Good info. Do you suppose the same holds true for lightweight setting type muds? Perhaps they are more forgiving as far as needing to have them loose enough for taping?

[@mr.kenslifeshop4034]

@@fbad3 I don't recommend taping with any setting compounds other than durabond. If you do you need to add adhesive into it.

[@wetsaw7869]

Great info

[@xCoolBreezex]

Agreed