😳Should you Add Dish Soap to Drywall Mud????😱

Old timer secret?.....or sketchy hack??? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!!!!
Patreon: www.patreon.co...

[@mikemiller347]

I can tell you are a professional drywaller by how well you fill my electrical boxes with mud!

[@brendanmulhall]

"the electricians don't like it, but they are used to it!"

[@shawnperepelytz6397]

@@brendanmulhall they deserve it too.

[@jedimindtrick8966]

I can tell you're an electrician by all the unnecessary holes you came back and put in my finished wall.

[@mikemiller347]

@@jedimindtrick8966 definitely considered it and seen others go searching for boxes/pots with a hammer but personally always tried best to find them without damage or let the contractor know something is buried and go from there.

[@vancouvercarpenter]

😂

[@mrshoeguy2477]

Your daughter did a great job of letting us see what was happening with the mud while you were working until you thought she was too close. Hire her & then let her do it her way.

[@EricLS]

Like actually ha ha. Watching you is frustrating because now that I'm fairly good at this, it's even more insane how it looks like you're not doing anything, but knowing just how much is going on with each stroke. With her zoom, I could see what you think is a good coat, such a good reminder to just leave it be and fill the little holes and bumps on the next coat.

[@elifire4147]

Agreed more family involvement love it love ❤️

[@trexmidnite]

Bless him and his family.. such decent person.. too bad the cat chewed his mic and seems to not like him haha

[@agoodnight1050]

Yeah maybe back up sometimes to get the big picture but she was never really "too close" we have to see the texture

[@michaelnicholas691]

Without you and your videos, I would never have been able to remodel my parents' old house so they could afford assisted living and hospital bills. I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Also, my wife makes fun of me every time she sees me watching what she calls your "drywall porn" videos.

[@vancouvercarpenter]

😂

[@nataliagagnacci1647]

You are such a great son to look out for your parents like this!

[@dannykinghamwestlake5339]

You may want to test paint the section with soap. I'm not sure what caused my problem but paint would not stick to the mud when my house was built. I could peel sheets of paint off areas where mud was applied. Not sure what sheetrock crews did.

[@vancouvercarpenter]

@@dannykinghamwestlake5339 I bet it was too much soap and a super cheap primer.

[@mjjackaroos112]

@@dannykinghamwestlake5339 Bet it was never primed!

[@darinvee4980]

"Shut it!" Good to hear the Canadian kids speak the same way to their siblings as our American kids.

[@gettin-stuffdunn6028]

Lemon fresh mud with auto grease cutting capability. Dawn - powerful enough to effectively remove oil from birds' feathers, while remaining gentle on feathered edges.

[@pentprod7766]

Lol

[@vancouvercarpenter]

😂 Crushed it!

[@penelopeclearwater4454]

I knew I was fucked!

[@0b1b7a3886e1df44]

The up close angles by your daughter were the most helpful! I could actually see the details in the mud. You should hire her!!

[@diceberg100]

It's like watching an artist creating his masterpiece. Weather you add soap or not, I enjoyed watching you tackle that wall.

[@ryanksiazek]

The plus 3 mud is a composition with soap already added to it by USG. I have completed well over a million sq ft since the 1990s and I add about a cup to 2 cups of water and around a teaspoon of dawn or a little less to each box or pale. The dawn creams the mud and gets rid of the poc issues. When you first spin the mud stop and pop the air bubble that forms around the mixing head, it helps to keep the poc issues away.

[@PoppabearsCave]

Thank you for this comment. Plus 3 is what I have. You probably saved me.

[@panzerfaust1322]

Bro I’ve been a Drywaller since I was eight years old because my dad owned his own business and so subsequently my brother and I were scrapping houses and spotting nails since i was at a young age… I usually watch political stuff on KZbin… I’m about your age… However I find you to be probably one of the most relaxing personalities on this platform. I have always been very reluctant to add the soap… Thanks for doing the experiment for me. Lol One thing I will say man… I use a pan and knife not a hawk and trowel …. The trowel looks cooler. Good work

[@vancouvercarpenter]

I’m trying not to watch political stuff anymore 😂. My mental health is improving.

[@bay9876]

@@vancouvercarpenter A lot of soap to clean up the politicians needed.

[@panzerfaust1322]

@@bay9876 amen brother

[@painn415ifty]

canadians are bear hunters too... for fun/keep the hock

[@Honey-Bee-25]

​@@panzerfaust1322 Can I ask you a question since you're a drywaller? I am using joint compound for a project, and found out this through research. I haven't tried it yet because I don't want to waste money, so I'm hoping your experience can help!! I found out that joint compound reactivates when water is added to the surface. Is there anything I can apply over it to keep it from absorbing water or humidity? Like a sealer? Also I read that it scratches or scrapes up easily. Is there anything I can add to increase the strength of it so it doesn't damage or dent easily if you bump it? I heard something about pva & I think someone said laquer on a reddit thread I was reading lol, but not sure if there are other things I can look into.

[@marvelmusic4566]

I love how, even with your daughter filming, you still talk to us like we're all right behind her. And to get your daughter involved with your videos shows how much you trust her. She did a great job. And thank you for trying the dish soap experiment.

[@Gandalf_CPA]

Love the honest conversation between you two. Awesome! Cherish those times. Thank you for the wisdom shared!

[@michellecothrun1048]

"Shut it! I'm filming for Dad!!" 🤣 Love it!

[@erikpaulsen891]

I have spent almost 15 years working at a series of apartment complexes, doing allot of small repairs, and lots of drywall patches. As far as soap in the mud, mudding wise I haven't noticed any difference until the painting. Oil based paint defiantly didn't adhere as good, and in a few odd cases, didn't dry thoroughly. The top dries fine, the underside didn't seem to dry properly, and would cause the paint to sluff off with moderate effort. But could have situational as well. Thanks for showing this on a larger scale.

[@christopherzdana9060]

"Are you paying me for this?" Haha, you and your daughter have great rapport. Good on you. I feel like if adding dish soap to your mud made *that* much of a difference, Procter & Gamble would have partnered with someone and marketed the hell out of that, long ago. Anyhow, thanks for the content and a happy (early) Father's Day, Vancouver Hippie!

[@fiver-hoo]

they do. Its called NoPock

[@christopherzdana9060]

@@fiver-hoo Interesting! I didn't realize P&G owned Warner. Maybe a divested brand?

[@terrilnu9756]

I was also taught by old mudders to thin the mud more. Thinner coats-not as thick-less bubbles-less sanding. Soap is a binder. It binds to things, which can then be removed. Or to adhere. Great video!!! Thanks for all your videos.

[@Stevesbe]

Lots a shrinkage

[@Someguy1357]

"Shut it! I'm filming for Dad!" Spoken like a true big sister lol. She did a solid job. Got in close when needed and added some humor. NGL, the wife did much better. Thank you for the video.

[@jasonharris5276]

I live in a secluded small town with few options. I love plus 3 for finishing because it's much easier to sand. However plus 3 is rarely available here. Green box all purpose is readily available. I've found that by adding 3 or 4 Oz of dish soap makes all purpose almost as easy to sand as plus 3 and it goes on smoother during application. No adverse effects aside from the stinging eyes during sanding

[@fizixx]

I can see how this might work. Soap breaks the surface tension in water, so the water will flow more smoothly. You should try adding just plain liquid soap with no dyes or scents in it. Then add it to the water. Mix thoroughly but not so that it's foamy....that traps air. Mix it gently, and you should't need very much. Maybe even half of what you added in this video. I think this would give the best results if you're going to do it. This is how I'd do it.

[@ryan_rands]

This. Add the soap right before you are done mixing and it only take about half as much as you added. You don't need to add this every coat, but when it's going on thick and likely to bubble, a little soap makes it much better because it breaks the surface tension of the water in the mud and makes it go on smooth. I like to mix up Easy Sand really thick, add some soap and I can put a single coat on corner bead that only requires a light skim to finish. If you don't add soap, you will get a lot of bubbles in mud that thick and it will need more than a skim to finish.

[@ROMEAEOM]

Try adding about 2 teaspoons of soap to a 16oz bottle of water, and use that water to mix your mud. I’ve found it to leave a much smoother glass like finish, highly recommend any finishers out there to try it

[@Bambino4123]

Do I just add that one 16oz bottle to a new box of mud? Or should I thin it down with more water

[@ROMEAEOM]

@@Bambino4123 I thin however much mud I need using the soapy water to a consistency I’m comfortable with, I also add a little plaster of Paris to my mix

[@ROMEAEOM]

Sorry for the late reply but give it a shot and experiment!

[@dereklemay1087]

I've done it both ways soap or no soap it's all a preference thing. As far as the mud not sticking I haven't seen any or had any issues with that, nor have I had any issues with painting it. Just my two cents from a painting and drywall contractor. And as always very informative, keep up the good work.

[@Darndat]

I just started doing renovations on my house for the first time. I was skim coating my popcorn walls to make them flat. It was frustrating because it took 2-3 weeks to get a decent look. I watched one of your videos and I was mind blown how many mistakes I did. I'm so grateful and I'm learning alot from you. So thank you to you and your daughter for these videos!

[@burlingtondigs]

Darn . . . I know that feeling . . . I am living the feeling at the moment . . . great video's . . . I worry though that by the time I get the ceiling right anyone over 5 feet will have to bend down 😁

[@HannahMattox]

I never leave tips because I accept that my 20 years has no bearing on your years because you've done it consistently, whereas I've only done it semi-professionally for 20 years and you've been doing this kinda stuff the whole time, even if it was just the carpentry sometimes. I've done so many things in my life, lived so many lives, but intertwined in that has been other sides and jobs and things... And the human brain sucks. After 8 concussions, I've forgotten a lot of what I was taught. But, that's where you become my KZbin hero. I'm so thankful your wife is just patient enough to say "help these poor idiots who need you, ignore the professional jerks who say you're wrong and you both get the same results". My inherited family thinks I may be lying about my experience, my natural family knows I've been there and not been careful enough to protect my brain 😂 so before I thank you, I want to thank your wife for being so patient with you so you can give us this level of help and hope ❤️❤️

[@vancouvercarpenter]

Thank you Hannah!!!!!

[@AnotherClown01]

Hey Ben if you take the plugs out they wouldn't be in the way however the wires would be in the way! I see your daughter has your sense of humor. The two of you must have a great time cracking each other up. Enjoy the time together it goes by very quickly. Cheers...

[@ericperron1]

Adding soap turns regular mud into machine mud, I use machine for hand trowelling as it does tend to bubble less, smoother applications using less water and saving wrists, down side is the eye and nostril burn at sanding. Glad you made the vid as I shared your skepticism and still partially do, adding something that creates suds to remove air bubbles is a mind job.

[@user-vp1sc7tt4m]

The surfactant in the dish soap would reduce surface tension and also increase affinity to oils on the surface you are applying the mud to or oils that may happen to be in the mud. I think proper prep would negate the need to use surfactants but in some conditions surfactants in the mud may help. No expert here.

[@orcoastgreenman]

She did a great job! Could shoot a little lower when you are working on the bottom half of the wall... center on your active hand, keeping your face and knees in the frame, would be my preference during mud application.

[@chrisv4640]

I am convinced that the bubbles come from dust on the wall when you apply mud... I dont sand between coats and I dont get bubbles.. I do add dawn to my mud because I always saw mud crews doing it on jobsites. I think it might also make it sand easier... if nothing else it adds a nice fragrance to the room while you are mudding... you added the right amount in my opinion... makes it easier to clean tools too!

[@ryanc7744]

I'm not a professional with drywall, but my father was. He always swore by soap in mud for all kinds of reasons. Mainly it was for adding less water, and removing the bubbles. He said it would be less work later because it finished easier. Less work = getting the job done faster. He also added more soap than you did, and he used the cheapest available from the dollar store. For a little bit of soap, he may have saved a ton of time on a job, and it was worth it to him.

[@sissywalker1955]

I'll bet he had trouble finding anyone to help on sand days soap in the mud equals soap 8n the eyes.

[@audimaster5000]

Ahah! Soap being a surfactant, it would practically make ‘water wetter’ so less water would be needed. It’d be interesting to try just a liquid surfactant that is used in the horticultural/agricultural industry for spraying herbicides and such. Or yucca extract maybe. At least that theory I think makes sense.

[@GalacticTradingPost]

alright. im putting soap in my walls.

[@rickysdrywall5288]

Been putting dawn in my mud for 30 years and never had a problem. I don't know about bubbles but it definitely makes it smoother, and stay smoother longer. Never had any adhesion problem, and I paint almost all of my own work.

[@dwade6322]

Thanks for the info..I'm a 20 year painting guy,but ocassional mud guy as well (self taught mostly) an i always wondered if soap affected the mud in negative ways for painting.

[@Honey-Bee-25]

Can I ask you a question since you work with joint compund? I am using joint compound for a personal project, and found out some info through research but not sure how accurate it is. I haven't tried it yet because I don't want to waste money buying the wrong things experimenting, so I'm hoping your experience can help!! I found out that joint compound reactivates when water is added to the surface. Is there anything I can apply over it to keep it from absorbing water or humidity? Like a sealer? Also I read that it scratches or scrapes up easily. Is there anything I can add to increase the strength of it so it doesn't damage or dent easily if you bump it? I heard something about pva & I think someone said laquer on a reddit thread I was reading lol, but not sure if there are other products I can look into that you may know off hand.

[@sawdustadikt979]

So I learned about soap in mud from a Canadian taping crew. They put about 1 cup in a bucket and mixed it. I’m not a career taper but if I do something, I intend to be good at it eventually. So I watch and learn and I’ve tried it and it did help with application and smoothness. Especially with setting compound. The only thing that concerned me was one job I was doing, there was a water event. A pipe burst and there was a lot of water damage on the ceiling I just finished, I mean like I did a detailed coffered ceilings, the works. Anyhow, the mud let go of the drywall. The drywall had to come down(everything had to come down) but I noticed it, dunno if regular mud or mix would have stayed. That’s my experience with it.

[@anthonyalagna8326]

The painters would have your head

[@sawdustadikt979]

@@anthonyalagna8326 I painted the place after that taping crew. Primer and paint stuck despite me not thinking it would. Counter intuitive I know but that’s how it went. I did the soap thing for a few years afterwards, I d every step in the process so from framing, hanging, taping, priming, trim work to final paint. Never had a problem. I don’t need to do this anymore as I’ve gotten better at taping, but have you had a problem with it?

[@anthonyalagna8326]

@@sawdustadikt979 had cɔntractor tell me the painters would get pissed off.not to do it again

[@sawdustadikt979]

@@anthonyalagna8326 were you subbing?

[@stans5270]

The bonding factor of water molecules is lessened by the addition of soap. It helps more with hard water versus soft [or softened] water. Surface tension is what creates the bubbles.

[@anthonyalagna8326]

What do you mean by surface tensiɔn.was told many reasons for bubbles(hate them)when i called USG.moisture in rock,mixing too fast.never heard that one

[@dustincorkill-bomgaars5938]

When I started mudding 25 years ago we would add it all the time, especially when using boxes (automatic taping tools). I've been back to many of those jobs and never had any complaints or fails. It seemed like most companies started adding something from the factory in the early 2000s and everyone I know stopped adding soap. Whatever usg started adding rotted out aluminum tools so started using other brands like proform.

[@ladygabrielle36]

I wish I knew about usg before I bought it 😭💔

[@Stevesbe]

I like the proform hot mud over usg

[@jkm3297]

@@Stevesbe Hamilton is the true shit

[@rockinrobbie1985]

Your daughter did amazing camera work

[@Matt-my7pz]

I once added vitamin water to a pail of mud and didn't use it for a while it took me a while to realize why it was so fragrant. Like crazy berry smell. It smelled even dried on the wall. Love the commentary between you and family members.

[@Bauswin]

"Ben take the plug out! NO!" The delivery of this was top-tier comedy

[@supremedictator.]

You don't need to worry about soap in the mud affecting the paint! The long chain emulsifier molecules in the the soap are hydrophillic on one end and hydrophobic on the other. They strongly attach to the water suspended in the mud and, as you noted, make the mud more smooth (technically, more elastic). The other end of the emulsifier molecules will attach to oily substances. They'll make oil paints stick better and have no substantive effect on water-soluble paints and the "oily" end of the molecules slip off your trowel more easily. The amount of soap that you added at ~5:20 was a good start for the amount of mud in your bucket, but maybe 2x that would've been better (it's hard to see how much mud is in the bucket). In general, about 1/2 cup soap per bucket of drywall. Also, I only use it with the US all-porpoise mud on a finishing coat, not your Canadian Bud-light-variety mud. You can also cheat the mud a bit by mixing the mud up completely, first, then adding a small amount of soap and just mix the soap into the top cm or two of mud and skim the mud off the top for use. This leaves most of the mud mostly soap-free but with a good amount of slippery mud on top and you can mix a bit more of the soap-free mud in if you think it's too soapy - which I don't actually ever find. Finally, if you're going to add water to the mud, *thoroughly* mix it in beforehand and make sure there are no drops on the side (or mix the soap in first) to prevent the soap from forming bubbles with the water.

[@supremedictator.]

I'd suggest trying this again, and then go through the painting process as well. Consider using all-purpose mud rather than the light variety as I think it'll bring out a more pronounced difference in the material handling characteristics. I agree with others that your daughter did a good job with video. She could've centered more on the whole scene including the things you're working with instead of sticking mostly with you, but in general, she was awesome, especially getting up close to the action. You need to get comfortable with that. :-) Love your channel.

[@jamesherman1350]

I've added way less Dawn to my mud than you did for years. On and off depending on wheather or not I had it with. Never had an issue with paint adhesion. No call backs on flaking or peeling paint. I used it because that is what I was tought to do by an old mudder.

[@adriancastaneda6279]

Knew an old timer taper that used dawn soap when would spray texture . He would say that it would help the mud stay moist to give you time to spray and knock down before drying up on you . I’ve used the soap technique to spray big rooms . Seems to help

[@tlit3284]

When they do natural walls from lime and more they put soup in the end for waterproof surface 🙏🏻👍🏻 We just have to know all this natural reactions mix things together. So awesome! I’m so excited learn more about walls composers 🙏🏻👍🏻 Thank you so much for sharing with us👍🏻

[@learsi0071]

I also get yelled at from watching too many videos of taping and hanging after a day of doing it myself 🤣 my daughter picked my profile picture don’t judge haha.... it is always nice watching your videos man. 👍🏻

[@hmg8915]

I'm a Mason and a little soap in the mix water keep the mortar more workable and longer without adding to much water..

[@girlmastergeneral]

The dish soap is a surfactant, it allows the bubbles to rise up to the top of the mud during mixing and keeps them out of the mud when you spread them.

[@Chrissers2010]

As someone who has never finished drywall, I wish every drywall video included mentioning the exact mud being used.

[@dwade6322]

Great point! They are not all the same.

[@JamesMartin-fm8ke]

Had an experienced drywaller do my new house. He used Dawn because after years of the trade he found applying the mud was easier on his shoulder. Only reason he used it.

[@jonathanlacy305]

It’s not a myth, i’ve been a drywaller since I was five years old . I guess My dad figured this was old enough to learn the trade. That was 55 years ago. He trained me to only put a certain amount of liquid detergent in my mug when the mud has been sitting up for a while. (starting to have a smell but not spoil.) The liquid soap will not only help the characteristics of your mud Application but it will also cut the odor. This would be done only when the walls are getting a prime coat with flat paint or kills primer. I have yet to have a problem afterwards or have a callback dude to the walls flashing or peeling. This also applies to texture in.

[@somenteasescrituras4064]

5 years old ? Lmao !!!!

[@jonathanlacy305]

@@somenteasescrituras4064 Yeah that’s right

[@clausiusuf]

“We don’t get paid.” She saw an entry point and jumped on it. Smart

[@EchiLoki]

I've played around with this a few times. On one occasion, I used a lot more than a squirt. Everything smelled awesome, only problem was, despite the mud being buttery smooth, it developed more surface tension to the knife. So despite feeling like it would feather super thin and not worry about bubbles, it almost felt like it dragged a bit more. Haven't played around with it in quite some years but I've been wanting to dabble in the soap again soon

[@pavelnesterov5554]

I use soap in mud to help with bubbles, dries a little faster and way easier to clean tools after work. Plus mud will become glass smooth if you put a bit more elbow grease into it. 40 % more work I get from same job when homeowner fills how smooth walls become. Try it

[@robbydobbywabisabi]

I've been a professional painter for about 10 years. I use dish soap to clean my paint sprayer and brushes because dish soap contains the same surfactants as water based paint so they are compatible. I have a titan 440 sprayer and I've been storing it in soapy water between jobs for 2 years with no problems, except for winter time when I use antifreeze, then clean with soapy water before using again. If your paint sprayer is making a clicking sound or running rough, you can put soapy water into the rig, tape the handle down on the gun and put it in the soapy water bucket so it just cycles through the unit and after about 15 or 20 minutes you can hear the clicking noise from the dirty piston ball stop. My titan has an auto clean mode and I always cycle soapy water through till it sounds happy again at the end of each job. Once I didn't rinse out the sprayer thoroughly before running the paint and the first couple gallons wanted to run because soap makes water wetter. Other than that I've had absolutely no problems, I've been told the dish soap conditions the rubber gaskets as well but can't verify that specifically. I suppose the degreasing aspect of dish soap may make oil based coatings fail if it's in the mud but this isn't 1976 and there's no good reason to put oil primer on fresh drywall. So from a painters perspective , I don't think you'd have any major issues having a bit of soap in the mud, especially if you're back rolling the primer as recommended. Thanks for all your videos they've helped me out a lot lately

[@mermaidmuncher2708]

I use Coro check for storing the rig, and give it a shot of throat seal.

[@mikem833]

Adding Dish detergent without a doubt cuts down on the surface tension, gives the mud a bit more open time as well. Gives a slick and smooth finish. Especially great for skim coating.

[@mikem833]

I don’t suggest adding The detergent for 1st coating. You don’t want to compromise adhesion of the tape and mud. I Use it only for polishing mostly.

[@z06doc86]

The main ingredient in Dawn dish soap is Sodium Lareth Phosphate, which is a surfactant and makes the drywall mud more creamy and goes on smoother. However, causes paint adhesion problems and therefore I cannot imagine why anyone would do this

[@marthaespinoza934]

It peels texture off when it gets sprayed , im a supervisor for a painting company and it happens and we get the blame but the texture peeling of when sprayed doesnt have to do with paint😮

[@majflonite]

Great camerawork by your daughter! She really gets up close enough to see the finer details, which is super helpful. Thanks!

[@jacobmiller7175]

As a painter, we regularly clean walls down with dish soap, especially kitchens and baths. I have never had issues with adhesion or streaking. It even sands fine, when you want to get rid of any orange peeling left from the last 10 coats of paint. Quick tip for anyone who paints regularly, after cleaning your brush an kicking out most of the water, dab a small amount of hair conditioner into it mix it in, train in wrapped in plastic or the keeper. Then store in the fridge for your next paint job. That brush will be better than new!

[@allthewayinu]

She did a great job!

[@scottdecoster4002]

Love Dawn soap. Never added to mud tho. Works great after automotive work. Cleans me up perfect. And my dishes are all sparkly 😆 Kid did a fine job filming. Might have her on full time. At least till school starts up again.

[@johnprohaska859]

We use 'a squirt' of dish soap (dawn but also store brands) in our in-ground vinyl liner pool base vermiculite (40# bag and 5 gl. water) and it certainly helps with troweling it smooth. Never had an issue and the ready mix maker encourages using the soap (they recommend dawn by name) for this reason. Would think adding it to mud has same benefits.

[@pondersome]

Late to comment but one small note that doesn’t seem to be mentioned in the other comments. Mixing dish soap with water then mixing in the dry mud mix is where you really see the difference. Dry mix blends astoundingly faster and smoother with a water soap mix. Not such a big deal if you’re using easy sand 90 or 45 but if you need to burn and turn an easy sand 5 patch, the water soap mix will make a world of difference.

[@systemverilog99]

I always added detergent to dry mortar or concrete fix. It acts as a plasticizer and makes it easier mix and work. My father was in the concrete business and said to always do this and that commercial plasticizers are basically the same as detergents.

[@cswurzberger]

Great videos. Thank you. I’m now off and muddying my own rooms. I also loved having your daughter filming. Her up close filming and conversations were so much fun!

[@MIGHTYX2010]

I'm surprised how many experts in the comments don't know what this does Aside with your conclusion of making it a little more slippery and float out better it's more known to help with flash setting. It's weird, it does not necessarily retard drying time or delay but yet make it more evenly dry. Say you have 20 minute mud; well it doesn't really allow you to do a second coat in 20 minutes yet it sets up in 20 minutes. Adding the soap will help it set more evenly set in like 25 minutes. You have to play around with it because humidity, heat and cold changes how much soap you need to add. I guess you can relate it to using penetrol or floetrol paint additives, sort of. One more thing I have even used hardeners and dies along with using soap all at the same time mixed in and haven't noticed any bad changes to finish product or problems with painting. It goes with anything try something new if you don't notice it helping you making it easier then don't use it any longer. Good luck guys great content enjoy your videos 👍

[@garychandler4296]

I recall reading an explanation for how soap works: it makes water"wetter". Therefore, it would make adhesion even BETTER inasmuch as the mud has to penetrate the paper to a degree to stick at all. That said, the same may not be true for the paint, as it has chemical, not physical bonding.

[@terrygonyon4490]

The reason they started putting dish soap in mud dates back to the 90s for me an probably even earlier to combat Pocking. You get this more in Quickset muds when air gets trapped under the mud while setting. The dishsoap would help alleviate this greatly and was used more in Commercial apartments when drywall finished. Most of those were all finished in 1 or 2 coats of quickset and textured. They actually make a product called No Pock....

[@jfl-mw8rp]

Interesting... you have two things going on. Reducing drag and eliminating water surface tension by adding a surfactant. It would be really interesting to just add a commercial surfactant like they add in herbicides. To eliminate bubbles. Instead of soap add a little glycerin.

[@demophys4883]

Glycerin looks like it might work, as it mixes readily with water and (as you mentioned) acts as a surfactant, just like the dish soap. The question of course is just how much glycerin to add, just like the soap.

[@zenithperigee7442]

@jfl4066, yes that's what it does! Actually when I was a kid I worked for a couple of years in a horticulture nursery. We used dish soap with Roundup. It was readily available & inexpensive. It didn't take much for our backpack sprayers which were 4-5 gallon capacity. It worked well to "extend" the herbicide & cover plants better without having to soak them with herbicide.

[@bradley3549]

There are commercial products made for drywall mud. No-pock or something. I wonder what's in it now. MSDS might give some clues.

[@paulabrams8142]

Ok

[@codys6409]

Your daughter should video more. She adds fun personality to your videos!

[@duck_hi]

Why hasn't your family been shooting for you this whole time? They are so much better at following what you are doing, and are able to focus on the wall and you so we can see what you want us to see. Also great banter with your daughter, felt like a live comments section. Your wife had a much steadier hand.

[@MrBohning]

Brother that lady can chug a golf ball through a garden hose. You should see her drink through a straw.

[@RyanA.-xl6sv]

I think this episode was great, your daughter did a great job, especially when she did a very close up of the mud, showing all the imperfections, now I feel good about my project. LOL The soap just replace the water you normally would of added. with a little fragrance. Oh, Kudos to your wife she did a great job filming as while. Keep you the great work.

[@michaelmwm222]

Ben!!.... seeing you clean your hawk with a brush & seeing the condition of your oldest/older tools makes me feel much better about myself... People constantly poke at me over how clean my tools are (before,during & after mudding). For that matter, they poke fun at how clean I keep ALL of my tools. I work better in a clean environment, with clean tools & a vit of organization. Also, if others want to purchase several of the same tools over the course of their careers/jobs, that's fine by me.... but I will stick to recognizing & appreciating the value of my tools & making great efforts to give them long, healthy lives! I mean, some of them will surely die (that's life), but you will not find pure negligence, of any variety, in their obituaries or eulogies!!!

[@TheJapagu]

Daughter definitely deserves to get paid for this.

[@davidbalderston2751]

I was watching a video of the crew in Australia calling themselves Drywall Gangsters. Once they are finished with the tape coat and it is dry they trowel a coat over the joint and then use the trowel to remove almost all of it. Basically, they are adding a lubricating coat of compound which eliminates the drag that dry compound creates on the new compound thereby creating bubbles. They don't add anything to their compound other than water and this technique seems to yield excellent results.

[@dave8002]

Yes I've been using sunlight soap for some years now definitely the biggest benefit ive notice when doing a big area you dont fatigue as easy never had a paint or mud issues

[@TheBlueberry606]

Dawn is excelent at relieving surface tension. I use it on my grass before I fertilize as it breaks surface tension and allows water to penitrate. Do you wash your care at home? Were do you pour out the suds? Much greener huh? Surface tension. Static charge, porosity isn't anything, think surface tension and static electricity. We in the northern climates can relate. Not so much in California.

[@gme10955]

I'd be more concerned about using petrochemicals on my dishes than my drywall, That's why I use natural hippie dish soap.

[@DbeeSapphire]

I’m using 40 minute compound dry powder. Having a heck of a time with bubbles. Just used The tiniest amount of soap, and it went on like butter. I didn’t use as much as this video, or even close. Hoping for the best after it dries. It did make cleanup easier, which may be a bad sign.

[@stormrunner0029]

Should make up a couple molds to make a couple bars of mud. Check your shrinkage and strength.

[@donatospoony]

You’re flippen good man . Tips are great , but you’ve done your time and have it figured out . My late brother could apply mud so good , ( and he was primarily a millwork/cabinet maker , …. you hardly had to sand it ! .

[@MrDamodee]

Can I just say I enjoy all the content you put out.....so easy to watch and enjoy!😁

[@robertwayne3567]

i did comment before about dawn... We used it in batches of hot mud. And it was drops not a squirt (mixing in the square metal handheld box). Ha. There is no question it smooths easier in hot mud. And i did learn from an old timer. That being said, his customers were repeat and it was common to go back to jobs from 20 years before. no issues.

[@privateassman8839]

If you want to ge rid of bubbles, wipe down the wall with a moist sponge after the first coat is completely dry. Wet it just enough so that it darkens the dried drywall mud, and skim it immediately. If the wall dries out, you'll get bubbles again

[@BathroomSolutions1]

As a remodeler, I have been using drywall mud, thinset, etc for years. I started developing dry skin and painful blisters. I soon realized after watching a video, I was now allergic to the preservatives in drywall mud, paint, shampoo, soap, etc. (Methylisothiazolinone and other isothiazolinones). Methylisothiazolinone was actually named ‘allergen of the year’ in 2013. Dawn is full of those preservatives so there is no way I will put that in my mud. I now have to wear gloves and have to buy special products just to deal with the allergic reactions I get. I highly recommend that other contractors start realizing that these ‘chemicals’ are quite dangerous.

[@grimreefer213]

Absolutely, I’m a painter and I wear gloves every day. My dumb coworkers sometimes make fun of me but they’re the idiots. Why would I want to coat my skin in these toxic chemicals, some paints stick to your skin really badly and it’s hard to get off, then you scratch your skin trying to get it off. Caulk and some paints are suspected carcinogens, and generally not good to get on you. I hate drywall dust too, it dries out your skin and is just irritating. I always wear gloves and take safety precautions, your skin is an often overlooked organ and it’s important to take care of it. Everything that gets on your skin will eventually seep into your bloodstream and I don’t want that shit in my body. Painting and construction is so bad for your health.

[@Chris.Rhodes]

@@grimreefer213 I'm a service tech, and I always wear gloves, whether it be nitrile "surgical" gloves, or mechanix style gloves, or even just the Milwaukee pull up nitrile coated demo gloves. I ALWAYS wear gloves. Yeah, my hands aren't all tough like the "tough" leather handed dudes that have been in the industry for twice my age, but some of that shit is dangerous, and I'd love to stay alive without cancer and tumors as long as possible. 🙂

[@gantz4u]

@@grimreefer213 I hate USG.If you look closely They fill their boards with fiber glass and its a suspected carcinogen. If you think about it its not rock science. Asbestos and Fiber glass are both silicate fiber and when your doing final fit or demo that dust gets everywhere. I wish it was just gypsum in their boards because then its recyclable as a soil additive, but the amount of fiber glass means it needs to go to a land fill. Absolute trash. Get wrecked USG. We need to start thinking about the full life cycle of these products and if youre going to work to ill yurself..I guess good on you? Cuz for me whatever theyre paying isnt worth it for the potential of health problems.

[@garychandler4296]

@@Chris.Rhodes As a remodeler, repairman, renovator, Restorer, I get together hands from the carpentry, masonry and plumbing. Never liked the feel of gloves and less so when they rip. I will however put up with them for automotive, oil paints, or anything with heavy chemicals or drying agents like cement. I also fabricate, weld, do electrical, plumbing, firewood, hunting, etc. so I don't get sick have only worn masks in the clinics and banks. (Dogbite and heart conditions)

[@Chris.Rhodes]

@@garychandler4296I should've reworded my original comment.... I don't normally wear gloves. Only when doing some drywall, and toilets. And like you said, when I change my oil and stuff I'll wear gloves. And I'm the same way, I never wore a mask unless it was in a Drs office, or somewhere that it was required. I've never had covid, and I've been sick one time in 8 years that I can remember. But I do love my Milwaukee Demo gloves. lol

[@jasonHadley420]

i see this daily on the job sites.. always love the smell walking in while there installing

[@m1stertim]

"i want my microbiome in my drywall mud to be all natural" well that's a sentence that's never been said before

[@tomrogerson2118]

Apple is my favorite scent. I have never had an issue with paint bonding. Never did an entire house. Only used it for remodeling jobs.

[@ziltexnation3050]

Instead of soap I just use a scoop of the all purpose mud on my regular mud. For the second coat never had an issue sanding and sponging. Unless you add way to much of all purpose that's a big problem!

[@briangallaugher3068]

As a professional drywall finisher and painter with 35+ years experience I can say that it's true that adding soap to the mud will help eliminate the bubbles or shotgun in the mud however it also adversely affects the paint finish in that it makes anywhere there is mud on the wall the paint will appear as a flat finish on the wall. IMO soap is not a good thing to use ever!!!. With my experience I can easily identify the jobs that the finishers used soap by looking at the walls and seeing the dead spots. It's the best way to screw over the painter if you really hate him.

[@JamesNorthrup-s5v]

Love your videos. Thanks! I hope I can return a bit of a favor by mentioning your air bubbles are from your mixer. You're pumping air into the mud with the blades whipping that wide open hole in the center. Try mixing the stuff below the surface without creating a whirlpool on top. Decades ago, I realized whipping air into latex paint promoted a really thick layer of dried paint in the can.

[@marcoramirez6607]

Hey man, thanks for sharing your acknowledge about drywall, I tried the hawk and the trowel and it was a disaster so I went back to tray and knife... I need to practice a lot. God's bless man🤠👍

[@kirkdunn1379]

On the bubbles sometimes, load up the wall and wait a few minutes before making final passes....let mud sit for a minute or so and bubbles disappear It's just air pockets Can try lightly misting wall with water too

[@Samlol23_drrich]

I’ve found that if I add some drywall mud to my dish soap it really cleans the dishes quickly. So there’s that.

[@innovate.integrate.transfo6169]

That is such an amazing idea that I would have never considered! Detergents are generally surfactants meaning they break the "surface tension" of liquids or liquids and solids. Crazy as it sounds, that actually means that as well as being smoother, it would actually bond even better to the wall. Also, paints will adhere really, really well. Having a surfactant mixed in will cause a good paint bond as long as it was not so hot and dry that the paint dries up really quickly. Never would have thought about using a surfactant in drywall mud! Actually an amazing idea with no real downsides?

[@dave7038]

I'm impressed by dry wallers who are still wearing all black at the end of the job.

[@brendanmulhall]

as one of the commenters talking about marking knife curve....I'll say again I was only suprised you didn't do this because so many of your techniques focus on efficiency. I think it's a real time saver. then again it doesn't seem to slow you down much!!

[@vancouvercarpenter]

You know I forgive you right? :)

[@jauld360]

You will have to move again when all the walls are fixed up!

[@rhkips]

I'm from the internet, and I've been mudding walls for a week, now! I know everything! LOL Seriously though, just undertook my first significant drywall mudding adventure about a week ago. I've done repairs and patches before, but never an entire new wall. I'll be the first to admit I watched a LOT of videos on KZbin about the subject, and that I still know nothing. What you showed there, with all the nasty bubbling, is exactly what I experienced doing my second and third coats. Everyone always says "do three coats!" No one has ever told me why. After the bubbly disaster and sanding Dustpocalypse 2022, I did the next section with a single coat. It's the cleanest, smoothest, most wonderful part of the wall. What purpose does the "three coat" philosophy serve? I think from here on out, I'll be doing my interior walls in 1/2" MDF and Bondo.

[@backtoconstitution1]

Read the Labels about additives guys I just spoke to USG 2 weeks ago, builder getting sued for over $250K because his drywaller used "additives" in the mud, also DO NOT mix different muds with each other, just water. Pros do NOT add shit to your mud, the lawsuits are going around. Also USG emphasized, FULLY DRY before applying another coat, I know sometimes we rush the guys to finish fast and get paid. 😁

[@danielegray666]

this idea has to be a derivative of the plasticiser used for mixing mortar for brick laying. Plasticiser actually increases adhesion while improving workability. So might be worth an experiment.

[@MrDougiefresh69]

I’ve heard drywallers out here in CA call it moose piss, I have no idea what they were talking about and they were not about to tell me their secrets but this plasticiser sounds like it could be it.

[@Phazetic99]

I do mostly stucco, and I have used dish soap in our scratch mud. We don't worry about bubbling, but it helps heaps with troweling. My main thoughts is that it creates microbubbles which allows the mud to slip off the trowel easier. We use a product called Hospifer made specifically for scratch mud that I swear is just laundry soap. It smells just like Tide, and looks like it too. As for your hippy microbiome all natural comment: drywall mud has silicone in it so not natural either =) I've played with making my own lime putty and that is a fun rabbit hole to go down especially if you are in a part of the world that no longer uses lime putty anymore, like us in western Canada.

[@Power5]

Gotta say, daughter is really good at getting the close up shots WHILE you are mudding. Typically we only get the close ups after the finish passes are done. I feel like I could see your texture much clearer on each coat than most videos. So takes less coats to get smooth and cleanup is cleaner because there is already soap in the cleanup if needed. Curious if you have any paint problems.

[@Grizzleback07]

I agree, not that previous shots were bad. It just gives us a better up close view of what you see while working the material. 👍

[@rickhatesmisleadia7101]

Ive always put a shot of lemon fresh in my mud and its smooth!!!!! Very nice to work with

[@dantheman1896]

Ah yes. The difference between Canadian Dads and American Dads. When the daughter leans forward to "smell the mud" I absolutely wouldve pushed her in to the wall.

[@MayhemJoe]

From my experience, bubbles in the mud are from 2 things. First, if you don’t take a cloth or a broom to your wall to knock off excess dust/debris, you get bubbles. I use a damp tile sponge to clean my walls before mudding and don’t get bubbles Second, areas in the mud that have not mixed well and have small deposits of un mixed powder are the cause. Always mix your mud. To say dish soap helps this is in my opinion, false. It’s the process of mixing versus using it straight from the store that is doing the most for not having bubbles. But for skim coats, I do use dish soap as the glycerine your adding to the mix in the soap does improve the smoothness of the spread. And it doesn’t matter what brand, all dish soap has glycerine, the only difference is what you want to smell while doing it. The correct measure by the way, is around 1 teaspoon per gallon. If you add too much, you mess with the chemical maker for adhesion. Too little, well, at least it’s mixed but no true benefit.

[@jammybiggs8148]

Your channel is awesome & very helpful! Man I wish I had your help for some drywall I'm doing for my brother at his house! All sorts of uneven framework behind the wall, it's tough & puzzle like. Normally the whole wall doesn't need a coat of mud though right? I've got all the screws covered, the inside & outside corners taped & next to tape the butt joints (already prefilled them).

[@jeremiahh5500]

Dish soap in the mud is for the first coat, if painters water down the paint it will slide off the wall if you at soap into a 2nd or skim coat

[@capodad2u]

We've been skimming walls for years, the only thing we add to our mud is acrylic ad mix (adhesion) and water. We don't use trowls or hawks just roll it on with paint roller and scrape most of it off with a 10" broad knife (round off those corners), no lines, no hills or valleys, second coat slightly thinned..... like butter. Takes about 15 min to do an average wall. We use a dustless rotary sander but barely needed. I would never add detergent or surfactants. The only reason we use admix is because we're paperhangers and we want a good bond to that wall when the paper dries it has a mechanical pulling action on the surface, I don't do jobs other contractors have skimmed because they don't add adhesive and probably use detergent to make up for their lack of plastering skill, had jobs fail with mud flaking of the wall from that.