Joint Compound - The Many uses for it

Joint compound is a type of material that is used to make walls look very nice. It helps to fill in the seams when drywall pieces are put into place. It is a mixture of water, limestone, perlite, acetate polymer, and attapulgite. Joint compound has a very smooth texture so that you can get it into all the cracks and cervices with ease. It also dries very quickly so you can get the work done in very little time.


When you are building a structure or doing remodeling then you will need to use joint compound. Drywall can have to be replaced due to crumbling, mold and mildew, and even termites destroying the wood behind it. Whenever you take out the old drywall the joint compound has to be removed and replaced as well.


You can buy small tubes of ready to use joint compound. You can also buy five galloon buckets of it for a low price when you have large jobs to complete. There is also joint compound that you can mix yourself but once it hardens it isn't any good. Therefore you have to be able to get it in place within a couple of hours to be effective. While it is cheaper most people will tell you that the convenience of the premixed joint compound can't be beat.


Joint compound can also be used to fill in small holes or nail holes on walls before you paint them. You want to place it on smoothly so that there aren't bulges when it dries. You want the joint compound to be about 1/8 of an inch thick in order for it to work as effectively as possible. When you are using it for drywall you need to place joint tape over it after it has been smoothed into place. You want to make sure the tape doesn't have any bubbles in it. A good way to get them out is to use a paint roller over the area several times.


Next you will want to place a layer of joint compound over the tape. You want to put this second layer of it on no sooner than 24 hours after the first one. Let it dry for at least another 24 hours and then sand down the edges so it is smooth. If you take your time to do a good job those seams won't be noticeable at all.


Joint compound is a very effective accessory for any type of drywall work. You can buy it for a very low price so don't try to get around using it. Take your time to apply it properly and to allow the right amount of time between applications. That way you can be proud of the work you have completed. You also won't have to be redoing it any time soon.

About The Author:
Kurtis Hoeck is new write for Articleclick. See more of her useful insights on www.articleclick.com