NFT: Using Joint Compound to repair wall vs spackle?

Joint compound spackle mud they mean different things to different people.

If you're just skim coating and there's no cracks or seams you won't need tape.

The best thing for a diy-er is the lightweight joint compound with the light green lid but that's hard to find.

Buy yourself a small bucket of easy sand compound in the drywall aisle with a blue lid and you'll do fine.

Less is more when you apply it. Give it 24 hours and sand in circular motions lightly with a 150 grit sanding sponge and paint the wall with a good quality satin or flatter paint from Benjamin Moore.

Paint matters.

The green bucket compound is better for a first coat and applying tape, it has more adhesives.

Hope this helps

But I can’t see how that would matter for small wall repairs.

Can be used as spackle. It tend to have longer dry time and shirking a bit more so you can do larger areas with a few coats. Spackle will dry faster with less shrinkage so it should only be used for small repairs. So either one for your job is fine.

I prefer paint and primer separate. Both together I find the primer doesn’t cover as well but it is easier and could be more cost effective for small jobs

in a closet

primer is only necessary if the paint will have difficulty adhering to the surface

joint compound is designed to have paint adhere

zero reason for a primer

totally fine to use joint compound in its place

First you should seal any areas that lost drywall paper with a good primer. After it’s dry, then apply drywall compound. All purpose is fine.

Once your sanded, spot prime the areas you patched with primer. Paint+Primer is a lie - there’s no primer in it. It just has a high volume of solids so it covers the old paint well in fewer coats. But it doesn’t do the other things real primer does: sealing off absorbent areas (like drywall compound), sealing in oils and things that will bleed thru, adhering extremely well, and providing a surface that paint will adhere well and evenly to.

Depending on the sheen and age of the underlying paint, it may be ideal to prime the whole wall before moving on topcoat. At the very least, don’t skip out on washing the walls well with something like Dirtex.

In comment 15779959 Vanzetti said:

Quote:

in a closet primer is only necessary if the paint will have difficulty adhering to the surface joint compound is designed to have paint adhere zero reason for a primer

Not true. It’s also necessary over porous surfaces like spackle or joint compound. Those things act like a sponge and will soak in a finish paint in a heart beat and you’ll see a difference in the finish everywhere the spackle or joint compound was used.

Spot priming those areas is pretty much a must do if you want an even finish coat.

In comment 15780060 Eman11 said:

Quote:

In comment 15779959 Vanzetti said: Quote: in a closet primer is only necessary if the paint will have difficulty adhering to the surface joint compound is designed to have paint adhere zero reason for a primer Not true. It’s also necessary over porous surfaces like spackle or joint compound. Those things act like a sponge and will soak in a finish paint in a heart beat and you’ll see a difference in the finish everywhere the spackle or joint compound was used. Spot priming those areas is pretty much a must do if you want an even finish coat.

Exactly. Without a primer, the paint will be pulled into the raw spackle and leave a discolored flat area.
I also use a sponge instead of sand paper - a lot less messy. Just use a well wrung out sponge.

In comment 15780213 section125 said:

Quote:

I also use a sponge instead of sand paper - a lot less messy. Just use a well wrung out sponge.

This works well if you have the right touch. My father did it this way. I always end up taking too much off and have to do extra coats. Or I slow to a crawl being careful. And then mess a spot up getting frustrated at how it’s taking me.

In comment 15779961 Jim in Fairfax said:

Quote:

First you should seal any areas that lost drywall paper with a good primer. After it’s dry, then apply drywall compound. All purpose is fine. Once your sanded, spot prime the areas you patched with primer. Paint+Primer is a lie - there’s no primer in it. It just has a high volume of solids so it covers the old paint well in fewer coats. But it doesn’t do the other things real primer does: sealing off absorbent areas (like drywall compound), sealing in oils and things that will bleed thru, adhering extremely well, and providing a surface that paint will adhere well and evenly to. Depending on the sheen and age of the underlying paint, it may be ideal to prime the whole wall before moving on topcoat. At the very least, don’t skip out on washing the walls well with something like Dirtex.

Excellent advice. Always, always prime the sheetrock if there are and rips in the paper. Zinsser has a tremendous line of products and is available at Home Depot beside paint stores. If you have taken off wallpaper and aren't sure if you have thoroughly cleaned the walls, use an oil based prime/sealer. It will seal up the residual glue far better than a H2O product.

USG joint compound is everywhere. As someone above said, get the one with the green lid.The small approx 1 gal size is perfect for small repairs and is a handy thing to have around after it's empty and cleaned.

Also, there is a product called ReadyPatch. Dries much harder and doesn't shrink as much as JC does.
Ready Patch - ( New Window )