In general I use 1 box per 10 sheets. Depending on how many angles, texture, etc.
Every square foot of drywall usually needs 0.05 pounds of sheetrock joint compound or “mud.” This comes out to 1.5 to 2 pounds of mud for every 4×8′ drywall sheet. Based on our firsthand experience, if your drywall has texture, you need to provide extra mud.
"Dish detergent makes the mud go on really smooth - it acts a s a surfactant. This trick is usually employed by folks who will NOT be painting the finished walls as sometimes the addition of dish detergent causes paint adhesion problems."
A good rule of thumb is to use one gallon of joint compound for every 500 square feet of drywall. For tape, you will need approximately one roll of drywall tape for every 100 square feet of drywall.
Drywall is typically sold in 4' x 8' sheets. (4' x 8' = 32 sf) If you're covering an area of 1,500 sf (1,500 sf / 32 sf = 46.875 Sheets) You'll need 47 Sheets.
If the drywall tape shows under the mud, the coating is too thin. Use three layers: tape coat, filler coat, and final coat. Covering the tape comes only with the final coat or coats. If your initial final coat doesn't cover the tape, apply more coats, but keep them thin.
Rule of Thumb: Estimate approximately 1 sheet of drywall (4 ft x 8 ft) for every 32 to 48 square feet of wall surface. For paint, estimate 1 gallon for every 350 to 400 square feet of wall area.
Make sure you're not actually whipping air into the mud when you mix it. Make sure the walls are clean (wash with TSP) and not glossy. Prime before you skim if necessary. You could try an additive (a bit of dish soap or no pock) and see if that helps.
Well it makes it a lot easier to spot when you are sanding touchups • I like to use a little paint pigment. But you could also use chalk • Spinning it up with the Makita 40v and a little mixer I got from the paint store Makita Canada Makita Tools USA.
If you've applied too much, wait for the compound to dry, then sand down the excess until the surface is smooth and even. When applying joint compound, spread a thin, even layer with a taping knife. Make sure to feather the edges to ensure that the compound blends in with the surrounding drywall.
Hamilton - All Purpose Joint Compound - 5 Gal - 65lb Bucket.
You should do a little bit of sanding between adding coats of mud. Knock down any ridges or significantly imperfect areas through sanding, which should help you apply the next coat of mud smoothly. If your first coat of mud is pretty smooth after it dries, a quick sanding is all you'll need.
While there are some big differences between the two types of drywall tape, each tape has its strengths. Mesh tape is great for quick repairs or to avoid mold remediation in the future. Paper tape creates a stronger bond, making it more resistant to cracking in the future.
A 4'x8'x1/2” thick sheet of drywall weighs about 50lbs. A 1/2 ton pickup truck is supposed to carry a 1,000 lb payload. That would mean about 20 sheet would be all the load you should reasonably carry. Bigger trucks - bigger loads.
Understanding Drywall Coverage
A rough calculation would be 3000 sq ft (floor area) multiplied by 2.5 (to account for both walls and ceiling), giving you approximately 7500 sq ft of wall space. Dividing this by the coverage of one drywall sheet (32 sq ft) means you'll need around 234 sheets of drywall.
Joint compound (also known as drywall compound, drywall mud, joint cement or mastic) is a white powder of primarily gypsum dust mixed with water to form a paste the consistency of cake frosting, which is spread onto drywall and sanded when dry to create a seamless base for paint on walls and ceilings.
Typically, all-purpose drywall mud usually finishes drying within 24 hours. Quick setting drywall mud usually takes anywhere from 5-90 minutes to dry. Topping drywall mud takes approximately 16 hours to dry. Lastly, taping drywall mud also takes around 24 hours to dry.