There are plenty of questions a person has while installing a drywall in his home or work space and one of those questions is how many coats of drywall mud before sanding. There are many people who unnecessarily answer such simple questions in a very complicated way so I just did an in-depth research and managed to answer it the simplest way.
The number of coats to be applied on your drywall mud before sanding is highly dependent on the straightness of your drywall. Most drywalls need 3-4 coats of mud to turn into a well-finished even surface. For the best results, it is advised to sand the surface after each coat.
In this article, I’ve put all the questions related to the main topic with answers and as you keep reading this article, you’ll have all your doubts clear.
Should I Sand Between The Coats Of Drywall Mud?
If you wish to have a great-looking finish after the complete installation of your drywall, then you must sand after every coat of drywall mud.
The place where you should sand the most after the first coating is the corners and joints of the drywalls (where taping is done) because the mud accumulates there the most.
The spots on your drywall where two knives passed during the mud job require just a little rub with your sandpaper.
As a DIYer, you should know that if you don’t sand your drywall between the coats, the lumps on the drywall will stick under your drywall taping knife and when you’ll apply another coat of mud on your drywall, those lumps can cause streaks on the mudded area which often turns out to be frustrating.
Also, make sure you sand the tape or mesh area separately because those areas need to be treated carefully to avoid getting exposed.
How Many Coats Of Mud Should I Apply On My Drywall Before Sanding?
As you know, there are drywalls with different levels of straightness and they require different numbers of mud coats to turn into a flat and smooth surface.
In most cases, drywall requires only 3-4 coats of mud because it already comes very straight and flat. It is not necessary to put more than 4 coats of mud as it may cause issues during the finishing. It is advised to sand the drywall after each coat to achieve the most flatness and smoothness.
On the other hand, if you’re using ordinary drywall which isn’t very straight, then you need to cake 5-6 coats of mud. You may not need to sand it after the first coat because usually, the first coat is thin and the following coats cover the unevenness if applied perfectly. However, you should sand the corners and joints a bit after the first coat because the mud lumps form there the most.
How Long Should Drywall Mud Be Before Sanding?
After you have applied a coat of mud on your drywall, you should wait for at least 24 hours before you grab the sandpaper and start sanding it. 24 hours of time is enough for drywall mud to get dry and ready for sanding.
The temperature and humidity are two main factors that can affect the dry time because the drywall mud tends to dry faster (within 12-16 hours) when the temperature is high. On the other hand, if there’s cold in the space where the drywall is installed, then it can take a bit longer (up to 24 hours) to dry.
The professionals use some tricks to speed up the drywall mud drying time and you can also opt for those tricks to save yourself a lot of time. The tricks are as follows-
Increasing the temperature
If you’re having a drywall installed in a room, then the easiest way you can quicken the drywall dry time is by turning up the heat in the room. You can use any electronic device such as a furnace, space heater, or a bunch of halogen light bulbs to raise the temperature. Just turn it on and keep it facing the drywall.
Use a Dehumidifier
Moisture is another factor that doesn’t let the drywall dry faster after a mud job. The higher the humidity in the room, the longer the drywall takes to dry. You can eliminate the humidity/moisture in the room with the help of a dehumidifier. Just turn it on in the room where you’ve installed the drywall and frequently check the water pan for accumulated waste.
Proper Air Circulation
Another way that works great at drying the drywall mud faster is proper air circulation. The best way you can enable the proper air circulation in the room where the drywall is installed is by turning on the fan. You can also open the window and door of the room for improved air circulation. This way may not work as well as the other ways that I’ve mentioned above but it does quite a lot in drying the drywall a bit faster.
Why Is It Important To Sand Your Drywall After Each Coat Of Mud?
The reasons why sanding is important after each coat of mud are as follows-
- It helps remove the bumps that are most likely to appear after a mud coat. Those little bumps may become the cause of a rough surface so it’s better to eliminate them in the initial stage by mudding.
- It helps smoothen the rough areas of drywall and when you paint or prime your drywall after that, you get a glossy finish.
- The sanding also eliminates the risk of scratches on the following coat of drywall mud.
- The comers of the drywalls look so unfinished after every coat of mud and sanding them improves the overall look of the drywall.
So these 4 are the main reasons why it’s important to sand your drywall after each coat of mud.
Conclusion
Sanding drywall between the coats is very important to do to get a decent-looking finish. The sanding should be done correctly and carefully to avoid any kind of unevenness on the surface of the drywall. Sand the tape or mesh part separately to avoid getting their fibers visible through the coat.
So this was all about how many coats of drywall mud before sanding and I hope you’ve found this article helpful.