How Long Does it Take for Drywall Mud to Dry?

The time it takes for drywall mud to dry depends on a variety of factors. The type of drywall mud used, individual brands, and the physical environment can all play a role in the drying process. Moreover, it is important to pay attention to the individual uses of each type of drywall mud.

What are the Different Types of Drywall Mud?

There are a few different types of drywall mud, each with their own specific uses.

• All-Purpose Drywall Mud: This type of drywall mud can be used for all stages of the drywall mudding process. It is a lightweight mud and takes a while to dry, so it is great for beginners. However, this type of drywall mud is not as strong as the other types of drywall mud.

• Quick Setting Drywall Mud: Also known as ‘hot mud,’ this drywall mud is perfect if you need the mud to dry quickly. This type of mud is set through a chemical reaction, not evaporation, so it works great in humid environments.
  
  
• Topping Drywall Mud: This drywall mud is best for finishing coats and is easy to sand. This mud is quite strong and offers a smooth finish. This type of mud is not recommended for use with joint tape. 
  
  
• Taping Drywall Mud: In contrast to topping drywall mud, taping drywall mud works great with joint tape. This mud is much more difficult to sand; however, it has an extremely strong bonding power and also works great for covering up cracks. 

What are the Uses for Each Type of Drywall Mud?

All-purpose drywall mud can be used for any application, like the name suggests. It can be used to fill joints, texture the wall, finish coats, and to fix joint tape in place. On the downside, this coat can be a bit difficult to sand, so it is not always used as a finishing coat. Quick setting drywall mud is best if you need to finish the mudding process quickly. Unfortunately, because of the quick drying time, this mud makes it difficult to fix any errors. Topping drywall mud is great for final coats due to its smoother finish and how easy it is to sand. Finally, taping drywall mud works best on joint tape or on cracks. It is the strongest compound, which means it works great as a first coat.

How long Does it Take for Each Type of Drywall Mud to Dry?

As for the drying times of each type, most of the drywall mud types take several hours to dry. 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. However, factors such as temperature and humidity can also affect the drying time.

Ultimately, the type of drywall mud you choose for your project will largely affect the drying time. If time is not an issue, then choosing a drywall mud that suits the purpose of your project, rather than focusing on the drying time, is the best option. Contact Drywall Victoria if you have any questions or doubts!