20
Had a lightbulb moment at a barbecue last weekend
In my experience, when folks find out I do drywall, they think it's just slapping up boards. At this cookout, a guy kept asking if he could use regular spackle for a ceiling repair, and I had to gently explain why joint compound is better. Your mileage may vary, but it hit me how little people know about the materials we use every day. That chat was both awkward and kind of funny, seeing his face when I described the drying time difference.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
jones.logan1mo ago
That drying time face is priceless! I once tried to use spackle on a bigger patch because I was in a hurry, and let's just say I learned why joint compound exists the hard way. Had to redo the whole thing after it cracked like a desert floor. Now I'm the guy explaining it to others at parties, which is its own kind of funny.
1
jesse41mo ago
That "guy explaining it at parties" role is actually helpful though, right? You're saving someone from their own future cracked desert floor moment.
1
charlieb211mo ago
Actually for most small nail holes or cracks, that quick-dry spackle from the hardware store works just fine. I used the pink stuff that turns white on a dozen spots in my hallway last year and you can't even tell. Sometimes the pros make things sound way more complicated than they need to be for a regular homeowner fixing a small problem. If you're not doing a whole sheet of drywall, the special compound is overkill and just makes the job take longer.
0