Figured out why my mud kept bubbling on old plaster

I was working on a remodel with old plaster walls. Every time I applied joint compound, it would bubble up after drying. I tried thinning the mud, but that didn't help. Then I realized the plaster was sucking moisture too fast, so I used a primer sealant first. Now my finishes come out smooth every time.

2 comments

2 Comments

nina3652d ago

took me way too many bubbly patches to figure that out, i was getting way too proud of my mud skills before the primer step.

nancy_davis751d ago

Oh that primer step is the great humbler for sure, @nina365. It turns your nice smooth wall into a truth-telling mirror (a really cruel one). You think you've sanded everything perfectly, then that first coat of primer goes on and shows every single ridge and tiny pockmark you swore wasn't there. It's why good lighting is your best friend before that step, shining from the side to catch all those shadows. Definitely makes you go back for another round with the mud and sandpaper, but it's just part of the process.