How can you make joint compound thicker?

Question

i have a big buckey full and its really thin almost like water so how can i thinken it up to fix a hole a accidently made in the wall

Answer 1

what?

Answer 2

See if you have any cornstarch in the house or even flour.

Answer 3

If the joint compound is that thin, somebody added water to it.  You have 2 options, both of which involve a trip to the store.  First of all, you can get a new bucket of mud.  If you have experience using mud, and want to get the job done quicker, buy a bag of powdered joint compound, with the number 90 on it.  Stir the mud you have thoroughly, scoop some into your mudpan, and add some of the powdered mix to it.  Mix thoroughly, and you will be able to coat the wall, and recoat in about 2-3 hours.  Hope this helps.

Answer 4

aahh, another question that really doesn't want a serious answer. are you sure you aren't looking at a 5gal 'buckey' of paint? joint compound is the consistency of peanut butter. there should only be a surface skim of water, stir it up.

or, what 'joint' are you referring to?

Answer 5

Might be easier to get some spackle.

Same as joint compound except a denser mix & is intended for patching rather than taping.

Answer 6

Joint compound should not be that thin. Take some out of the bucket and let it set out stirring every once in a while and it will thicken up.  Do not use it until its a thick as peanut butter or it will shrink and crack on you.

Good luck and get that hole fixed before your dad sees it.

Answer 7

Stir it up with a stick.  It always has water on top if it sits.

Answer 8

Hi Elizata,

A small bit of baking soda could help thicken it up.

Answer 9

Stirring the bucket and letting it sit until some of the water evaporates are good ideas. But what about how to patch the hole? The quickest way is to use one of the new "instant sheet-rock patches", available at home stores. They come in various sizes, and are inexpensive. They consist of a pre-glued fiberglass screen patch and a square of thin metal [usually aluminum] pre-stuck to the center of it. Following the directions, simply cover the hole with the patch, then apply spackle. This method makes the thin nature of your spackle less important, as you only apply a thin coat of it over the patch. After it dries, sand lightly and spackle again. This method also has the advantage of requiring only 2 coats of spackle, not the usual three coats...and it is MUCH faster and easier than any other method!