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Grown-ups Can Play with Mud Too: Three Basics to Know when Mudding Drywall

After installing and fastening your drywall, you need to move on to the taping and compound stage. This is an important stage because the final look of your walls will really be determined by how well you apply the mud or compound to your drywall.
Here are three of the most basic things you need to know about mudding drywall.
1. Know Your Compounds and Your Tools
Preparation is the key in anything, particularly in home improvement projects. Take the time to familiarize yourself with products and techniques before you begin a project will save time down the road and will also result in a better-finished project.
Jointing compound comes in both a powder and pre-mixed form. There are also different textures. Taping compound is coarse and should be used for the initial taping layer. Topping compound is much thinner and smoother than taping compound and should be used for finishing the surface. There is also all-purpose joint compound on the market, which is halfway between taping and topping compound in terms of both texture and thickness.
To apply the mud, you should be using taping knives. These tools come in different lengths and you should use one that is slightly longer than the previous one for each new layer.
At this stage, you also want to make sure that all of your nails and screws are properly sunk in and that none of them are sticking out. You check this by running a taping knife along the edges and seams. If you feel or hear anything against the metal, then you need to go back and sink the nail or screw further into the drywall.
2. Follow the Proper Steps
Mudding drywall is a four-step, four-day process. You need to make sure that you allow at least twenty-four hours of drying time between each application of compound.
You start with a taping layer. At this stage, you apply compound and then insert paper-jointing tape into the joins and then smooth with more compound. You also need to cover up all of the nail and screws with compound (ensuring first, of course, that they are properly sunk in). After completing the taping layer, your surfaces should be all filled and everything should be leveled.
The next step is to apply two layers of compound that will smooth out your surfaces. With each application youll want to use a taping knife that is one or two inches longer than the previous one. For the second and third coat, youll want to use a taping knife that is anywhere from seven inches to a foot long.
You want to try and apply the compound on the joint and then smooth it by stroking each side and then one last stroke right down the middle.
It can be tricky to apply this compound. Youll need to apply the mud in different thicknesses and with different pressure in different spots. When doing the side strokes, you want to apply more pressure to the outside of the knife, whereas when you do the center stroke, youll want to keep the pressure evenly distributed. This will take a bit of practice and a lot of patience.
The final coat is a finishing coat. This is where you will have to be most fussy to ensure a smooth finished product. Start by scraping a wide taping knife over the joints to ensure that all ridges and bumps are removed.
You can thin out the compound for this last stage. Some people do and some people dont it is just a matter of personal preference.
3. Have a Little Patience
When mudding drywall, the key is patience and consistency. Though you may be eager to get through this stage and on to the priming and painting, this stage is crucial and will make all the difference in terms of the appearance of your finished walls. You need to make sure that you leave the proper amount of drying time between coats. You also want to take the time to check for bumps and ridges between coats and then sand the room after your final coat. This sanding will smooth out any remaining little ridges. This can be a messy process so make sure you lay down plastic to seal off the room and also wear protective gear to eliminate the threat of eye and respiratory irritation.

This is the main reason that lenders will caution you against an adjustable rate mortgage.

Test Your Metal Why Metal Roofs are Gaining Popularity in Homes


With new materials that are available for roofing, many are turning to metal roofs. These are gaining more popularity as it is seen that metal roofs have more advantages than other types of roofing. Weather differences, as well as the make of the metal roofs are all adding to the popularity found in metal roofing.

The first reason why metal roofs are becoming more popular in homes is because they are more durable than asphalt shingles or other types of shingles and tiles. Metal roofs are able to withstand strong weather, including wind-driven rains, heavy snow, hail, extreme heat, and hurricane force winds. Several have chosen a metal roof because it withstands fire as well, which may occur because of the heat of the sun or from a man-made fire. By choosing a metal roof, your home will be more protected from harsh weather conditions and natural disasters.

A second reason why metal roofs are becoming more popular is because of the reaction that it has to heat moving into your home. The material in metal causes more reflection from the heat than other homes, causing your house to stay cooler or warmer than it would with any other kind of roofing tile. It is known that those who use metal roofs have decreased their energy bills by up to twenty percent. The thermal reflectivity that metal roofs allow throughout every season is another factor in the popularity of metal roofs.

Metal roofs have a four way interlocking system, unlike shingles and tiles. This interlocks all four sides of the shingle, instead of only two or three. Because of this, the metal roofs are able to last for a much longer time and will remain weather resistant. Because of this interlocking system, metal roofs will also help with keeping the home cooler or warmer by not allowing the sun into the home.

Metal roofs also have different types of layer of paint as well as other types of resistant material in order to make them more durable. One of these layers of coatings is metallic and polymer coatings. This makes them more corrosion resistant than other metals. They also have high-performance polymers which are used when they are painted. After a while, the color will begin to fade because of airborne contamination, however because of the use of polymers, all you have to do is spray down your roof with a garden hose in order to keep it looking like new. Compared to other roofs, the type of painting that is used with the metal roofs makes a low-maintenance roof.

Another reason why most are turning to metal roofing is because it adds value to ones home. The reason why it adds value is because of this type of material will save costs on energy. Because of the lower energy costs, it adds to the appraisal value if you are planning on re-selling your home. A second reason why it adds to the appraisal of your home is because a metal roof is expected to last for forty to fifty years, and usually has a warranty that is expected to last this long as well. It is expected that a metal roof will not have to be replaced in a lifetime, adding to the value of the home.

Many are using metal roofs because they are known to have more varieties of styles and colors than other types of roofing. Because they are painted with polymer coatings, they can come in a variety of shades to add to the accents on your home. Compared to other types of roofing, the metal roof has more styles, also which adds to the uniqueness and value of your home.

When one goes to install metal roofing, they may notice that this is easier than it would be to put on than any other type of material. Metal roofing can be placed over the old roofing. This will eliminate expenses from tear-offs that one would have to make when replacing any other type of tile. Because of the style with the tiles of metal roofing, it is also easier to place the roof on your home.

Metal roofing is becoming popular in homes for several reasons. Not only is metal roofing more weather resistant than other homes, but it is also a low-maintenance type of roofing, lasts a longer time, helps with lower energy costs and adds a style and color to your home that would not be available otherwise. Because of these benefits of metal roofing, several are changing the tiles on their home to metal.