Watched a buddy's old house go from flat to lumpy in just 6 months

I finished a job at a place in Portland back in March, and the walls were glass smooth. Went back last week to fix a light switch, and half the tape joints were showing through like mountain ranges. Turns out they used a quick-set compound that wasn't rated for the moisture in that low basement. The mud shrank unevenly over time (like a slow balloon losing air) and now they need a full skim coat. Has anyone else seen a brand of compound fail like that after just half a year?

2 comments

2 Comments

coleman.jamie1mo ago

Damn, a full skim coat after only six months? That's brutal. I've seen cheap mud shrink, but not turn into actual mountain ranges that fast. Sounds like that quick-set stuff was more trouble than it was worth.

the_ruby1mo ago

Yeah, 'cheap mud shrink' is exactly the right way to put it. I've seen that happen so many times with the big box store brand quick-set stuff. It's not just about it being cheap though, it's like some of those brands are formulated for quick drying, not long term stability. That moisture in the basement probably sped up the whole shrinking process too, making it look like it happened overnight. I figure the real lesson is you gotta match the compound to the room, not just grab whatever's on sale.