Pro tip: I finally tried a different way to mix joint compound after a job in a big Phoenix house

For years, I just used a drill and a paddle in a five gallon bucket, the way everyone showed me. It got the job done, but I was always fighting lumps and it took forever to get it smooth. On this Phoenix job, the lead guy had a small, cheap paint mixer attachment he got from a hardware store. He stuck it on his drill and used it in a clean, wide mixing pan instead of the bucket. I tried it for the next batch, and wow. It mixed in half the time, no lumps at all, and because the pan was wide and shallow, I could see and feel the texture way easier. I didn't have to stop and scrape the sides of a deep bucket. That one little change saved me maybe 15 minutes per mix over a three day job, which adds up. Has anyone else found a better tool for mixing mud that seems obvious once you see it?

3 comments

3 Comments

taraross1mo ago

Oh man, yes! I had the exact same lightbulb moment last year. I was always in a hurry and my mud was never quite right. Switched to a big, flat mortar mixing tub from the box store. That wide space lets you really get the drill in there and move it around. It feels silly that I used a bucket for so long, fighting to reach the bottom corners. The tub changed everything for me too.

murphy.tessa1mo ago

Right? A cheap paint tray liner works great for small batches too.

the_jamie1mo ago

Hah, @murphy.tessa, my last batch was in a frisbee...