# Bubbles



## Dale (Aug 26, 2004)

Hey guys any ideas as to what causes and what to do about bubbles in joint compound??

I'm doing some repairs in a rental house and the bathroom ceiling needs to skimmed. I'm floating a smooth surface over what was a sand texture. After repairing some loose tape and paint I decided this was a way to go before reapplying a sand finish. I thought this was a good idea to get a uniform finish. The room is very small so no big whoop, but I can't get rid of the bubbles in the mud...more than pinholes some are probably 1/8". They just appear no matter how I smooth it. The bubbles seemed to turn up after half the pail was used. Is this old mud out-gassing or something?? I wouldn't mind in the first coat or in the patches but this is the final coat (or so I hoped).
Luckily it's a small ceiling so not much time lost. Can this be avoided? I've read about adding a little dish soap to the mud but not knowing how much I'm not about to mess with it.
I figure tomorrow I'm scuff the "domes" off the bubbles that aren't pitts and use a fresh bucket of mud to touch up.

Any ideas about how to avoid this in the future? 
Thanks in advance for any help.
Dale


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## DandG (Apr 8, 2004)

I add 2 or 3 drops per pan full seems to work good for me. I also had never heard of this untill I helped a friend with his basement (he has been doing drywall only for a living for 16 years) and laughed at him asking "what the hell are you doing" now I do the same thing.....go figure.


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## Sheetrock26 (Dec 25, 2004)

The bubbles in the mud come from coating over a painted surface. I've heard a couple of theories on why it happens but would be interested to hear others. I've always assumed it had something to do maybe with not being able to absorb the mud or moisture in it in the same manner bare drywall would. When doing repairs this always happens over painted surfaces but will dissapear with additional skims of mud.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

I asked a union taper what caused this once, and was told it had to do with the angle the blade is held at while skimming. I heard the dish soap thing too, never tried it though.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

I can't remember how much dish soap to use but seen it done. I asked the mudder why he did it. He replied " to get rid of the bubbles". He then told me you could use a can of beer per five gallon bucket too. Cheap beer of course.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Why do I hear Mr. Homeowner complaining that his house smells like a bar? LOL


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## housedocs (Jan 10, 2005)

The dish soap trick definitely does help eliminate the bubbles, but the biggest culprit is the mud not being mixed well enough. I carry a bottle of joy in with my mixer and it gets added to every batch during the finish coat. Also I'd recommend using lite mud for the finish coat, it will shrink & pock alot less. Pocking is the technical term for the bubbles. Never heard of the beer thing, but it sounds alot like alcohol abuse to me.  Almost sounds like something you'd see them doing on trading spaces or something. Those shows should be outlawed or at least have a disclaimer at the beginning saying not to actually try this at home.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

The guy that told about the beer deal was missing some teeth and looked alittle hillbillyish. So it's probably some bubba back woods remedy.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Bubbas are good. I still am sporting all of my teeth but if you want to get in to or out of the woods/swamp, I'm your guy. Just another day outside to me.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

I'd be lost in the swamp. 
I do however know my way around many parts of the Cascade mountain range.


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