How Long to Tape / Mud / Sand Drywall ?

[kevharper]

I finished about 1400 sq. ft. of my basement with about 46 4x8 sheets of drywall. All the sheets are standing up so the tapered ends are butted together. Each seam is about 7 feet long. There are 9 inside

90-degree corners, 5 outside 90-degree corners and two approximately 120-degree inside corners.

I'm going to be looking for someone put on the outside corner metals & tape/mud/sand. For the typical contractor, is this a job that can be completed in a weekend? I know it will depend on the crew size but I'm not sure what a crew of any size can get done in a day.

Thanks, Kevin

[RicodJour]

With setting type joint compound, such as Durabond or EZ Sand, a crew of two should finish it in two days. With standard premixed joint compound it would take longer as the drying time is the principle limiting factor and throwing more men at it won't help.

R

[John Grabowski]

I couldn't tell you how many man-hours is needed to do this job, but it is not likely it can be finished in two days because of the drying time. Usually the first coat of joint compound dries faster than the next two coats. At a minimum I think 3 days would be required because of that.

[aemeijers]

Drywall finishers work on weekends in OP's area?

aem sends....

[kevharper]

"Drywall finishers work on weekends in OP's area?"

If they want the job they do. :-)

[DanG]

Typical quality requires 3 coats. 12 hours dry time each coat. Setting compound can be used on the first coat. Most finishers I know would have zero interest in a weekend job.

[RicodJour]

Area differences I suppose. There are plenty of hungry guys around here that work weekends. I've also used union guys. A few buddies would show up bright and early each weekend morning, knock the living crap out of the taping and spackling and knock off around 1 PM. They were "moonlighting" on the weekends and that was their only free time.

R

[3G]

union guys moon lighting isn't that against union policy? where are the dues?

[3G]

drywall (not moisture resistant) in the basement? green board (moisture resistant) is better.

blueboard with plaster would have been the best choice and could have been completed in a few hours.

| | I'm going to be looking for someone put on the outside corner metals & | tape/mud/sand. For the typical contractor, is this a job that can be | completed in a weekend? I know it will depend on the crew size but | I'm not sure what a crew of any size can get done in a day. | | Thanks, | Kevin

not enough drying time to finish in 1 weekend unless they work all night. |

[kevharper]

Got my first quote today. $750 to tape/mud/sand all the joints and corners. The installer said it would take about 3 days to complete. One full day to get the first coat on everything and get the corners. Two more days at about 2-3 hours per day to put the rest of the coats on and finish it. Sounds reasonable to me.

I guess I'll be comparing to my other quotes when I get them in about a week. But, how does the initial $750 sound for about 1150 square feet? High, low, or average?

Thanks, Kevin

[3G]

| > drywall (not moisture resistant) in the basement? | > green board (moisture resistant) is better. | | Mold will grow just fine on either one, so I don't think you're | referring to that.

nope the moisture will peel the paint off regular drywall you never use regular drywall in a basement......not here anyway.

If the basement has such significant moisture | problems that greenboard might be indicated,

now you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

it would be far | preferable to deal with the moisture problem before finishing the | basement.

concrete emitts moisture for years and years

| | > blueboard with plaster would have been the best choice and could have | > been completed in a few hours. | | 1400 SF of skimcoat plaster in a few hours? Not even close unless you | have a small army on hand.

are you kiddin me

1400 sf we would be home by 3pm

3 hours to hang and 5 hours to plaster and only 3 guys damn we must be good.

If it were that fast, no one would use, | drywall, tape and spackle.

only the cheap bastards do use drywall/tape/compound and home owners who don't know any better.

| | 1400 SF of skimcoat plaster would be much slower than 3 or 4 hundred | linear feet of tapered edge taping and spackling, and a bit of bead | work. If the OP's contractor isn't resistant to using setting type | compound they could skip all of the drying time. | | R whats the R for................retard |

[RicodJour]

Let's see, I'm advising to take care of the moisture problem before finishing the basement and not rely on greenboard for protection, you argue against taking care of the moisture problem because concrete gives off moisture for years and years.

Beside being an excellent example of frontier gibberish, you have no idea what you are talking about. Concrete does not release moisture for years. Moisture _may_ pass through the concrete, but there is only a limited amount of moisture in concrete mix.

I really must apologize. I am standing in the presence of greatness. Less than a week ago you were telling us about the plasterer you _hired_ using _nails_ to tack up board on metal stud, and now you've graduated into Super Plasterer. I stand in awe of your learning ability.

I can hardly wait until next week's installment where you explain your technique for reattaching severed limbs. I guess you watch this show a lot:

Feel better?

No, it stands for Rico, just like it says above. Thanks for asking.

And learn to quote correctly, ya maroon.

R

[3G]

| > blueboard with plaster would have been the best choice and could have | > been completed in a few hours. | >

| >

| moisture resistant drywall in a basement because concrete gives off | moisture? What planet are you from?

I'm with Rico all the way!

of course you are, holding hands, skipping and swinging your arms like little kids. |