I have a few questions about choosing joint compound for taping sheetrock walls. I also have a question about "plaster".
For taping sheetrock walls:
I know there is "regular" pre-mixed and "lightweight" pre-mixed joint compound that comes in 5-gallon buckets. I can easily see what the prices are for those products at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. I have used both of these, so I have a pretty good idea of how they each work. One issue I have with them is that they take so long to dry between coats -- sometimes 24 hours, sometimes longer if they are used to fill thicker gaps. And, they both tend to shrink and crack when used on thicker gaps.
I also see bags of dry "setting type" joint compound with varying setting times such as 45, 90, etc. I can, of course, see the prices for each bag. But I can't tell how many bags it takes to mix up about the same amount that a 5 gallon bucket of pre-mixed joint compound contains -- so I can't tell how the dry-mix prices actually compare to the pre-mixed prices. Can anyone here give me an idea of how the two (dry-mix setting type and pre-mixed) compare in terms of cost for the same amount of product -- such as per 5 gallons of useable product?
And, aside from cost, has anyone decided to just go with the dry-mix setting type joint compounds even for large jobs simply because it dries and can be re-coated in so much less time? Also, the dry-mix setting type product doesn't seem to shrink when drying which is a plus for me. I don't mind doing the mixing etc., but I never saw a contractor using the dry-mix product so I wonder if there are disadvantages or reasons why using the dry-mix is not generally recommended for most taping jobs.
And, about "plaster":
I seem to recall that I used to be able to buy actual plaster at places like Home Depot and Lowes, but I don't see that there these days. And, I thought I used to be able to buy the "rough coat" ("brown coat") product that goes on underneath the finish coat of plaster. By "plaster", I mean the actual finish coat plaster that old time plasters use for plastering entire walls. I think the plaster was called "finishing plaster" or "finish coat plaster" and not Plaster of Paris, but I don't know for sure. And, the finish coat plaster dried fairly slowly but did not shrink and dried to a very hard finish. Am I correct that there is a product out there somewhere that is called finish coat plaster, and that is not the same as Plaster of Paris?
Any info or suggestions regarding all of the above would be appreciated.