ready to use mud

Yea, even the big buckets from HD or lowes need thinned out. Without thinning out, more than likely you will get bubbles in your mud. When it hardens it looks terrible.

Just add water as necessary until you get a creamy, smooth texture. Mix very good.

I only add water after the first coat. I want some build up on the first coat all the other coats need to be as thin as possible, the whole idea is to just fill the low areas.

thin consistency for me is like sour cream.

i buy my mud in the box and i add water to get it out of the bag smoothly, give it a mix and its good to go. you dont have to add water but you should atleast mix it up.

I put about a cup of water in a full bucket of compound and use a padell and drill,mix it up and that makes it alot easier to work with.

whipping the mud makes it easier to get a consistent spread---

Every drywaller likes the mud a little different---I like stiff--some like it softer---

That's part of the learning curve---get a drill and a mud whip---or,for smaller batches, mix it in the pan with your knife---

Just my opinion, I always add water to a box of mud or a bucket. About a 1/2" of water on top of the mud in a bucket.

I think what happens is simply evaporation. when mixed at the factory and packaged, is ready to go.
Let it sit on the shelf and the water evaporates. I use it one day and then the next day I mix it again before reusing.

Well in all my 30 odd years in the business,I have never thinned pre mixed mud and never had any problems.:jester:

By thinning it is a lot easier to work with but a couple points
1- I put about a qt of water for a bucket 1 time you don't add every time you use. But you re-stir every time.
2-When you seal the bucket even if it's over night wipe down the inside with a wet rag. then put the plastic that came on top back on then the lid.
3- When mixing use a drywall mixer blade not one for stirring paint.
4-When mixing use a variable speed drill and go slow to med. if you go too fast it puts air in the mix and you will get what we call fish-eyes or small craters in your finished product.
I should have added this to the first one, the amount of water added also depends on what mud you are using all purpose, light weight, ect. After stirring you should be able to load your knife turn it over and the mud not fall off.
Hope this helps.