Sheetrock is a brand of gypsum wall board, but it has also become a generic name for all brands of wallboard. USG, the parent company of Sheetrock, produces various brands of drywall joint compound, including regular joint compound and quick set varieties. Many other companies also produce these products. The main difference between regular joint compound and quick set compound is that quick set dries more quickly.
Regular Drywall Joint Compound
Use regular, or all-purpose drywall joint compound, for any type of drywall job, including taping and texturing. Regular drywall compound is sold as a thick mixture in buckets, pails or bags. To use the compound, often referred to as "mud," the drywall installer adds water and stirs with a "stomper" or an electric drill with a mixing paddle. Once the compound has reached the right consistency, apply it to walls with a trowel or putty knife.
Quick Set Drywall Compound
Quick set drywall compound is sold is bags in powder form. The compound is available in a variety of drying times, ranging from five minutes to 210 minutes. To use quick set compound, also referred to as "hot mud," the drywall installer pours some water in a bucket, adds powder and stirs with a putty knife. If the mixture is too thin, the installer adds more powder; if it is too thick, he adds more water.
Pros and Cons of Regular Compound
When using regular drywall compound, the installer can take his time, since it takes several hours to a day for the compound to set up. Another advantage of the compound is that it can be sanded easily once it has dried. A disadvantage of regular drywall compound is that is shrinks as it dries, often resulting in cracks. Despite this weakness, regular drywall compound is recommended for most drywall jobs.
Pros and Cons of Quick Set
Use quick set compound for minor repairs, since it dries quickly and can be sanded and painted within as little as an hour, depending on the variety. However, quick set is difficult to sand, so it is not practical for use on large areas. Quick set compound contains glue, which makes it a good choice for gluing filler material into cracks. Quick set also shrinks less than regular drywall compound, which means is generally does not crack once it dries.
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