Sheetrock finishing putty: pros and cons

The building materials market today is filled with a huge range of finishing materials. When choosing a putty, the main thing is not to make a mistake, otherwise a single mistake can pretty much spoil all further repair work. The Sheetrock brand has proven itself well among manufacturers of putty materials. Our article will tell you about the features and advantages of this material.

Sheetrock putty is popular not only among builders, but also among people doing repairs on their own. The solution is sold in plastic containers of different sizes. You can buy a bucket with a volume of 17 liters and 3.5 liters, respectively, 28 kg and 5 kg.

The composition of the finishing solution includes:

1. Dolomite or limestone.
2. Ethyl vinyl acetate (vinyl acetate polymer).
3. Attapulgite.
4. Talc or pyrophyllite is a component that contains silicon.
5. Cellulose microfiber is a complex and expensive component that allows the solution to be applied to glass surfaces.
6. Antifungal components and other antiseptics.

Sheetrock solution has a number of positive characteristics, the main ones of which are listed below:

• After opening the package, the finishing putty is ready for use.
• It has a creamy color and a homogeneous oily mass that is easy to apply and does not drip over the spatula and surface.
• It has a high density.
• Very high adhesion, so the probability of peeling is small.

• Easy to sand and rub off after complete drying.
• The drying process is quite short - 3-5 hours.
• Frost resistant. Withstands up to ten freeze / thaw cycles.
• Despite the thickness of the solution, the consumption per 1 m2 is small.
• Designed for use in temperatures from +13 degrees.
• Minimal mortar shrinkage.

• Affordable price range.
• Universal leveling and correcting agent.
• Suitable for use in rooms with high humidity.
• There is no asbestos in the composition.

There are many producing countries of this building material - USA, Russia and several states in Europe. The composition of the solution for each manufacturer may differ slightly, but this does not affect the quality in any way. The difference may be the presence or absence of an antiseptic, for example. Regardless of the manufacturer, the reviews of professional builders and people who used putty during repair work are only positive.

The scope of application of this type of putty is very large. It is used for leveling walls and ceilings. It perfectly removes any size cracks in the plaster. It can be a brick surface or concrete. Using a special building corner, you can align the outer and inner corners of the room with the help of mortar.

The solution has good adhesion to metal surfaces, therefore it is used as the first layer on metal. It is used as a finishing layer and in the process of high-quality decoration.

The American manufacturer Sheetrock putty is available in three main types:

1. Mortar for restoration work. Its main purpose is to repair cracks in plastered surfaces and use on drywall. This type is super strong and resistant to cracking even after a long time. It is also used for lamination.
2. Superfinish putty, which, according to its characteristics, is ideal for the finishing layer.Also, due to its composition, it is ideally superimposed on other types of starting putty. Not suitable for aligning corners.
3. Mortar-universal, which can be used for all types of finishing work for which the putties of this brand are designed.

Before you start working with the material, you need to prepare the surface and buy a puttying tool.

Tools you need:

• two spatulas - narrow (12.2 cm) and wide (25 cm);
• special Sheetrock Joint Tape or self-adhesive "Strobi" mesh;
• a piece of sandpaper;
• sponge.

The surface to be putty must be pre-cleaned of debris, dust, soot, greasy stains, old paint, wallpaper. Further, opening the container with the solution, you need to stir it slightly. Sometimes, due to excessive thickness, the solution is diluted with a small amount of purified water (maximum one glass of 250 ml). It is important to know that the more water in the solution, the greater the likelihood of shrinkage.

Sheetrock putties are used in the following cases:

• Finishing the seams between drywall sheets. We fill all the seams with mortar using a narrow spatula. We put a special tape in the center and press it well. Excess mortar appears, which we simply remove, and apply a thin layer of mortar to the tape. Next, putty the caps of the screws and let the solution dry, after which the next layer is applied.

It is done with a wide spatula. The application of the mortar, in contrast to the first layer, will be 5 cm wider on each side. Drying process again. It's time to apply the third layer. The process is carried out with the widest spatula according to the principle of the second layer. If necessary, after complete drying, grout with a damp sponge.

• Interior corner decoration. Apply the solution to the tape on both sides using a narrow spatula. Then we fold the tape along the middle and press it against the corner. We remove the excess, and then apply the solution in a thin layer on the tape. We give time to dry.

Then we make a second layer on one side of the tape, dry it and carry out the same procedure on the other side of the tape. If necessary, rub with a damp sponge, but so that water does not drip from it.

• Decoration of outer corners. We fix the metal corner profile. The solution is applied in three stages with a drying interval and a gradual increase in the width of each layer (finishing the seams), using spatulas of different sizes. Finally, smooth the surface with a damp sponge.

So that work with this finishing material does not cause trouble and is successful, you should remember the basic rules:

• Any solution is dangerous if it comes into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes.
• At the final stage, wet grinding must be mandatory, since during dry grinding, talc and mica can appear in the air of the room, which are harmful to the respiratory tract.

• Despite its versatility, the putty is not suitable for repairing oversized cavities and cracks. There are other materials for these purposes.
• It is not recommended to prime the putty that is applied to the gypsum base, as this will negatively affect the quality of the coating.
• The key to the perfect result of working with Sheetrock putty is a high-quality cleaned surface to be treated.

Watch the video below testing Sheetrock putty.