mud work

[larrylou]

quick question for you guys do any of you flat trowel your mud after you rub it up. we dont use deck mud on counters. all fat mud and i have found it works really well to smooth it out after rubbing it up we used to just rub it up and scrape the mud the next day with a tamberine scraper.

[John Corley]

I always rub the mud down with a wood float, then burn it with a flat trowel. So for us, the answer is yes

[v10ford99]

I use deck mud for the counter top and I do flat trowel my mud when I'm done. So I can set the same day with out ripping my deck mud up when I put the thin set down. But on fat mud If you flat trowel it to much you will bring the water to the top and just have a mess the top will be to wet to set the same day.

[Crestone Tile]

Most of the time, yes ... especially when the mud is going have a trowel applied membrane over it.

[Shaughnn]

Hi Larry,
I use a fiberglass darby to work out my floats, instead of a wooden one. Dry pack always gets a steel trowel finish and wall mud never does.
Shaughnn

[Davestone]

I do that too, i tamp down the drypack before i pull it on large floors.Which i never do anymore.

[customceramicsllc]

on the subject of deck mud,what ratios do you guys use?

[Shaughnn]

The Steam shower pan I just installed was Laticrete's 209 pre-mixed floor mud mixed with their 3701 admix. I normally shoot for a 4:1 mix for floors though.
Shaughnn

[Old World Tile and Marble]

i like that 209 premix nice stuff to work with shaughnn where you getting the fiberglass float?? is it the one with the diamond pattern on the bottom cuz i cant find em anymore

[Shaughnn]

Hi Jason,
I'm using a fiberglass float from Marshalltown. I bought it locally but most masonry and concrete suppliers seem to carry them.
Shaughnn

[tile dale]

I never steel trowel my fat mud and always steel trowel my deck mud.

Shaughnn, what are the advantages of using a fiberglass float over a wood float?

[Shaughnn]

Hi Dale,
I like the resin float because is doesn't cake up with cement and gives a finish which is close to that of a steel trowel. I haven't used a wood float in maybe 6 years now. I really like working with these that much better than wooden floats.
Shaughnn

[tile dale]

Thanks, Shaughnn. I'm going to have to go float shopping!

[tilelayer]

i have a wood block i use if i accidentally dig and i fill in the wood block cuts the mud like a straight edge then i hit it with my trowel.

[Derek & Jacqui]

I use a float I get from England Made of Polyurothame (exscuse spelling) so light you would thik your hands had a feather in them