How to Do a Mudding Ceiling With a Joint Compound

Taping Seams

• 1

  Transfer a quantity of pre-mixed mud to a mudding trough. Troughs are available at most hardware stores. They feature a metal rim that allows you to scrape excess mud off your blade.

• 2

  Apply a line of mud along a seam with a 4-inch drywall blade. The width of the line should be about the same as the width of the blade, and while it doesn't have to be thick, there should be no voids or spaces.

• 3

  Lay moist drywall tape along the seam and scrape over it with a 6-inch blade. This will flatten it to the ceiling and remove the excess from underneath. Scrape a little at a time, holding the trough underneath to catch any mud that falls. Remove the excess from your blade frequently by scraping the blade along the metal rim of the trough.

• 4

  Let the mud dry, which can take from 12 to 24 hours, depending on the climate in the room, and apply a second coat directly over the first one with an 8-inch blade. Scrape over it to flatten it, keeping the blade at a 45-degree angle and removing the excess from your blade frequently.

• 5

  Apply a third coat with a 12-inch blade after the second coat has dried. Sand the final coat lightly with 120-grit sandpaper before painting.

Texturing

• 6

  Create a stipple texture on your ceiling by thinning some mud with water in a 5-gallon bucket until it is pourable. Transfer some to a paint tray and roll it on the ceiling with a thick nap roller.

• 7

  Dab unthinned mud on the ceiling with a 6-inch blade and scrape it very lightly with the blade to create a knock-down texture. This is a common technique used by professionals, and it's an easy way to hide imperfectly taped seams.

• 8

  Give your ceiling an elegant look by spreading a thin coat of unthinned mud over the entire surface with a 12-inch blade and then using the blade to create swirls. Hold one corner of the blade against the ceiling and make an arc with the other end. Repeat this movement at regular intervals over the entire ceiling.

• 9

  Use an old paintbrush to create a different type of swirl pattern. Cover the ceiling with mud, using a 12-inch blade, then make arcs with the brush at regular intervals. A large paintbrush that is somewhat stiff works best.