Can Drywall Mud Be Scraped Off?

Wood

• Taping walls and ceilings usually results in globs of thick drywall mud falling to the floor. In new construction, this isn’t a big problem, since the flooring is not yet in place, and the globs fall on the subfloor. However, large globs of wet joint compound create a slippery floor surface. Drywall contractors keep a trash bucket and a separate trowel handy to scoop up large globs and discard the wet mud. Later, when the mud dries, you can scrape small dried splatters off with a trowel or a putty knife before vacuuming.

Walls

• Replacing ceiling drywall in an existing room means you’re probably going to get mud splatters on painted walls. Unlike a subfloor, you don’t want to wait for the splatters to dry before scraping them off because some of the paint can come off at the same time. Keep a damp rag handy and wipe splatters off finished walls immediately. If a dusty residue remains, use a damp sponge to wipe it away after the wall is dry.

Fixtures and Countertops

• Mudding ceilings and walls in rooms with tubs or sinks ensures that splatters will end up on these fixtures. In the case of a tub, put an old piece of carpet or cardboard in the bottom of the tub before taping to prevent stepping into the tub and grinding bits of dry compound into the surface, which can leave a scratch. Wipe up spills as they occur, but if you miss some, you can scrape them with a plastic putty knife after they dry, and they’ll pop right off.

Carpet and Upholstery

• Despite your best efforts to protect upholstered furniture and carpeting, drywall compound has a way of finding these items. If a large glob of drywall mud falls on the carpet or on upholstered furniture, use your taping trowel to carefully lift off the bulk of the wet glob, but don’t press the mud any deeper into the fibers. Let the rest of the spill dry completely. When dry, use a stiff nylon bristle brush and gently rub the dried compound, which will break up the particles so you can vacuum them away.