Old timer at the supply house said to use 20 minute mud for patches, not the 45

I was picking up some sheets in Tulsa this morning and this guy who looked like he's been doing this since the 70s told me I'm wasting time on small patches using 45 minute mud. He said 20 minute sets faster and you can do two coats in the time it takes to do one with 45. I tried it on a 2x2 hole in a closet and he was right, it saved me like 30 minutes. Anybody else use the fast stuff for patches or am I just slow?

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maxpalmer8d ago

I saw a video last year from a guy in Texas who tested all the different setting times on a 4x4 patch... he timed everything and the 20 minute stuff was dry enough to sand in like 12 minutes while the 45 took almost 35. That sold me on it for small work. But I've also heard some guys say the 20 minute mud can be a little more brittle if you're patching over old plaster or something that moves a tiny bit. I stick with 20 for small drywall repairs in closets or bedrooms where nobody's gonna bump into it. For bigger patches I still go with the 45 because I need the working time to get it flat.