Dap 58505 Presto Patch Multi Purpose Patching Compound, 4-Pound

This stuff is AWESOME. I only had to mix it with water and stir.I started mixing it in a large-ish mixing tray for concrete, just using my trowel to stir in the water, but this stuff is very viscous and rather hard to hand mix. My arm was getting tired, so I switched to my small drywall paddle (similar to this one: http://www.amazon.com/Bon-15-395-30-Inch-Ribbon-5-Inch/dp/B000A34FCG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394606687&sr=8-2&keywords=drywall+paddle) and a 1 gallon bucket I had laying around.I used this stuff to fill in gaps in an old wooden floor that had some rot. For the large sections I replaced the boards, but there were a few small holes, from 1/2" to 3", that did not warrant all that effort. I also used this patch in places that the board joints were uneven or had a space between them.This stuff, wow, I was literally taken back by how well it performed. Mixing with a drywall paddle took about a minute and I could arrive at any viscosity I wanted. You will want to ensure you spend as much time as is needed during mixing to iron out the clumps. I cannot explain why, but this stuff resists absorbing the water a good bit... which is what wore me out with the arm and trowel method. However, a few times I put too much water in and it quickly turned to goop, so just be careful and take your time.Once mixed it applies like sour cream and is easy to work.The MAIN thing that you want to know about this product is that it has a lightning fast cure time. The instructions say "Do not mix more of this product than you can apply immediately". They're not kidding, it seemed like only a few minutes later and it was getting hard to work.I had to wash out semi-cured product twice and mix again, and I was only working with 1/2 gallon at a time. I also had to constantly clean my tools because it would dry so fast. Granted, I'm... "meticulous" (slow and clueless) so a pro would probably not have much trouble, but if I had to use it again I would mix 1/4 gallon at a time, max.I'm guessing at times here, but what seemed like 10 minutes or so later and this stuff was as hard as a rock. It took me longer to prep for the next step (underlayment) than it did for this stuff to sure and turn white.The box also warns that "if gap is greater than 1 inch, two coats will be required." -- I used two coats because it did not give me hardly any time to finish it before it was unworkable, but I honestly think that this stuff could handle gaps well over 1" with a single coat. I used that drywall patching mesh just for kicks and it quickly assimilated it.I cleaned up my mess with a large floor/carpet scraper and it was easy. I could even "slice" down the bumps a bit as well. You could just use a trowel though, I'm sure.All-in-all, this stuff has solved floor patching for me... and from now on I'll know exactly what to order. I could not imagine a product being any better. Sure, the super fast curing times may have tripped me up, but that was just my own ignorance and inexperience. Its cure time is more of a good thing than bad.

I have a very old garage with deeply cracked old paint on fiberboard planks from the 1950's. I used this product to fill in the gaps in the old paint . Due to the fiberboard's age, heavy scraping or sanding was out of the question. It worked very well and adhered to the boards. After 24-48 hrs I lightly sanded. I then applied 2 coats of exterior paint. I purchased a 2nd premixed container of the same product at my local hardware store so I didn't have to mix the dry powder. NOTE: product contained silica wear a good mask or respirator and goggles when sanding or mixing the powder .

The product seems to work as intended but you have very little time to use it once mixed before it gets too thick to spread. Would prefer a premixed product that gives a longer workable time.

I'm on my third? carton of this stuff, so clearly I like it. But if I could I'd give it 3.5 stars, and this is going to be the last carton.It does everything it says it does, but as others have noted it sets up -really- fast! I thought with practice I'd master this, but literally half the set time is wasted just mixing it to use. So even with an extra wet batch, you have about 5 mins total to do the work. In practice, that doesn't work for anything but the most minor of fixes. And by 'set fast', I mean when you dump your tools in a bucket of water for cleanup after your 5 mins into it, the clumps are already solids that don't dissolve in water. Which is equal parts awesome and unworkable.The product does what it says, it sands and sets like a champ. But it's so fast you just can't get anything done. It truly is "Presto Patch." If I can find their "Almost Presto Patch" I'll be a fan.

Have used this stuff to patch dry wall, fix a doggie door and even fix plaster issues in my garage. Easy to tell when it's dried (thicker applications take longer to dry) and sands / holds paint without issue. Go to patch repair for my whole home and have not found anything better.Getting the right water combo is key and also make sure you are ready to apply when mixed as it will start to harden if you do not keep moving it around / spreading it.