For Applying Green Glue Compound From Buckets:

• Quart sized Green Glue Compound Dispensing Gun
• Razor knife
• Five gallon bucket of water
• Water pressure to clean the gun when done

For Installing Drywall:

• T-Square or other straight edge
• Measuring Tape
• Pencil
• Razor knife
• Drywall screws (1 1/4" for 1st layer, 1 5/8" for 2nd layer)
• Corded electric screw gun

Optional:

• Green Glue Sealant for sealing joints, angles, and other gaps
• Putty pads to install on the back of outlets

Smell
Green Glue Compound does have a slight smell, but it is less noticeable than paint and begins to fade as soon as the drywall is attached. Green Glue Compound is rated as a low VOC product so people with sensitivity to odors do not need to be worried about using Green Glue Compound. Removing tubes from the work area will also significantly reduce any lingering smell.

Not An Adhesive
Green Glue Compound is very sticky, so it is best to keep it either in the tube or on the drywall. While Green Glue Compound is sticky it is definitely not a self-adhesive and should never be used without the assistance of fasteners.

Cleanup
Green Glue Compound is water-soluble and can be washed off your hands, tools, or other objects using soap and water. For the best results, use a soap that contains pumice. The popular GOJO cleaner is a recommended product.

Green Glue Compound Is Not Too Thin
Green Glue Compound will not run off drywall when applying. It has the consistency of ketchup, but the adhesive qualities of Green Glue Compound prevent it from running rapidly when in a vertical position.

Coverage Requirements No specific coverage pattern is necessary to ensure excellent results.  Apply at least semi-evenly over the correct amount of square footage per tube and you will succeed.

Larger Nozzle Opening
A larger tip opening on the nozzle to speed up application will still yield the same results as applying Green Glue Compound with a smaller bead.

Attach Orange Cone Nozzle
Remove the ring nozzle lock at the end of the barrel by unscrewing it (counter-clockwise). Set the plastic orange cone nozzle cap on the end of the barrel. Slide the ring nozzle lock over the cone and reattach it to the barrel by screwing it on (clockwise).

Cut End Of Nozzle
Using a razor knife or sheet metal snips, cut a 3/8" bead off the end of the nozzle.

Open Bucket Of Green Glue Compound
Locate the seal on the underside of the lid and snap it off, using a knife or screw driver. Remove the lid.

Dip Cone Nozzle Into Green Glue Compound
With the recoil T-lever pushed down against the recoil thumb plate, submerge the orange cone nozzle cap about 2" into the Green Glue Compound in the bucket. There is no reason to ever let the barrel of the dispensing gun touch the glue.

Press Recoil Thumb Plate and Pull T-Lever
Press the recoil thumb plate down while holding the gun firmly in your hand, and pull back on the recoil T-lever, drawing Green Glue Compound into the dispensing gun, until full.

QUICK TIP:  If the Green Glue Compound does not seem to be loading into the dispensing gun very well then cut a larger bead opening on your nozzle cap.

Green Glue Compound Layers
Applying Green Glue Compound between multiple layers of drywall will always provide the best results. For example, installing 3 layers of drywall with Green Glue Compound applied between layers at the minimal coverage rate (1 tube per 32sf) will significantly outperform a wall that has 2 layers of drywall with Green Glue Compound applied between layers at the normal coverage rate (2 tubers per 32sf). Although the same amount of Green Glue Compound is used in the overall construction, the additional wall mass will provide a quieter, more solid assembly.

Screws Instead Of Nails
Do not use nails to attach drywall (or any other product) that has Green Glue Compound applied to it. The grip strength of screws provides the proper compression required by Green Glue Compound to perform to specification.

Sealing The First Layer
It is important to make sure the first layer of drywall is sealed before adding a second layer of drywall and Green Glue Compound. You can do this by coating the seams with mud (taping not required), or by caulking all joints and angles with Green Glue Sealant or a comparable quality acoustic caulk. Do not forget to seal around your outlet openings with Green Glue sealant (inset image) or by using our TotalSeal Putty Pads.

ALTERNATE OPTION: Another option is to stagger the drywall seams. This can save a substantial amount of time and money. See our information on staggering seams at the end of this Green Glue Compound application guide.

Dispense The Green Glue Compound
With your drywall on the floor or leaning against a helper, apply Green Glue Compound from your caulking gun in a random pattern (see possible patterns below). If you are not working with a full piece of drywall, remember to make sure the piece you cut fits before applying the glue (although water soluble, Green Glue Compound can make a nasty mess). Be sure to leave a 2" perimeter so you can hold the drywall while lifting it into place.

GOOD IDEA:  Have a 5 gallon bucket of water handy to leave the dispensing gun in.  If you don't dip more than the nozzle into the Green Glue Compound bucket then leaving the nozzle end under water will keep the Green Glue Compound from drying for days.  This will also make cleanup at the end of the day much easier.

Place Drywall Against Wall
Once the drywall sheet is covered with Green Glue Compound, lift it into place against the wall or ceiling. It is important to accurately mount each panel the first time without sliding it around. Having a helper assist with this step is a wise idea. Drill each sheet of drywall into place entirely before installing the next sheet. This is important to ensure that the Green Glue Compound is fully compressed before having a chance to dry. To ensure proper spread of Green Glue Compound between sheets, screw sheets from the center outwards.

Screw Drywall To Studs
Do not proceed with a second layer of drywall until you have completely screwed in and sealed the primary layer. The second layer of drywall should be fully attached to the studs with the same screw pattern as the first layer. The 'short circuits' caused by multiple screws will not lower results in a Green Glue Compound system and are actually important to the effectiveness of Green Glue Compound. All sound tests provided for Green Glue Compound have been achieved in walls where standard screw patterns have been implemented.

Other Useful Project Tips:

• We recommend using 5/8" drywall for the best results. If you already have or require 1/2" drywall, feel free to use it, as the results will not be noticeably lower. 3/8" or 1/4" drywall is not recommended and will result in lower sound isolation results. These options should not be considered unless there is absolutely no other option.
• Always leave a 2" border along the perimeter of each piece so that you can hold the drywall while lifting it into place. This will also give Green Glue Compound room for expansion when being compressed.
• The most important part of any sound isolation configuration is the sealing of all seams and joints. A good principle to follow when sealing is the "waterproof principle" – if water can get through a crack or gap, sound can, too.
• The first (sub) layer of drywall should be attached using 1-1/4" drywall screws and the second (top) layer should be attached with 1-5/8" or 1-7/8" drywall screws.
• Leave a 2" to 3" border gap around the entire perimeter of the drywall piece so you will be able to handle the drywall when installing.
• Slight deficiency in performance can occur if Green Glue Compound is not properly compressed. Attach the drywall to the wall within 15 minutes of applying the Green Glue Compound to drywall.  Completely screw off each sheet of drywall before moving on to the next.

Seal Your Wall
Once the topmost layer of drywall is attached, seal the wall thoroughly using Green Glue Sealant or a comparable high quality acoustic caulk. Tape and mud your seams as you would normally do, and prepare for your wall finishing.

Unlike disposable Green Glue Compound caulking tubes, our dispensing gun must be cleaned after every use. Green Glue Compound is a very sticky product that becomes incredibly difficult to clean up once it has cured. For this reason, it is crucial to fully clean the dispensing gun after each use. This involves dismantling the dispensing gun and using water pressure to remove all Green Glue Compound residue from the cone nozzle cap, barrel, and inner workings of the tool.

NOTE: If your dispensing gun is not properly cleaned after use or submerged in water for short-term storage, the Green Glue Compound residue will cure inside the gun, rendering it useless and damaging it permanently. In this case, there will be no possibility of using the dispensing gun on future projects and you will need to purchase a new one.

While cleanup for the dispensing gun is crucial, it is also very simple.  Don't let this factor deter you from using the Green Glue Compound Dispenser Gun with the bucket system on projects that require larger quantities of Green Glue Compound.

The above patterns are suggested for demonstration purposes only. There is no correct or required pattern to follow when applying Green Glue Compound.

The red dashed border represents a 'no-apply' area that should be 2" to 3" wide on every panel. This will allow you to physically handle the drywall without getting glue on your hands and will minimize the risk of Green Glue Compound seeping out the edges when being compressed.

You can avoid sealing your first layer of drywall with caulk and/or drywall mud if you stagger your seams.  The above images illustrate this concept.

First Layer Horizontal, Second Layer Vertical
Hang the first layer of drywall perpendicular to the studs or joists. Hang the second layer parallel to the studs or joists. This is the most common method of staggering the seams.

First Layer Vertical, Second Layer Vertical and Offset From First
Hang the first layer of drywall parallel to the studs. Hang the the second layer of drywall parallel to the studs as well, but offset it to the right or left by 2' (on a 4' wide sheet). This method is more common on resilient sound clip systems with horizontally attached hat channel.