Drywall Sanding

[krux]

What's your favorite method/recommendation for drywall sanding?

In the past I have used hand sanders with paper and hand sanders that hook up with a bucket of water and a vacuum. One method leaves dust and sand marks and the other has to much suction from the vacuum. I hate dust, it gets every where and kills my furnace. So whats your best method of drywall sanding without having dust?

I see WEN has a drywall sander similar to Porter Cable with a motor and a vacuum hook up. What kind of vacuum do you need and do you need any special filters for it? I am looking for options since I want to do more mud repair in my house.

Thanks for the posts.

 

[sqznby]

I agree, I cant stand dust from sanding.
I use my DeWalt DA Sander with my wet/dry vac hooked up to the dust collector. No dust at all.

 

[sqznby]

Oops, double post

 

[crf731]

When I finished my basement I used one of these.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hyde-Vac-Pole-Sanding-Kit-for-Shop-Type-Vacuum-Cleaners-09170/100659753

It eventually killed the shop-vac but it kept the dust to a minimum.

 

[krux]

When using your shopvac do you just clean out the filter after it gets clogged?

Any problem with using the shopvac having to much suction?

Did you like that hyde vac-pole sanding?

 

[ItsNemo]

I know at least ridgid has fine dust bags (basically like regular vacuum bags) for their shop vacs. You use it along with the normal filter when doing dust, works really well, doesn't clog up, just chuck it out in the end.

 

[jsaw]

Long time ago, guy showed me how to use a wet sanding sponge. It worked ok with much less dust

 

[aspireguy95]

I've had good luck using my ridgid shop vac with a hepa filter and sander

 

[brownbagg]

best drywall sanders there is, are those little short people in the home depot parking lot

 

[Kaizen]

hard to resist orbital sander for big areas. but just a little off pressure and you will see it in the paint. I prefer hand sanding to do a nice feather. I just mask up for dust and then clean after. suppose running a shop vac with one hand while sanding the other could take out a lot of dust.

 

[Dirtydan69]

best drywall sanders there is, are those little short people in the home depot parking lot

This.

 

[rayra]

I hate sanding drywall so much that I found the best way was to apply as little extra mud as possible in the first place. I started spreading mud as if I was plastering. Ever thinner, more springy knives, 3-4 applications. At most one light sanding. And sometimes none.
Done a dozen rooms that way and happy with the results. Which I would show you if Photobucket wasn't a giant POS of a company.

 

[DCarr2]

I hate drywall. Everything about it ***** lol

I prefer real plaster...

but in those rare instances where I have to use drywall compound (almost daily for interior work lol) I use that dust control **** at home depot, grey bucket, blue lid... dust falls right to the floor... works for me.

 

[hotcargo]

if you mix your topcoat a little more wet than usual , and learn to use your trowel correctly , you shouldnt have to do very much sanding at all , I have just built my own home , 99% all owner built , hardly any sanding at all ...........remember .........a few thin coats are a lot better than one big thick coat on your joins etc

cheers Steve in Oz

 

[James-W]

I agree with putting on thin coats, there isn't much sanding involved and you get a better looking job.

 

[readhead]

I rarely do any sanding. There is no point in putting it on just to sand it off. Use topping for the final coats and apply it sparingly. You can see the low spots being filled. If you need to blend into existing texture use a wet sponge and then apply new texture to match. When I used to do a lot of remodel work in offices sanding wasn't even an option.

 

[cdeer001]

best drywall sanders there is, are those little short people in the home depot parking lot

 

[manwithtools]

I hate sanding drywall so much that I found the best way was to apply as little extra mud as possible in the first place. I started spreading mud as if I was plastering. Ever thinner, more springy knives, 3-4 applications. At most one light sanding. And sometimes none.
Done a dozen rooms that way and happy with the results. Which I would show you if Photobucket wasn't a giant POS of a company.

if you mix your topcoat a little more wet than usual , and learn to use your trowel correctly , you shouldnt have to do very much sanding at all , I have just built my own home , 99% all owner built , hardly any sanding at all ...........remember .........a few thin coats are a lot better than one big thick coat on your joins etc

cheers Steve in Oz

I agree with putting on thin coats, there isn't much sanding involved and you get a better looking job.

I rarely do any sanding. There is no point in putting it on just to sand it off. Use topping for the final coats and apply it sparingly. You can see the low spots being filled. If you need to blend into existing texture use a wet sponge and then apply new texture to match. When I used to do a lot of remodel work in offices sanding wasn't even an option.

All of these are the correct answer, avoid sanding until you absolutely have too. I prefer sanding screens to paper, it lasts much longer, is quicker and can be cleaned by just knocking the sander against the floor.

 

[krux]

I have a texture wall and ceiling I plan on redoing. Since its a big area I am looking at options. I agree less sanding the better.

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[PCustoms]

I have a texture wall and ceiling I plan on redoing. Since its a big area I am looking at options. I agree less sanding the better.

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You going for a completely smooth ceiling?

I had pretty "rough" 80's texture on mine, that I was just going to paint over until the wet paint made it fall down. Stripped it all off, sanded a few spots and then mixed the silica texture material that HD sells into a gallon of ceiling paint. Still textured, but a hell of a lot more modern looking then what I started with.

 

[The Cobbler]

let the trowel do the work , scrape between coats to get any high spots off, final coat should be smooth & virtually ridge free. very lite sand and clean up with dampened sawdust

 

[EOC_Jason]

Both Shop-Vac & Ridgid vacuums have high-efficiency bags that fit in the container and will do a great job at trapping drywall dust and will not clog up either. I actually leave one in my shopvac all the time, great for sawdust too... The regular filter on the motor stays nice and clean.

 

[krux]

You going for a completely smooth ceiling?

I had pretty "rough" 80's texture on mine, that I was just going to paint over until the wet paint made it fall down. Stripped it all off, sanded a few spots and then mixed the silica texture material that HD sells into a gallon of ceiling paint. Still textured, but a hell of a lot more modern looking then what I started with.

Its a rough texture. One part of the sheet rock is sagging. Once I screw it back up ill need to mud it. That's when I was thinking of switching it all over. My luck the previous home owner did a sloppy job.

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[6768rogues]

I use the type of compound that it dry powder and mix it for the first two coats. It dries with almost no shrinkage. Then I top coat with a thin coat of ready mixed stuff and almost no sanding.

 

[rburke65]

My house...1970....did not finish the ceiling at all. Taped the joints and then stipples to hind but you can see every joint.