How To Repair Fuzzy Drywall

Drywall Sanding Is Fourth dimension Well Spent

Updated: Jun. thirty, 2022

Drywall sanding is tiresome and messy piece of work. But doing it right ways a great looking room. Here are some DIY tips for getting the best results from your side by side drywall project.

FH010912_002_DRYSAN_01-2 Family Handyman

Sanding drywall isn't exactly fun. But if you exercise it correct, you'll be rewarded with a great-looking paint task that will make all the endeavour worthwhile. These tips will assistance you avoid common drywall sanding mistakes so you tin can get the all-time results possible from all your hard work.

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Use a special sanding tool

Use a manus sander and precut sandpaper

Use a mitt sander ($six), a parcel of 150-grit drywall sanding newspaper that'southward precut to fit your sander, and a sanding sponge for corners and detail sanding. Yous'll besides need a double-strap dust mask rated for nuisance dust and goggles to keep the dust out of your eyes. A hat or scarf to keep the grit out of your hair is a good idea too. Sand with calorie-free pressure along the edge of seams and around screws to avoid "fuzzing" the drywall paper. Sand the centre of seams just enough to remove ridges and bumps.

Choose fine sandpaper for the best results

Heavy-dust newspaper volition go out sanding marks

Information technology's tempting to purchase 80-grit newspaper to speed up the sanding job. But because modern lightweight joint chemical compound is so soft, y'all don't need heavy-grit paper to sand information technology. Coarse-grit paper or sanding screens will get out undesirable sanding marks. We recommend precut sheets of 120-grit or 150-dust paper for the all-time results. Make sure the paper is taut past start anchoring i end nether the clamp. And so push the other end under the other clamp with 1 hand while yous tighten the clamp screw with the other.

Make full gouges-don't sand them

Utilise joint compound to fill depressions

Don't attempt to sand out gouges and big ridges. It's much easier just to trowel on another coat of joint compound. This is especially important at the edge of joints, where too much sanding will damage the newspaper face on the drywall. It'south quick and like shooting fish in a barrel to trowel a thin coat over the border of the seam to fill a low. Touch up grooves and big ridges with another glaze of articulation chemical compound rather than trying to sand them out. It may take a few coats to fill deep grooves.

Spot trouble areas with a handheld light

And then marking bug spots with a pencil

Do a once-over with your hand sander, making sure to hitting every surface with joint compound on it. Keep a pencil handy to mark problem areas that need filling or detail sanding. Then become a handheld lamp and get back over the job while shining the light parallel to the wall surface. Employ your hand sander and sponge sander to touch up trouble spots. Mark depressions and other spots that demand filling. Finish the job by filling the marked areas with joint compound and finally sanding these spots when they dry.

Prime the walls, and so sand again

Repriming removes fuzz and lumps

Sanding later on priming is a critical stride that nearly beginners skip. Merely sanding at this stage removes paper fuzz and lumps that volition show through your paint job. This is besides the time to take care of other imperfections past filling them with joint compound. Don't forget to sand and reprime these touched-up areas or they'll likewise show up when you paint the walls. Prime the walls and sand them lightly after the primer dries to remove paper fuzz and lumps.

Utilise a sanding sponge for corners

Hand sanders gouge corners easily

Sanding inside corners with a paw sander is asking for trouble. In the first place, information technology's difficult to get a crisp corner. Simply even more troublesome is the trend to scuff or gouge the opposite side of the corner with the edge of the sander. Information technology'south OK to sand inside a few inches of the corner with your hand sander. And then get back and touch up with a sanding sponge or folded slice of drywall sanding paper.

A sanding sponge makes a crisp corner

With a paw sander, it'southward easy to get too close and gouge the corner. If that happens, touch information technology up and try again, with a sponge this time.

Sand with a light affect

Use moderate to light pressure level

Fifty-fifty though using a hand sander is straightforward, the drywall pro we talked to offered these helpful tips. Utilize moderate to low-cal pressure and avoid sanding over the same spot in a straight line. This tin can leave a groove or depression that will show upward when you paint. Instead, move the sander effectually on the joint equally y'all sand. If you do sand too much in ane spot, touch information technology upwardly with joint compound and resand when information technology dries.

Angle the sander slightly

Keep the sander angled slightly. Press lightly and avoid scrubbing dorsum and forth in ane spot. Don't sand over electric boxes or other openings. The edges of the box can rip your sandpaper, or a piece of the paper facing on the drywall can roll up under the sander and tear off. Keep a few inches away from electrical box openings and touch up around them subsequently with a sanding sponge.

Dustless walls

Wet-sand joints to limit dust

To limit the grit, consider wet-sanding the joints. Tape with care and then you don't have to do much sanding. Then buy a big apartment drywall sponge ($ii at abode centers), moisture and wring it out, and simply wipe smooth any modest flaws. Y'all probably won't have to employ the fibroid side of the sponge unless you lot have unusually rough areas.

Originally Published: June 20, 2022