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Project Difficulty:
Easy
Estimated
Project Time: Varies with size of room
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Polyethylene sheets and masking tape
Dust mask
Safety goggles
Hat
Portable, high-powered light on a stand
Pole sander with universal joint
120- and 150-grit sandpaper
Pencil
Sanding block
Sanding screen or polyurethane sponge
Wet/dry shop vacuum
Broom
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Sanding drywall seams involves two steps: Make a first pass using a pole sander with a universal joint and fitted with 120-grit sandpaper. Then hand-sand using 150-grit sandpaper. For this step, fold the sandpaper in quarters, or attach it to a sanding block. As an alternative to this two-step process, you can sand using a fine screen mounted on a handle, or wet-sand (a dustless approach) using a small-celled polyurethane sponge designed for this purpose. Wet-sanding with one of these sponges does not yield so fine a finish as dry-sanding to 150-grit, but in situations that don't permit dust, it makes a good substitute for the pole-sanding/hand-sanding technique. If you're particularly sensitive to dust (or happen to have the equipment handy), you can use a commercial sanding machine with a wet/dry vacuum attachment for nearly dust-free sanding.
If possible, seal off your work area to keep dust from drifting into finished rooms. To accomplish this, set up a dust barrier of polyethylene sheets between the workspace and all clean areas, and seal all edges with masking tape. Keep in mind that joint-compound dust is very fine-grained and can escape through tiny cracks between doors and jambs or around unsealed dust barriers. For your own safety, wear a dust mask and safety goggles while working. You might also want to wear a hat to keep much of the dust out of your hair.
Sanding Drywall Seams
Lighting the work area carefully is essential to good finish-sanding. If you shine light directly on a drywall joint, imperfections may not show up. Move the light to the side of the drywall, or shine it from above or below, and you're more likely to detect creases, recesses, bulges, and other defects. For this purpose, acquire a portable, high-powered light source, such as a halogen lamp. Place it on a stand in order to free up both hands, or carry a portable light in one hand and sandpaper in the other as you return to survey the joints and spot-sand any imperfections.
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1.
Sand the Joints Smooth
Using a sanding pole loaded with 120-grit sandpaper, sand each of the joints if necessary. Keep edges smooth as you taper them into the face of the drywall. To avoid sanding through the top layers of joint compound and into the tape, apply gentle, even pressure, and resist the urge to bear down (Fig. 1). If you do sand through to the tape, mark this area with a pencil, and reapply a coat of joint compound.
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2.
Check for Imperfections
Before starting to finish-sand (with 150-grit paper), check the joints for smoothness. Pass the palm of your hand over the joints, and position your light so that it illuminates the seams. Lighting from the side will cast the light across imperfections and make them evident. Plan to sand down any high spots or bumps that you feel with your hand or see with the light. (Fig. 2)
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3.
Finish-Sand the Joints
Using folded 150-grit sandpaper, a sanding block loaded with 150-grit paper, a sanding screen, or a urethane sponge--depending on your preference and the job at hand--sand the seams and also the swaths of joint compound that cover fastener heads. Next, run your hand over the area to check for smoothness. On inside corners, where sanding blocks are hard to control, use just a folded sheet of paper for hand sanding (Fig. 3). Sweep and vacuum up drywall dust now, before you track it to other rooms and before you remove the dust barrier.
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