Sanding drywall is a crucial step in various home renovation tasks. It is performed before taping the drywall or after hanging drywall sheets. While this may seem simple and straightforward, many people make rookie mistakes during the process. Here are some effective strategies for sanding drywall so that it’s perfectly smooth and even.
1. Pick the Right Tools
The most important tip to follow when sanding your drywall is to use the correct tools. For a top-notch drywall sanding job, you will require a high-quality putty knife, hand sander, sanding paper, sanding sponge, dust mask, and goggles. Wearing safety equipment is quite necessary as sanding the drywall results in a lot of dirt and dust. You need to make sure you are well-protected to avoid any nuisances while doing the job.
2. Select Fine Sandpaper for the Desired Result
Often, homeowners buy a heavy-grit paper to speed up the sanding process. However, this does not always give the best result. Modern sandpapers, despite being light and airy, tend to give a phenomenal look to the wall at the end. Keeping that in view, we highly recommend buying 120-grit or 150-grit for the desired result.
To make things easier and more convenient, you can buy precut sheets that are made to fit your hand sander perfectly.
3. Look for Problem Areas for Filling or Extra Sanding
Once you have lightly sand an area, carefully look for spots that may need additional filling or sanding. These areas may not be visible in the first instance, so you will need to look deeper using a torch or a handheld lamp.
If you discover any troubled spots, use a hand sander or sponge sander to touch up these areas. Mark areas that need additional filling and then finish the job with joint compound. Later, sand the marked spots again for the last time.
4. Always Use a Sanding Sponge for Corners
Never try sanding your drywall corners with a hand sander, as it tends to give a messy and ugly result. A much better option is using a sanding sponge. The sides of the sanding sponge are purposely designed to scuff the corners of the drywall. Therefore, they do a far neater job at sanding the corners than any other tools.
5. Sand Gently
Last but not least, always sand with light pressure. Do not sand the same spot twice at the same time as it may cause grooves or depression when painting your drywall. However, you can touch up the sanded area with a sponge later on.
Sanding drywall is not as easy as you may think, which is why it’s best to leave the task to professionals. You can hire Utah Drywall and Repair – one of the leading drywall experts in Utah – for your drywall needs, no matter how big or small they may be.