Researched a sheetrock sander that attaches to a shop vac but could not find one here locally. I did find a sheetrock sanding sponge at Home Depot that allows one to wet sand the joints without dust. Tried it on my backdrop I am finishing and it worked quite well. For $4.00 it is a bargin though the sanding layer is already delaminating from the sponge part. Given I only have about 60 feet of backdrop it should last for this project and I won’t have dust in my eyes, mouth, nose and all over my train layout.
Of coarse the dust seems to get everywhere. Cover w/ drops/ plastic and sand light even stokes as you hold the hose for the shop vac. Tried all those gadgets and sponges, may work a bit, but on larger walls etc, just do it the old messy way- just to get it done right. Most of this is from repairing, mud/ tape of walls/ ceilings. Small backdrop seams can be done a bit more methodically and cleanly.
Water sanding is a good way to eliminate the dust cloud from drywall sanding. I’ve found that ordinary, cheap household sponges work as well as the special ones sold by HD, etc. However, the type of drywall mud you use will determine how easy the wet sanding proceeds. Pre-mixed drywall compound sets up softer than the powdered type you mix with water and wet sands much easier.
Joe
Our local Menards ‘big box store’ has sanding kits in the $20-40 range. It includes a vacuum head that you put drywall screen on, some flexible hose and a bucket you fill about 1/2 up with water. The outlet end attached to a shop-vac. They work very well - I just did 30+ feet of walls in the basement and had next to nothing to clean up.
Jim
That sheetrock sander that attaches to a shop vac is an incredible tool. You would do well to find one.
Instead of normal sandpaper, a sanding screen attaches to the sander. I have used it to sand entire walls with no drywall dust whatseover.
Wet sanding is not a terribly reliable way to sand any larger area because it cannot sand evenly and smoothly and it can be a mess.
Rich
Hi!
The vacuum tool is excellent!
Whenever plaster work is done, the dust will literally get everywhere - carried by air currents via HVAC system or just from opening doors or windows.
The good news is that it will vacuum up - if dry of course.
Sanding screen is a great product. It really does the job on drywall compound, but it’s going to produce a lot of dust.
And y’know what? It is the perfect stuff for smoothing Hydrocal castings.
Not if it is connected to a Shop Vac.
The screen permits the drywall dust to be vacuumed directly into the canister.
Unless what you meant was that the screen sanding does produce dust but the Shop Vac collects it without it floating in the air.
Rich
There’s dust control mud available too. The dust it produces when sanding clumps together and falls to the ground, which is at least an improvement compared to working in a dust cloud. Nowhere near as neat as the vacuum, though.
Stu
Be sure to turn off your HVAC system while sanding…FYI. I did it old school and wish I’d bought the shopvac attachment.
Lots of good advice here, and may I relate a story…
I was involved in a number of office renovations (as tenant) in the Houston area. One of the major ones involved a lot of sheetrock work. The existing carpet was fairly new (grey mix) and I was shocked that the contractors did not go out of their way to cover it. Of course, the plaster dust got all over it.
I brought this up to the super, and he said that given the type of carpet, it would easily vacuum up when they were done - with their industrial vacuums.
Ha, I was skeptical, but when they finished they made two trips around and I was amazed at how the dust just disappeared. The guy said the plaster dust was no different than the various baking soda compounds that folks spread on their furniture/carpet for odor removal, and assuming its dry, will come right up.
OK, that’s my story… but I would still do what it takes to NOT let the dust get all over the place.
You can also use the drywall sanding screen wet by dipping in in a bucket of water and redip to wash out the wet material. Using the wet method can get you down to the point where one final light dry sanding will give you a good finish.
Sheet Rock Dust? Is that a rock band? I have never heard of them. Will they play the the Super Bowl next year? I haven’t listened to rock music since 1974.
ROAR
Lion,
Never thought of that for a band’s name but given today’s world it wouldn’t be out of the norm. Or how about “Brass Flex track” or “Hand Laid Turnout?”
I think you mean Bronze Radio Return who made the song Further On, that toe tapper that plays incessantly on The Golf Channel, promoting the Fed Ex Cup. [(-D]
Rich
“Do you hate sheetrock dust as much as me?”
Hey, just a minute… I don’t hate you, we’ve never met! [(-D][swg]
Jim
Ok, 2 things…
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if you’re using a shop vac, make sure you don’t overload the filter otherwise the vacuum works harder & you may blow it up. Having used mine in numerous renos around the house, I’ve always kept a couple of spare filters.
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Home Depot has a pre-mixed mud that is “dust controlling”. I’ve used this recently & the dust tends to fall to the floor with little air-born dust. This is in a room with 3 computers along with my LED tv & stereo system.
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Apply the first coat to the seam using a narrow drywall knife then go over that with a wider drywall knife to flatten it out. This should also help lower the amount of sanding needed.
Gordon
Sheetrock should be sanded with a special sponge that can be bought at your local Home Depot. Wet the sponge, and then wring out the water so that it is no longer dripping. Then use the sponge to smooth the plaster - there won’t be any dust. Clean the sponge often.
I have to say that, in my experience, wet sanding dryywall joint compound is a poor choice compared to screen sanding, especially if a Shop Vac is used to collect the dust.
For one thing, it is near impossible to smooth the joints with wet sanding.
For another thing, dampening dried joint compound is counter intuitive. You want to keep that stuff dry.
The pros rarely, if ever, wet sand drywall tape joints.
Rich
Don’t ask me how I know this - if you have any cold air runs near where you are working, cover them during your sanding process and then reopen when you are done. Sheetrock dust will get sucked into your furnace, furnace filter and will eventually find its way into your underwear drawer. Like I said, don’t ask how I know this.