Drywall Sanding

[peakbagger]

Hi All, Looks like I may be assisting in sanding a house worth of someone else's drywall and possibly some of my own. I have hired it out in the past but the folks who do it in my area are slim to none (no immigrant population to speak of and in general the local population is getting too old to sling drywall). So between the two of us we are looking to automate or at least do more sanding and less sweeping and splitting the cost. I see the Hyde units which are basically hand sanders with a vacuum cleaner hookup. Next step up are the electric drywall sanders on a pole hooked to a vacuum cleaner. Years ago when I did my last project, the drywallers I hired used a pole type electric rotary sander. It was impressive, took them about as long to haul the equipment up and down stairs and assemble as it did to sand with minimal cleanup, they just wiped down the walls and sprayed primer one with electric sprayer and they were done.

I used to see a lot of the Porter Cable 7800s around but they appear to have been rebranded to Dewalt 7800. Looks like $500 not including the vacuum cleaner. A few hundred more for the cordless (less if you are in the 20 volt Dewalt world). Lots of more expensive brands out there. Then there is the far less expensive WEN and a lot of chicom gear.

Note none of us are skilled tapers, no doubt we will be slapping more mud on than a pro. I think we will use the different premix formulations for the prime (low dust) and final skim coats but definitely it will be learning curve.

A drywall lift is on order, Last ceiling I did was a tray type ceiling using baker staging and 12 foot sheets. Not fun but did it solo with the baker staging and "T" stands.

So anyone have any sage advise?

 

[gzecc]

Im a sheetrock contractor still doing drywall. Mostly small jobs in high visibility areas. I'd suggest submitting a request through Angies list. Used to be home advisor. I get most of my business that way. FYI you'll get what you pay for. I bill $100 per hour to breath the dust.

 

[gzecc]

Cost should depend on quality of finish. From level 1-5. Most nice house living areas level 4, closets 3, kids play area basements 3, garages 1-2. Good luck.

 

[bigealta]

I don't sand much. I prefer to spackle very carefully and leave no high spots or hitch hikers. I feather out pretty far. And use a damp large grout sponge to melt the feathered edges into the raw drywall. Sanding Sucks. Just learn to tape better. Add some water to your mud.

There are a few good youtubes by pro tapers out there. Well worth the effort to be a better taper. It's just like using a sharp vs dull chain.

 

[bholler]

I have an old porter cable sander I bought used close to 20 years ago and I love it. But you have to pay close attention you can easily screw up the paper face on the drywall if you don't. I also just use a high quality shop vac with a drywall bag not the saner made to go with the sander. But lately I have been paying to have mudding done and there is far less sanding. I still use the porter cable because I have it but absolutely wouldn't need it.

I have tried the damp sponge technique and never liked it. Maybe I just wasn't good at it I don't know

 

[bigealta]

I have tried the damp sponge technique and never liked it. Maybe I just wasn't good at it I don't know

I only use the damp sponge for the feathered spackle edge where it meats the raw drywall. Trying to "sand" with the damp sponge is not so good.

 

[bholler]

I only use the damp sponge for the feathered spackle edge where it meats the raw drywall. Trying to "sand" with the damp sponge is not so good.

Yeah that's what I tried. I just wasn't a fan. I know some people who love it

 

[bigealta]

Guess it takes practice and a good teacher. Learned how to spackle from an old school plaster guy who i worked for for a summer. The key lesson i remember is holding the spackle knives correctly to put correct pressure on either side of the knife that needed the pressure and keeping both the knife and mud pan super clean with every single swipe. Then there really is no raised edge at all where drywall meats the mud. The sponge just melts dust basically.

 

[vbu]

If you do get a sander and a shopvac, get a dust deputy with it. It'll catch all the drywall dust, and not clog up your shop vacs filter.

 

[ABMax24]

I used to work with a former drywall, he always said 90% of the work was in the mudding, and 90% of the technique in that was getting the mud consistency correct. Proper mud consistency was key and made laying the mud easy, which meant minimal sanding work when that was done. Everyone buys premixed mud thinking its ready to use, but you need to add some water, and every successive coats uses slightly thinner mud than the last. He also said he never used a power sander, hand sanding quickly did the job once if the mud was done right.

These videos are good, you just have to click on the link.

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[EbS-P]

speed matters. how long can you work with your hands above your head? the pole vac sander would be my choice if I had a whole house + to do. I did a bedroom room ceiling (removing popcorn it was easier to sling mud) hand sanded it all. One 15x15 was all I was good for physically that week.

Orange peel look covers less than perfect drywal really well. Probably not on a ceiling.

Use poindexter’s cheap box fan air cleaner.

 

[Max W]

Could there be a local general contractor who has a guy that does mudding and sanding that you could beg borrow or steal for that? I’ve enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing the space change as we put sheets up in two houses we built. It was not so satisfying when it came to mudding and sanding. Among other things the bottom of my shoe and blobs dropped on the floor couldn’t seem to stay away from each other. I’m sure you will be far more capable but you might not want to give on up finding someone.

 

[Poindexter]

For an entire house I would pay whatever has to be paid and wait however long the wait is. Good luck to you. I can do framing and electrical and paint, but plumbing, flooring and large scale drywall gets done with my visa card.

 

[bholler]

For an entire house I would pay whatever has to be paid and wait however long the wait is. Good luck to you. I can do framing and electrical and paint, but plumbing, flooring and large scale drywall gets done with my visa card.

I usually hang all the drywall and just pay for finishing.

 

[begreen]

I usually hang all the drywall and just pay for finishing.

Likewise. I have great respect for good mudders and it's not my strong suit.

 

[bholler]

Likewise. I have great respect for good mudders and it's not my strong suit.

Agreed. I am ok at it and it turns out pretty good with minimal sanding. But the pros are so much faster and better.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have never sanded drywall. I mud it so I don't need to sand, and it looks great. Nobody has ever said anything negative about my drywall work. It's not hard to feather it out. I use a small putty knife for screws and a 4/12" trowel for the seams. Each layer gets thinner and the joints vanish. The screws usually take 2 coats and the joints use 3-4. Virgin corners are done one side at a time after the first layer, that way you keep a nice corner. That's a corner with 2 factory edges. I bought a hand sanding pad years ago and it's still in the package.