Can you wet sand drywall mud

When the sponge begins to bog down, rinse it out and continue with a newly dampened sponge. Be patient. This part of the job will take more time than it does when dry-sanding, which quickly grinds down high spots with minimal effect on surrounding areas. Wring out the sponge, then remoisten it, and switch to sanding with the smooth side of the sponge. This is where you begin to feather the joint compound outward from the joints.

This will reduce the visibility of seams after painting. On this second pass, because you have already taken down the high ridges, you can concentrate on lowering the joint compound bump. After this second pass, you are done. Any more wet sponging will get the drywall paper too wet. If two passes are not sufficient, you may need to dry-sand the joint compound. Let the damp taping compound dry fully, and then inspect the surface. One thing that wet-sanding does that dry-sanding does not: It moistens dried mud compound, thus "reactivating" it and moving it to other parts of the wallboard.

The main value of wet drywall sanding is to smooth out and feather the ridge edges. Compare the "before" joint with the "after" joint. The "before" joint has a defined line. Running your finger across this line, you feel a definite ridge. On the "after" joint, you will notice a smooth, hazy feathering effect. In areas where the ridge is too high and will show through paint, you might need to sand the wall smooth in the traditional manner.

Control of Drywall Sanding Dust Exposures. The other side is more soft, for the second pass to smooth the surface. So, how do you use it? The best idea is to fill a five-gallon bucket about three-quarters of the way full with warm water. This will help to soften the drywall mud. After that, you can focus specifically on the uneven areas that have bumps. Use circular motions on these areas to smooth them out. Do your best to not create any holes.

Once this happens, dump it out and refill the bucket with fresh water. Your first pass will get rid of the worst bumps and ridges, when you use the rough side of the sponge. With the second pass, you will focus on smoothing out the edges and getting the most smooth surface that you can. Use the sandpaper to finish the job.

If you continue wet sanding, you risk soaking the drywall too much. The first step to sanding drywall is to get prepared for the job. The next step is to make sure the area has plenty of coverage, as the job will result in a very dusty and dirty environment before the task is completed. Vacuum attachments are also available for many sanders, making it easy to collect the dust before it has a chance to fly around the room or get ground into the floor.

The person performing the job should also take precautions, wearing a dust mask complete with goggles and preferably a respirator if necessary. Some masks are designed so they can be changed, and this may also be necessary if the job is long.

Wet sanding drywall requires minimal cleanup, so the overall time spent is comparable for the two methods. Wet sanding drywall generally leaves very gentle waves in the finished surface, due to the flexible nature of the drywall sponge. Wet sanding calls for plenty of water, so use a five-gallon bucket, and fill it three-quarters of the way with warm water, which helps soften the drywall mud.

Photo: amazon. These specialty sponges are thick and stiff, with one side slightly abrasive for the first pass of sanding and the other side is soft and fluffy, for the second pass of smoothing the drywall mud. If sanding a full wall, have two or three sponges available, in case one wears down too much or tears during use.

For small patching jobs, one drywall sponge should be sufficient. Wet sanding drywall is somewhat tedious, but resist the temptation to speed the process by scrubbing aggressively at lumps and rough patches in the drywall mud.

If you are sanding a seam, work on a 3-foot section at a time and sand in the direction of the seam. Rub the drywall until it begins to soften and smooth out. Check the sponge every five to 10 seconds to see if it has drywall mud sticking to its surface.

When you notice the mud adhering to the sponge, rinse the sponge in the bucket of water and wring it out again before resuming sanding. Continue like this until the drywall mud is smooth.