How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (2024)

Hanging drywall is a straightforward project, but the main reason why more DIYers don't install and finish drywall themselves is how much fine dust it produces. You can reduce your dust output to nearly zero using a wet-sanding method.

This process is far from precise. It doesn't leave you a perfectly smooth surface and is much slower than traditional sanding. But it's one of the best ways to prevent dust from taking over the space.

What Is Wet-Sanding?

Wet-sanding requires a damp sponge to smooth out and remove excess taping compound after it dries. When moistened with a sponge, the drywall compound begins to dissolve and loosen, and it can then be smoothed out. Wet-sanding is usually done with a very thick, stiff sponge.

How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (1)

The Dust Problem

Drywall dust is so incredibly fine and invasive that the warranties of some house vacuums are considered void if you use them to remove drywall dust.

Even the most careful taping and mudding job requires that the joints be sanded with a sanding screen or sandpaper, and that action invariably creates dust that flies everywhere and gets into everything. It travels into the farthest regions of your home and deep into your clothes and hair.

When cleaning up drywall dust, even good eye protection and a particle mask don't entirely prevent the superfine powder from entering your eyes and lungs.

Pros and Cons of Wet-Sanding

Many drywall professionals view wet sanding more as "joint smudging" than actual sanding since so much of the taping compound remains on the wall rather than your sponge. But there can be real value to smudging out the edges of the jointsbecause it makes the seams less visible or even invisible after painting.

If you're interested in speed, wet-sanding is the slower way to go without giving you a perfectly smooth surface. Because you areusing a sponge―which is flexible―your finished wall may exhibit gentle waves.

If you wipe down the walls too vigorously with a too-wet sponge, you can dissolve and remove too much of the taping compound, requiring you to go back and apply more mud. But all of these drawbacks may be worth the significant benefit—a joint-smoothing operation completely without dust.

How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (2)

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Materials

  • Water

Instructions

How to Wet-Sand Drywall

  1. Wet the Sponge

    • Fill a bucket with warm water.
    • Dip the sponge into the water, and then wring it out. Drywall sponges can become almost bone-dry if you wring too hard, Wring the sponge so it is not sopping but still noticeably damp. The sponge must be damp enough to dissolve and loosen the hardened joint compound.

    Tip

    You can use special sponges explicitly designed for this task or any large, stiff household sponge—preferably an artificial sponge rather than a softer, natural sponge.

    How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (3)

  2. Sand the Joint With the Abrasive Sponge Side

    • Begin by knocking down any obvious high spots with the abrasive side of your sponge. Move the sponge in broad, circular strokes. Don't press too hard in any one spot, as this can create depressions in the joint compound. Concentrate on the dried compound's high ridges and spiky areas.
    • When the sponge gets bogged down with compound or looks gritty, rinse it out and continue with a newly dampened sponge.

    Tip

    Be patient. This part of the job will take longer than it does when dry-sanding, which quickly grinds down high spots with minimal effect on surrounding areas.

    How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (4)

  3. Sand With the Smooth Side of the Sponge

    • Wring out the sponge, then remoisten it, and switch to sanding with the smooth side of the sponge.
    • Feather the joint compound outward from the joints. This will reduce the visibility of seams after painting.
    • By this point, you should have already taken down the high ridges. Concentrate on lowering the joint compound bump.
    • After this second pass, you are done. Anymore wet spongingwill get the drywall paper too wet. Dry-sand the joint compound if two passes are insufficient.

    Tip

    Do not be stingy with the water. Constantly rinse, remoisten, and squeeze out the excess. Do not let your sponge get dirty between passes. Change the water as it becomes milky or thickens with sediment or compound.

    How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (5)

  4. Let the Wall Dry and Inspect

    Check your work. 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. This reactivation allows you to smooth out and feather the ridge edges.

    • Let the damp taping compound dry thoroughly.
    • Inspect the surface. 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 should notice a smooth, hazy feathering effect.
    • If the seam ridge is too high and shows through the paint, you might need to dry-sand the wall to make it smooth.

    How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (6)

FAQ

  • What is wet-sanding?

    Wet-sanding adds a moisture component—often simply water—to the sanding process. The moisture helps to lubricate the surface and capture sanded particles, so there's less of an opportunity for the particles to scratch the surface or become airborne.

  • Is wet-sanding drywall better?

    The main perk to wet-sanding drywall is it creates less dust than dry-sanding. However, it typically doesn’t result in as smooth of a finish as dry-sanding.

  • How do you sand drywall like a pro?

    The key is to pay attention to your sanding motion. Work in even circulation strokes from the center outward to blend the edges into the rest of the wall.

  • How do you clean drywall dust after sanding?

    With either sanding method—wet or dry—you’re going to create some dust. You can use tack cloth to lightly wipe the walls, or brush them with a soft-bristle brush. Then, use a shop vacuum to clear dust from the area.

How to Finish Drywall for DIYers

How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust (2024)

FAQs

How to Wet-Sand Drywall to Avoid Dust? ›

Gently rub the damp sponge in a circular or figure-eight motion over the drywall surface. Apply even pressure, but avoid pressing too hard, as this can damage the drywall or create new imperfections. To keep the surface wet, periodically dip the sponge into the water to minimize dust and create a smoother finish.

Can you wet sand drywall to keep the dust down? ›

You can reduce your dust output to nearly zero using a wet-sanding method. This process is far from precise. It doesn't leave you a perfectly smooth surface and is much slower than traditional sanding. But it's one of the best ways to prevent dust from taking over the space.

How do you sand drywall without all the dust? ›

One of the most effective methods for minimizing dust during drywall sanding is wet sanding. It involves using a damp sponge or sanding screen along with a bucket of water. Dip the sponge or screen into the water, wring out any excess, and then sand the drywall surface.

What is the most efficient way to sand drywall? ›

Work your way around the room

Start sanding on the ceiling, then pick a spot in the room and work your way around from there. For instance, Lydia likes to start with the first wall to the left from when she enters, and works her way through the room back to the exit.

What do pros use to sand drywall? ›

The drywall sanding spongs have been specially designed to smoothen the joint compound. They can be used wet or dry and are ideal for reaching tight corners and ceilings. A wet sanding technique is the best for sponges. This will soften the compound or mud and dampen the dust from sanding to keep it in control.

How do you get drywall dust off everything? ›

While there are many ways to clean drywall dust, good old H20 is the best. Dust absorbs the water, and the dust becomes weighed down and unable to dissipate into the atmosphere. After spraying the dust, you can use a broom or vacuum to remove it without fear of it floating into the air.

What happens if you sand drywall without a mask? ›

Some of these have been associated with varying degrees of eye, nose, throat, and respiratory tract irritation. Over time, breathing the dust from drywall joint compounds may cause persistent throat and airway irritation, coughing, phlegm production, and breathing difficulties similar to asthma.

What is the simple trick to eliminate dust? ›

Always Dust from Top to Bottom

Since gravity pulls everything down, a time-saving dusting hack is to always dust from the top to the bottom. Walls, high light fixtures, chandeliers and ceiling fans should all be at the top of your dusting list before moving to lower areas.

How to do wet sanding? ›

Use an orbital sander and start with the lowest grit in your progression (180 grit is often a good place to start for metal finishing). Spray a fair amount of water on the metal surface as you sand. You'll want to wipe and dry the surface and apply another round of degreaser between each grit.

How to filter drywall dust? ›

How can you get rid of drywall dust in your house? I vacuum from the walls downward to the floor with a shop-vac loaded with both a HEPA filter and HEPA vacuum bag. That way, if a hole occurs in the bag, the filter still keeps the dust from blowing out of the cleaner.

How do you sand drywall with less dust? ›

Assuming you only have a small room or two to sand, however, a drywall sponge is the perfect tool for the job. Alternatively, you can also use a shop vac with a dust-catching filter to sand drywall. A high-end dust-catching filter will suck up and 'catch' the dust produced while sanding drywall.

Can I wet sand drywall? ›

Wet-sanding drywall is a technique that can elevate the quality of your home improvement projects, turning rough and uneven surfaces into smooth, flawless canvases ready for paint or texture.

What grit sandpaper to use on drywall? ›

Appropriate Grits of Sandpaper for Drywall

Most drywall projects should be finished with sandpaper in the 150-220 grit range, depending on the methods you use. Higher numbers mean a finer grit sandpaper and lower numbers are coarser.

Should you wet sand drywall? ›

Wet sanding drywall generally leaves very gentle waves in the finished surface, due to the flexible nature of the drywall sponge. This can be turned to your advantage if you're patching a textured wall; it's much easier to match texture with a damp sponge than with sandpaper.

How do you settle drywall dust? ›

While there are many ways to clean drywall dust, good old H20 is the best. Dust absorbs the water, and the dust becomes weighed down and unable to dissipate into the atmosphere. After spraying the dust, you can use a broom or vacuum to remove it without fear of it floating into the air.

Can you sand drywall to make it smooth? ›

After you've hung and taped drywall, follow these steps to sand it perfectly smooth. We'll show you techniques the pros use when sanding drywall to achieve excellent results.

References

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