# drywall burns



## wengang1 (Jan 19, 2010)

I've been working on my project for some time now.
Most recently, sanding the drywall. ON a couple of occasions now, after a day spent sanding and checking for smoothness, running my fingers back and forth across the sanded compound, the fingertips on my right hand are all a bit burnt. Sometimes they're just pink for a couple of days. Other times, they actually get red and sore. This last time, the my index finger is reacting almost like a serious burn, with the skin hardening and feeling basically losing feeling. 
Does anybody else get this? Should I wear a glove, and if so, how could I still feel perfect smoothness?

Thanks.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Are you sanding with a doubled-over piece of sandpaper... with the grit side against your finger tips?

It is far better to use a strong light cast upon the drywall from the side to determine smoothness.


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## mickey cassiba (Mar 17, 2011)

I use a flashlight...reveals any imperfections as shadows...and saves the fingerskin


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

wengang1 said:


> I've been working on my project for some time now.
> Most recently, sanding the drywall. ON a couple of occasions now, after a day spent sanding and checking for smoothness, running my fingers back and forth across the sanded compound, the fingertips on my right hand are all a bit burnt. Sometimes they're just pink for a couple of days. Other times, they actually get red and sore. This last time, the my index finger is reacting almost like a serious burn, with the skin hardening and feeling basically losing feeling.
> Does anybody else get this? Should I wear a glove, and if so, how could I still feel perfect smoothness?
> 
> Thanks.


You don't really need to fondle the wall to get good smoothness. Remember you're going to paint and prime....


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Sounds like a cotton, latex, etc. glove or something might be a good idea for you. I cannot tell if you are abrading your fingertips unkowingly or if you have some sort of skin allergy to something in the compound. I'd be sure and apply some hand cream or lotion too. Drywall compound can really dry your hands out over time.


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## chrisBC (Dec 28, 2010)

you need a light, I use a trouble light (think of a mechanic's light)

the trick with drywall, is the more you do the less you end up sanding, bit of an art that way, with the light you can go around the area, any shadows that show up will reveal imperfections on your walls.


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## wengang1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions all.

I was definitely sanding my fingertips down on the surface of the dry compound.
This is my first drywall project and I've had people tell me that any imperfections at the seams will be magnified by the paint.

Since it's my first project, I've been coating and sanding it repeatedly since January. I guess I misunderstood the process early on and I created a lot of humps that just couldn't be smoothed. I wet it down and scraped it off in places, retaped and retaped in places.
But now I think it's safe to say it looks done. I have a few trouble spots to go over, but that's it.

Hey Chris, I know what you mean. My dad used the terms "trouble light" and "drop cord" and when I moved away from home, people didn't know what I was talking about. In fact I was in Lowe's the other day looking for a cotter pin for my mower and the guy had no idea what I was talking about. They had another name for that.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

The dishearting thing about this is that after you prime and paint the wall is actually not going to feel as smooth as it did bare.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Willie T said:


> The dishearting thing about this is that after you prime and paint the wall is actually not going to feel as smooth as it did bare.


Sadly true I suspect. Other painters will come out of the woodwork on this perhaps but a fat roller and high build primer might be a suggestion worth considering if you really overworked this. Or a nice wide drywall blade and a thin dilluted mud skim coat if you promise not to touch it when dry but with a car wash sponge and wet sand technique used ever so lightly for the most very highest of spots.

I worked for a lot of art galleries and have forever. If you found you made a really gruesome mistake? Support a local artist and hang a nice piece of art or even a generic framed poster from Hobby Lobby over it. And brother, if I can put 800,000 fastener holes in a single wall, patch, prime paint and so forth so in 30 years noone has ever noticed to the point of taking a light to the surface and pointing things out? Trust me baby Bubba, you will be alright in this.

It is time you stop, prime and paint the thing with primer and paint from a real paint store and live with it. Don't screw that part of things up this late and after all you have been through. Odds are, unless you paint it some hideous color, you will and should be proud of yourself.


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## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

I'm a Professional Drywall Finisher, since the day I started the trade the mud has bothered my skin. I use non-Latex Medical Examination gloves.

But as another poster pointed out, you don't need to run your fingers over the surface to check for smoothness. Simply hold an incandescent light in one hand while you sand with the other. The light will create shadows highlighting your imperfections.


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## Puddlepirate (Sep 12, 2021)

Yep....looking at chemical burn right now on my fore arm. I actually googled this to see if I am the only one who gets chemical burn from joint compound. I'm a painter, but every once in awhile find myself with a project where I have to skimcoat, repair, or finish off some drywall. If I splatter or drip some on my skin, within 2 minutes it will start burning. Well my search continues for answers.


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## wengang1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Over the past 10 years, I've replaced the walls in the whole house. I quickly learned to stop touching the joint compound and the edge of the sanding sponge and let the light guide the sanding. Of course, I go over it with a pole sander first and I have a lot less sanding to do than I used to.


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## ryndrop (10 mo ago)

wengang1 said:


> I've been working on my project for some time now.
> Most recently, sanding the drywall. ON a couple of occasions now, after a day spent sanding and checking for smoothness, running my fingers back and forth across the sanded compound, the fingertips on my right hand are all a bit burnt. Sometimes they're just pink for a couple of days. Other times, they actually get red and sore. This last time, the my index finger is reacting almost like a serious burn, with the skin hardening and feeling basically losing feeling.
> Does anybody else get this? Should I wear a glove, and if so, how could I still feel perfect smoothness?
> 
> Thanks.


My F.I.L is a doctor, when working with drywall without gloves he said "Drywall mudding is an extremely basic compound and our bodies are slightly acidic, so it eats away at skin layers. It will burn if you leave it on your hands a bit." It is best to wear gloves.


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## ryndrop (10 mo ago)

Puddlepirate said:


> Well my search continues for answers.


My father in law says it's because drywall is extremely alkaline and our bodies are acidic. Now I've been reading about alkali burns and I will treat Draino with more respect .-.

(Note Lye, the stuff killers use to break down bodies on tv, is an extreme alkali, though apparently in reality it has to be heated and pressure needs to be applied to accomplish that)


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

It's an 11 year old thread.


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