# How to sand my ceiling without making a godawful mess?



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There should be hardly any dust.
All your trying to do is find any paint runs, fuzz from a cheap roller, high spots where the outside edges of the roller where.
A box fan sitting in the window facing out with the screen removed will help with any air bourn dust.


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## VAProPainter (Jan 29, 2014)

I would cover floor and anything that would be hard to clean like stove, cannisters, etc. After sanding, just hit flat surfaces with cleaning wipe and you're good to go.


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## jerkbag (Jan 6, 2014)

Ah okay, sounds good. Never done before so I assumed it would be dusty as hell. 

thanks!


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

These are pretty nice to have:


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Gymschu said:


> These are pretty nice to have:


Yes, very nice to have. Much better than the old rectangle ones.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

I can see no reason to be sanding a ceiling, unless there was a lot of patch work done.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

So now you want to do some full-assed painting. If it was previously painted then a light scruff sand should all that is needed, there should be very little dust. If it's more than that get a 3M hand masker and a roll of 9' plastic. Mask around the top of the walls then droop the plastic down over everything and if you cover the floor clem-up is very easy.


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## jerkbag (Jan 6, 2014)

chrisn said:


> I can see no reason to be sanding a ceiling, unless there was a lot of patch work done.


I've read a few places that it'll look better if you give the wall a light sand, though perhaps that doesn't apply to a ceiling. In any case it doesn't sound like it will be too messy.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Sanding a wall will only make it look better if it doesn't look smooth to begin with. Think about it. Let's say you sand a wall perfectly smooth, then put on a smooth coat of paint. Well, let's say you're going to put on 2 coats. Would you sand between coats? I certainly wouldn't. So what would change to that wall over the years that would require you to sand it? Not unless you made some patches to it as chrisn said.

Same thing applies to a ceiling. Now sanding drywall compound can be very, very dusty. But once it's painted, there will be very little dust. I wouldn't bother covering the walls. I'd just get the furniture out or cover it. Vacuuming the carpet afterward should be enough, or put down dropcloths if you'd rather.


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