# Sanding ridiculously bad spackle (thats been painted)



## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

Having the house we just moved into professionally painted next month. The people that had the house previously spackled the zillion holes leaving spackle marks from 1 inch round to 5 inches round. Then they painted over this crappy job. The spackle job is so bad that the edges of the spackle is probably 1/16 to a 1/32 thick. Whats the best way to remedy?...sand the hell out of it through the paint?...rent commercial wall sander?...any advice greatly appreciated.


----------



## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Random orbital sander with 120-220 paper. You can get a cheap one for 50-60$. Hook a shop vac hose to the dust port to cut down on dust if you want.


----------



## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

I'm wondering why you are wanting to try to fix this problem yourself if your having it painted next month. An experienced painter could take care of that problem during the general prep work for the paint job. 

The spackle spots being painted over complicates the problem, but they can still be sanded out. It will likely take some additional patching after sanding to totally blend the spots in. 
I would advise you to talk to your painting contractor before doing anything to the spots.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I could be wrong but it's probably joint compound not spackle and I agree talk to your painter.


----------



## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

thanks...my painter said that he has never seen this kind of ridiculousness. There are literally 12 to 15 3-4 inch patches on almost every wall. Like a 7 year old had a field day with a bb gun. He said that I can do it myself to save some cash, and that he is swamped so if his guys do it, the project has to be put off for several weeks. Is a random orbital the same as a palm sander (sorry for stupid question).

thanks again.


----------



## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Palm sander makes me think of a vibrating sander which is not the same as a random orbital. A random orbital fits in your palm and could be called a 'palm' sander, but it spins as opposed to vibrates. You could use a vibrating sander, it would just be way slower.


----------



## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Jmayspaint said:


> Palm sander makes me think of a vibrating sander which is not the same as a random orbital. A random orbital fits in your palm and could be called a 'palm' sander, but it spins as opposed to vibrates. You could use a vibrating sander, it would just be way slower.[/QUOTE]
> 
> 
> 80 or 100 grit would speed it up some:laughing:
> ...


----------



## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

I have always had better luck using an extra stiff 2" knife with a sharpened edge to plane off garbage like that.


----------



## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

chrisn said:


> Jmayspaint said:
> 
> 
> > Palm sander makes me think of a vibrating sander which is not the same as a random orbital. A random orbital fits in your palm and could be called a 'palm' sander, but it spins as opposed to vibrates. You could use a vibrating sander, it would just be way slower.[/QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

If you don't already have one I would get one with a attachment for a shop vac. One question are these walls textured?


----------



## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

thanks for the advice..the walls are not textured...just painted.


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Then the random orbit should work fine.


----------



## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

thanks all...appreciate the response...will post the update after the project.


----------



## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

I also like coarser grit (80) for getting down paint. You should give it a light coating of compound after sanding to smooth it out. You can then sand that with 150 before painting.


----------



## geenowalker (Aug 19, 2013)

OK..I'm back. The random orbit sander worked like a champ. Went with a Rigid that I bought from HD after reading a bunch of reviews on line. Went through about 8-10 discs 100 grit. It made short work of the spackle that was left...thanks for the advice..also have a review of the paint sprayer that I rented, but will post that in the paint area.


----------

