# final sanding and clean up before priming.



## joshs (Jan 11, 2013)

Quick question. Almost done final sanding. Have some ceiling left to do and touch up spots. Was planning on sweeping the walls, but found this article

http://www.familyhandyman.com/video...how-to-sand-drywall.htm?m_n=true#.UcC_mjPD_qA

Which says to leave dust on the walls for priming to help fill in any uneven areas. Thoughts on this?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Absurd!:no:You want the new walls as smooth, clean and dust free as you can get them. Mixing dust, dirt or whatever with primer and suggesting it as a filler just makes no sense.

I would go over the walls thoroughly with a shop vac (fitted with a vacuum bag to protect the motor from the drywall dust) and then a damp, not moist or soggy, car wash sponge. You just want to pick up remaining dust and not wet the drywall compound or drywall paper.

Your priming and sealing the drywall will determine, to a point, how well your finish coats, wallpaper or whatever will adhere. If there is dust and dirt, the primer/sealer is going to be challenged to adhere as it should. And the added texture could show up in your finish coats, especially if you are painting with anything having a sheen to it.


----------



## joshs (Jan 11, 2013)

That's what I was thinking too. Glad I asked. 

One more question about the dust. If I go over it with a moist sponge before vacuuming dust am I able to work some of it into the little pockmarks I have in places or no?

On a side note, is there a specific attachment that works well for vacuuming walls and ceilings?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Sponge, again just barely moistened, happens last. 

If you have divets and depressions that are obvious you should take the time to fill them and skim coat over them. You can "wet sand" them with the same large car wash sponge. You should not rely on sanded drywall dust as a filler material.


----------



## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

joshs said:


> Quick question. Almost done final sanding. Have some ceiling left to do and touch up spots. Was planning on sweeping the walls, but found this article
> 
> http://www.familyhandyman.com/video...how-to-sand-drywall.htm?m_n=true#.UcC_mjPD_qA
> 
> Which says to leave dust on the walls for priming to help fill in any uneven areas. Thoughts on this?


 
:laughing:


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Good advice---I'll add one more step---after priming--lightly sand the entire area to knock off any dust that did get into the primer--

Real fast ,light sanding---


----------



## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

That's a strange article, and also a strange looking format. I wonder if it's an old archived one that you don't have access to through the normal menus. Usually the advice on that site is good, but they are saying some odd things in that article. They kind of have a point about dust mixing with primer to form a sort of block filler, but that's not really the kind you want. It might interfere with adhesion to the wall, and it will also tend to not be smooth. A block filler will be more homogenized, with the solids at a smaller "molecular" size.


----------



## mpellerin (Feb 15, 2011)

I've tried different things over the years to wipe down walls after sanding drywall. Everything was either too wet or too dry and I found it frustrating and. This may sound a little odd to all of you professionals (don't laugh-it worked :no but the absolute BEST was an old, threadbare, flat bed sheet passed through the rinse and spin cycle of the washer. It was just the right amount of damp and I was able to do a large area before having to rinse it again or get another. I guess when one's primary job is 'homemaker' you use what you know.

Good luck!
mpellerin


----------

