Had a long talk with an old timer about sanding dust yesterday

I was down at the supply shop in Tulsa picking up some 20 minute mud and this guy in his 60s just starts talking to me about how he never sands. He said he does all his finishing with a wet sponge and a thin coat of compound. It hit different because I've been spending hours every week with a pole sander and a vacuum and my shoulders are killing me. He showed me a few photos of his work and it looked smooth as glass. Has anyone else tried cutting out sanding almost entirely on big jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim_nelson1mo ago

My brother in law tried that wet sponge trick once and ended up with water stains all over his ceiling... he's still never lived it down at family bbqs. I guess there's a real art to getting the moisture just right.

daniel5521mo ago

Started using that method a couple years back after a guy at the paint store told me the same thing. Just a damp sponge and a really thin layer of compound, let it dry, wipe it smooth with a clean rag. Saves me so much time and my shoulders don't scream at me the next day. I still have to sand sometimes on patch jobs where the texture is rough but for new drywall or big rooms it's a game changer. You do have to be careful not to leave too much water on there or it bubbles up on you though.