Drywall should be properly sanded to ensure paint adheres properly and the coat appears even.
1. Gather required materials
- Hand sander
- Pole sander
- 150 grit sand paper
- Flash light
2. Prep room for sanding
3. Identify high places
- Using a flashlight against the wall or ceiling look for shadows cast and mark the high places with a pencil
- This makes it easier to even out seams when sanding
4. Proceed to sand
- When sanding drywall only attempt to sand high places and minor scratches, you cannot sand out low places
- Large scratches, or low places require filling.
- Sand all seams, joints and screws
- On seams and screws, apply light and even pressure when sanding, sand in push-pull (or forwards-backwards) motion.
- Pro tip, sand in a curved or arced motion, this will help prevent over-sanding or creating gouges.
- You should not see sanding marks when sanding, if you do you are sanding too hard
- For shallow scratches apply even pressure in a buffering motion.
5. Fill and resand
- If any gouges or marks were found, or left by sanding, fill with mud, let dry over night and re sand.
- Once complete the drywall is ready for priming
