powered drywall sander for Harry multiple home owner recommendations please

[Paddy]

Downsizingnow

agree. Also, the more you sand, the less flat it turns out. much better to flatten with the knife. After two coats and a real light sanding, I find the issues with a light, circle them with a pencil. Then I go back with thin mud tinted with blue chalk line chalk. Then I just sand the blue areas. after priming, you can always hit anything you missed. Only areas at eye level get the A++ surface level, no need to go crazy at floor level.

 

[teejk]

Sounds like he's intent on getting the power sander. Years ago Tommy Silva showed the PC one on "This Old House" (and quite frankly I hadn't seen or heard about them since and I've never seen a local pro use one)...I guess if you had a large area to deal with it might be worth it but I'll stick to what I have been doing...hoses and cords I find to be a nuisance. Which brings up an old joke about airplanes where the door opens in-flight and you're about to be sucked out...grab an extension cord because they get hooked on everything.

 

[teejk]

Downsizingnow

agree. Also, the more you sand, the less flat it turns out. much better to flatten with the knife. After two coats and a real light sanding, I find the issues with a light, circle them with a pencil. Then I go back with thin mud tinted with blue chalk line chalk. Then I just sand the blue areas. after priming, you can always hit anything you missed. Only areas at eye level get the A++ surface level, no need to go crazy at floor level.

We are OT as far as the OP is concerned but it's a good thread for the rest of us (I've learned a little!)...I use those hand held sanders that accept the open weave sandpaper (looks like a concrete float) and do wide circular motions with light pressure around the joints.

 

[Paddy]

If I was to buy any drywall tool to make it easier, it would be a taping machine. Watching the pros tape a room and you say WOW! I mix a thin mix and put a thin coat then with whetted tape slap it on. Very time consuming compared to the "machine". I can sand a room in 15 min, it takes me an hr to tape it

 

[teejk]

If I was to buy any drywall tool to make it easier, it would be a taping machine. Watching the pros tape a room and you say WOW! I mix a thin mix and put a thin coat then with whetted tape slap it on. Very time consuming compared to the "machine". I can sand a room in 15 min, it takes me an hr to tape it

I agree. But they are not cheap and a PITA to clean I think...but watching a pro use one is amazing...flats and with a squeeze of a handle converts to a 90 degree applicator...and no ladders on normal room heights! In hind-sight I wished I had invested in one to do our house...all rock in place and no finished flooring or furniture to deal with so it probably could have been done in a day or two instead of a week (ladders and such not needed). I had the pros do the high spots (18') since they had the scaffolding in place anyway and I got to observe. They do run a very "soupy" mix...you can get by with that on a machine I guess...if I tried that with hand application most of it would hit the floor. But it goes on just thin enough to "bed" the tape and leaves little stuff to have to sand.

 

[lennyzx11]

I just finished painting my laundry room after repairs/remods and I can see some of my edges on the ceiling though I'm a bit OCD and am looking for it. Any tips on feathering those final edges? Also, any different techniques to use when taping/mudding the tapered edges vs the cut edges joints?
(I apologize for the drift off topic but there is some good info here and I can relate to wishing I had it about three days ago while standing on a step ladder with a sanding sponge in one hand and a shop vac nozzle in the other sanding ceiling joints.
I used the following.
Premixed mud (goes on pink and dries to white)
1",4", & 6" knife. (Retrospect & reading here tells me I shoulda had a 8" also at least)
100 grit sanding sponge (used dry)
150 grit 1/4 sheet sand paper in hand (fingertips)
Mesh tape with a slight sticky back
How many ways did I "do it wrong"?

 

[Ed of all trades]

I would have used a bow trowel, It looks like a crete trowel but it has a bow in it from end to end. Just put some mud on it and run it on the joint and the bow gives you enough in the center and the ends are flat on the sheet rock. Much easier. IMHO You still need a knife for nail/screw holes. Ed

 

[PILOON]

The taping machine is commonly referred to as a 'bazooka' which it kinda looks like.**

Recently I was in charge of a project and learned a few more drywall tricks from a 'drywall artist'.
New (to me); he'd file his mud blades to a square edge and explained that that prevented the mud from curling hence less sanding.

Pros apply 3 and even 4 coats of mud, very thin and simply knock off any clumps.
They use wider and wider mud blades withe each application often up to 12" or wider and always very thin coats simply to fill in the voids and dips.
I watched him drip added water every so often to get his mud 'just right'.*
When it came to sanding I think he used 2 sheets per 1000 sq ft and very little dust.
And rather than sanding between applications they use a trowel to knock down ridges and lumps in a slicing motion.

Another trick I learned long time back; toss sawdust that has dampened overnite in a bag and sweep up the drywall powder and mud sandings. The wet, damp saw dust keeps the drywall dust down to a minimum.
An alternate is a green sweeping powder that janitorial services use.

* too dry and it makes air pockets and too wet it curles and sags.
** another tool is a 'banjo' which it resembles.

 

[Paddy]

lenny,

tapper joints are easy because it's forgiving to hide the tape. But joints will never be flat but you make them wide to lessen the rise to the joint. For but joints I make sure there is no bumps due to the screws, so flat to start. Bed your tape with a very thin mud layer. Then just a very wide mud cover as this as you can manage.

 

[teejk]

I just finished painting my laundry room after repairs/remods and I can see some of my edges on the ceiling though I'm a bit OCD and am looking for it. Any tips on feathering those final edges? Also, any different techniques to use when taping/mudding the tapered edges vs the cut edges joints?
(I apologize for the drift off topic but there is some good info here and I can relate to wishing I had it about three days ago while standing on a step ladder with a sanding sponge in one hand and a shop vac nozzle in the other sanding ceiling joints.
I used the following.
Premixed mud (goes on pink and dries to white)
1",4", & 6" knife. (Retrospect & reading here tells me I shoulda had a 8" also at least)
100 grit sanding sponge (used dry)
150 grit 1/4 sheet sand paper in hand (fingertips)
Mesh tape with a slight sticky back
How many ways did I "do it wrong"?

I think the pros only use mesh on the tapered joints and use paper tape on the corners and butt joints. The mesh doesn't look thick but it is. I personally only use paper (I'm a cheapskate and the time savings is not critical). And yeah...an 8" knife lets you "feather out" the joint. 10" would be better yet.