Things You'll Need:
- A hand sander
- Sand paper
- Safety mask/goggles
- Ladder/drop cloth (if necessary)
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Step 1
Wear safety attire. The dust generated by sanding might not hurt you, but it's not fun to breathe. A cotton mask should do the trick, but for some jobs, you might want a fully sealed and rated respiratory mask.
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Step 2
Get the right paper. For rough jobs, you want a high grit paper, but for a job such as drywall the 150-grit or fine paper is often the best choice. Fit your paper well into the sides of your sander and make sure it isn't going to fall off when you start working.
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Step 3
Access your surface. If it's on the ceiling, make sure you have a good ladder of adequate height and you won't be hanging off of it. If it's the floor, make sure your floor is cleared of debris for an easier job.
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Step 4
Start at one end and work methodically across so you know what you've covered. Get a good pattern going, particularly with a manual sander, to make sure the entire surface gets the same treatment.
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Step 5
Get rid of dust and residue. When you're done, either sweep or take out drop cloths, or both. Clear away your equipment and make the space look good.
