What Is Drywall Sandpaper?
Sandpaper is a product that has small pieces of abrasive material glued to its surface. You use it to smooth out rough surfaces through repetitive rubbing. A sandpaper's grit is the measure of its abrasiveness. Lower number grits indicate high abrasiveness, while higher number grits indicate relative smoothness. Various types of sandpaper exist for different kinds of surfaces. Drywall workers use drywall sandpaper to smooth dried joint compound and to prepare a surface for paint. Does this Spark an idea?
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100-Grit Sandpaper
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For rough surfaces, 100-grit drywall sandpaper is the most effective choice. It is abrasive enough to scour away heavy accretions of joint compound but not so abrasive that it destroys or damages the drywall easily. Do not use grits lower than 100, or you risk roughening the joint compound or drywall beyond repair.
150-Grit Sandpaper
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After the final coats of joint compound, 150-grit sandpaper prepares the surface for paint. If you use 100-grit sandpaper, the sanding strokes will be visible through paint. But 150-grit sandpaper is fine enough to remove lines and ridges without leaving the surface too rough. Don't use grits higher than 150 because the sandpaper will clog and become useless almost immediately.
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Sanding Sponges
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Sanding sponges have different levels of roughness, making them a convenient multipurpose tool for drywall finishers. The rough side is comparable to 100-grit drywall sandpaper, and the smooth side is comparable to 150-grit sandpaper. Sanding sponges come in different shapes to make them suitable for sanding in areas that are difficult to access with sanding paper. For example, sanding sponges with acute angles are good for interior corners.
Sanding Poles
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Drywall sanding poles have attachment hardware that allows them to accept drywall sandpaper. To set up a pole, cut a piece of sandpaper in half lengthwise. Place the sandpaper on the head of the sanding pole, and close the clasps to secure the paper. Hold the pole with both hands while you run it across the surface of the joint compound. Don't press too hard, or you risk creating gouge marks or removing too much joint compound.
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