Can I sponge spackle instead of sanding to avoid the mess created by the dust? Thanks in advance.?

Answer 1

I almost never sand anything I spackle, because I work on the concept of filling in the low spots instead of sanding off the high spots. Usually it takes at least 4 sessions of feathering the drywall compound out so it is really flat and smooth, in which case there is no sanding required. Any small ridges can be knocked off with a putty knife.

You can use a damp sponge to blend areas together and remove minor imperfections, but if there are excessive high spots I would suggest to revisit the work with additional thin coats of compound to fill in the low spots. You cannot do this is one session; it takes several as the compound will shrink slightly as it dries. Go over it a few times and you will not have to sand it.

Answer 2

You can buy a dry spackling mix that you add to paint, then roll on with a special textured roller just for that purpose. I bought it all at the home store (i.e. Lowe's, Home Depot). I did this and it turned out great, but make sure you mix it exactly the same each time. Also, be sure you keep your hair covered, and wear protective goggles. It went on really fast - the prep and cleanup time took the longest. Sure was cheaper than renting the machine to spray it on with.

Answer 3

YES you can you can aslo pick up coarse scotch brite pads in the tile section(because they are also used for cleaning tile) they work great and are faster than conventional hand sanding. If you have a large job though you can rent a porter cable sander that comes with a vacuum it works fantastic when it actually turns on but that won't be your problem because you are renting:) I use scotch brite pads and sponges on small remodling jobs where there is furniture etc. close by and the porter cable sanders on larger additions and new construction because your arm will fall off with the sponge.

Answer 4

Sponging spackle will not level off big long bumps in you wall. It's good for a final stage to fill in very small gaps and holes.

Answer 5

That would be according to where you are working and how nice you want it to look!Try hanging plastic sheeting from the ceiling to the floor around where you are working to keep the dust down to just one area. Then use a vaccum to clean it up before removing the plastic. Have fun!!

Answer 6

Don't do it. Several years from now it will be a real pain to paint.