But with dust control joint compound, it is possible to sweep up most of the pile without creating dust clouds. This is why it is best to suck up the dust with a shop vacuum fitted with a drywall dust-compliant bag. With conventional joint compound, every sweep of the broom only creates more dust. Instead, you may wish to confine your use of the dust-control joint compound to smaller areas that are in or near dust-sensitive areas. Due to its higher cost, this type of joint compound may not be cost-effective for large areas. If you do use a barrier, the dust control joint compound will be far less prone to escaping through small holes and seams in the barrier and traveling from one end of the house to the other.ĭust control joint compound tends to cost two to three times more than conventional joint compound.

You will still need to erect dust barriers if you want to keep the room or surrounding area dust-free. Using dust control joint compound does not mean you can sand drywall with abandon and leave the work area open to the rest of the house. Tips for Using Dust Control Drywall Compound Create Dust Barriers In general, dust control joint compound is a higher-priced specialty product that works fairly well at reducing the spread of dust, though it does not sand quite as smoothly as conventional joint compound. One question remains: If drywall dust defenses are so inadequate, why not design a joint compound that produces no dust in the first place?

While all make admirable efforts, none is a real match against drywall dust.

Once released, drywall dust, borne by HVAC cycles and by air currents, can even end up at the other end of the house on your bedroom dresser.ĭrywall dust is so invasive that manufacturers of home vacuums often indicate that warranties are rendered invalid if the machines are used on drywall dust.Ī number of methods have been designed to reduce drywall dust: airtight, negative-pressure plastic dust barriers conventional sheet plastic barriers wet-sanding methods and sanding machines that attempt to suck away dust as you sand. Mix up some thin joint compound, using more water than normally required for spackling holes in the wall. If there is even a tiny hole in the dust barrier, it is a sure thing that the drywall dust will find it and escape. Heres a way to make your drywall project perfect.

The Spruce Home Improvement Review Boardĭrywall dust is as fine as talcum powder and it loves to travel.

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