All that sanding and my drywall still isn't smooth

I followed every guide online, but something's off. Maybe my way is wrong.

3 comments

3 Comments

That shop light you're using might be part of the problem. Honestly, if you hold it at an angle to the wall, you'll see every tiny bump and dip. Tbh, I spent hours sanding with 120-grit paper and thought it was perfect until I tried that trick. Ngl, it showed me spots I missed completely. Try sanding again with the light shining from the side, then feel the wall with your hand for smooth areas.

keithbutler1mo ago

I get what @sam_thomas is saying, but in my experience, feeling the wall with your hand is way more reliable than any light trick. My eyes can play tricks on me, but my fingers find every rough spot.

morgan_bailey931mo ago

My last paint job had a few small waves in it and honestly you can't even tell now that the furniture is back. I feel like we get too focused on perfection with walls that are just going to have stuff against them anyway. Unless you're planning on a full gloss finish in direct sunlight, those tiny bumps really don't matter much in the end. The light trick shows everything, but most normal room lighting doesn't hit the wall from that sharp angle. I'd say get it mostly smooth and call it good enough.