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Discussion Forum

Drywall Dust Removal

JasonQ | Posted in General Discussion on February 22, 2007 06:48am

Latest in my house-building questions…

Rock is hung, taped, etc.  It was great – took a week, start to finish, with a couple down days in there.  In the process, approximately 876 tons of sheetrock dust was ground into the subfloor (Structurwood Gold OSB).   

Naturally, the shopvac is taking hardly any of it up.  The loose surface stuff comes off, but the only way I can get the floors to remotely resemble their former state is to take the fittings and extensions off the hose, kneel down and essentially scrub the floor with the nozzle.  Otherwise, I’m stuck with a cloudy white film on the floors.

As you might guess, I’m in search of a better way.  I’d especially like to keep it water-free on the lower level, since we’re fixing to install hardwood shortly.  If water was the only way, however, I might give it a shot.  So…what do you guys to do clean up dust smeared all over the floor?

Jason

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Replies

  1. alwaysoverbudget | Feb 22, 2007 07:17am | #1

    just did this at a house today, open all the windows and doors,fire up the gas leaf blower and have some fun,plus all the neighbors will leave you alone forever.they know your crazy.  if your worried about the dust film on the subfloor ,get it as clean as possible and go to sherwin williams and buy  a couple gallons of mismatch paint and roll the floor to seal it up. larry

    hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

  2. JFord | Feb 22, 2007 07:55am | #2

    Shopvac sells drywall bags that fit down inside your vacuum.  They have different size bags for different size vacuums.  They work absolutely perfect.  They keep your vacuum from sucking up all that dust in the motor.  A whole house will probably take a couple of bags.  I think Lowes sells them for about $20 for two bags.  We use them all the time.  Enjoy

  3. Piffin | Feb 22, 2007 02:19pm | #3

    It isn't necessary to get the floors that clean, especially when you are installing flooring right over them soon.

    If you are living theere and want a cleaner situation, then paint the floors with some cheap or leftover latex

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  4. RobWes | Feb 22, 2007 04:27pm | #4

    And I thought that I was anal.

    I didn't want that dust working it's way thru the carpets. Seal it with paint.

    1. JasonQ | Feb 22, 2007 05:21pm | #6

      And I thought that I was anal.

      Heh.  I might be a tightarse, but I'm married to a type-A personality.   'Nuff said.  : )

      I didn't want that dust working it's way thru the carpets.

      That's precisely why I'm worried about it.  I'm not worried about it under the hardwood or tile floors, but the carpet does.  Especially on the upper floor. 

       Seal it with paint.

      Ugh.  I can just see that discussion now...my in-laws and wife already think I'm nuts with the stuff I have done or want to do, and then... "You wanna paint the floors?" 

      Incidentally, for those who commented, I've been using the drywall bags and HEPA filter for the vacuum.  Still can't get that crap up off the floors, though.  : )

      Jason

      1. JFord | Feb 23, 2007 06:39am | #8

        You should be very picky when cleaning your floors.  My company does a little bit of everything.  We do everything from the foundation up, except the mechanical systems.  We are on the job pretty much from the first day to the last day.  We are extremely picky with cleaning the floor all the time.   The homeowners are always walking through the house making decisions and you don't want them walking through filth.  There is always the possibility of a new customer walking through the door. 

        We drywalled  a house one time and the homeowner came home from work and noticed how clean the floors were after we had did the finish texturing.  From that point on, he always knew he would get the best quality just from that impression.  Since then we have accumulated several jobs from his referral, and the first thing he tells people is how well we kept the house clean!  BE PICKY AND CLEAN THE FLOOORS!

  5. AllTrade | Feb 22, 2007 05:05pm | #5

    forget the blower idea not good for too many reasons to list! What Piffin said.

  6. User avater
    JeffBuck | Feb 22, 2007 11:22pm | #7

    a mop.

     

    Jeff

        Buck Construction

     Artistry In Carpentry

         Pittsburgh Pa

    1. dovetail97128 | Feb 23, 2007 10:05am | #9

      DUH...;-)

      1. User avater
        JeffBuck | Feb 23, 2007 10:42am | #10

        and I got a real nice mop bucket too!

         

        in trade school ... I worked nights there as a janitor. At graduation ... head of maintenence said he was gonna give me a going away present ... in the back of my truck I found my beloved mop bucket!

        got home and realized even though it was a joke ... them things ain't cheap!

        got a real nice one ... professional quality!

        still use it to this day.

         

        surprised ya don't see more on jobs ...

        vac ... mop ... vac.

        works great ... day before a holiday break on the big remodeling jobs is always "mop and vac day"!

        Jeff    Buck Construction

         Artistry In Carpentry

             Pittsburgh Pa

  7. WINSTALL | Feb 23, 2007 06:02pm | #11

    We use oiled sweeping compound... works like a dream... take a few handfuls and spread around, then, sweep with a broad shop broom, back and forth... then the shop-vac can do it's thing.. Knock the chunks loose with a flat scraper..

  8. User avater
    user-246028 | Feb 25, 2007 02:03am | #12

    I would have to agree with Piffin on this one. Clean as best you can with standard methods is sufficiant. There is usually a barrier between subfloor and most flooring products of somekind.

    Hardwood ...felt paper.

    Laminate ...foam underlay.

    Ceramic ...thinset.

    Lenolium ...glue.

    Carpet ...foam underpad.

    That small about of dust is not going to work it's way back to the surface. If anything I might be inclined to go around and vacuum the outside edges of the floor before the baseboard goes down.

    If that doesn't work for you then I would have to go along with some of the other guys have said and paint the floor. It is an extreme measure but an effective one.

    Good Luck

    DoctorDave

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