Been there, done that... Drywall seams are definitely a patience tester. One thing that helped me was thinning out the joint compound slightly and applying multiple thin coats, sanding lightly in between. Still not perfect, but way less frustrating. Hang in there!
Thinning the compound definitely helps, but have you tried switching up your sanding method? I used to sand by hand and it drove me nuts—never quite smooth enough. Eventually, I borrowed a friend's drywall pole sander and it made a huge difference. Way easier to keep things even without gouging into the seams. Still messy as heck though... Have you experimented with different sanding tools or techniques yet?
Totally agree on the pole sander—game changer for sure. Something else that helped me was switching to a sanding sponge for the final pass. They're flexible enough to smooth out tricky spots without digging into the mud, and you can rinse 'em out and reuse them a bunch of times, which is great if you're trying to be eco-conscious. Still dusty though...definitely recommend a mask or some ventilation if you go that route.
Yeah, sanding sponges are pretty handy. I've also had good luck with damp sanding—just using a slightly wet sponge to smooth out the final coat. Cuts way down on dust and mess, but it does take a bit more patience since you have to rinse often. Ever tried that? Curious if others find it worth the extra time or not...
I've done damp sanding a few times, and yeah, it definitely cuts down on dust. One thing I noticed though is that it seems easier to accidentally remove too much compound if you're not careful. Anyone else run into that issue?
