USG Hints For HomeOwners:
Tips To Minimize Drywall Project Messes

	Drywall clean up can go quicker with new SHEETROCK brand dust control joint compound, which causes particles to fall straight to the floor in a heavy dust, instead of clouding the air.

(HIT)- Whether you’re hiring a professional to complete your drywall installation or are doing it yourself, the mess that comes with this type of project is inevitable—but it doesn’t have to be as bad as you think. There are several steps you can take to minimize the dust that results from installing drywall, so you’re not still cleaning up for weeks after the project is completed.

For starters, mark where the construction zone begins and ends so that the mess from your project doesn’t migrate into the rest of the home. Put up plastic sheeting in doorways and over vents in the area where you’ll be working. Move belongings out of the room, if possible, or drape them with drop cloths and create a seal with tape to keep the dust from getting through. Cover floors leading into and out of your renovation area with drop cloths or plastic sheeting as well.

Cut drywall sheets, lumber and trim outside or in the garage, if possible. This keeps as much of the mess as possible out of your home. You can also mix joint compound outside to avoid messy spills.

Sanding the joint compound (also known as "mud") that fills the gaps between sheets of drywall often creates the biggest opportunity for a major mess—with clouds of airborne dust traveling to every unprotected corner of the house. However, a growing number of DIYers, contractors and remodelers are eliminating that dust cloud by using a new product called SHEETROCK® brand dust control joint compound from USG, the same company that makes SHEETROCK gypsum panels.

Dust control joint compound goes on like regular "mud," but binds up fine residue during sanding to form heavier particles that fall straight to the floor, instead of clouding the air. As a result, the work goes quicker and cleans up faster.

When sanding dust control joint compound, use an open-screen sandpaper so that the dust does not build up in the grit like it does with regular sandpaper. If your mud is already fairly smooth, you may want to wet sand it with a sponge instead of dry sanding, which further eliminates the dust problem. Clean your sponge frequently to maintain a smooth surface.

Pick up bits of tape and other debris, then vacuum or sweep the construction area at the end of each day to control the mess. This will help keep dust from being tracked into other areas of the house, or from circulating in the air.

For more tips or additional information about SHEETROCK brand dust control joint compound, visit www.downwithdust.com or call (800) USG-4-YOU.