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Question about spackle dust and painting my backdrop

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  • Member since
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  • From: New Hampshire
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Posted by ChrisNH on Sunday, May 4, 2008 7:21 PM

My final result after priming. Note the view block on the left is removable. I will paint that off the layout.. make it easier to paint the center divider too.

 

 

Thanks again for all the help. Tomorrow, the Sky!

Chris

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  • From: south central PA
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Posted by concretelackey on Sunday, May 4, 2008 4:41 PM
 loathar wrote:

 lvanhen wrote:
Next time DONT SAND!!!  Having spent 40+ years doing remodeling & restoration work I learned this the hard way!!  When applying spackle, use several thin layers and smooth it out with the trowel.  Normal "professional" spackle jobs go on in three coats - using the blade/trowel to knock off any "bumps" before the next coat.  On curved areas, I have used as many as 7 coats of spackle.  If you use the lightweight (blue can of USG) it will dry in an hour or less at 70 degrees or more.  My My 2 cents [2c]

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]I used to HATE doing drywall and sheet rock mud till I watched a pro do it.
THEN the light bulb clicked on!Dunce [D)]Big Smile [:D]

Yep, same here! (insert smiley with light bulb over head)

I decided to let them do it!Big Smile [:D]

Ken aka "CL" "TIS QUITE EASY TO SCREW CONCRETE UP BUT TIS DARN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO UNSCREW IT"
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Posted by loathar on Sunday, May 4, 2008 12:27 PM

 lvanhen wrote:
Next time DONT SAND!!!  Having spent 40+ years doing remodeling & restoration work I learned this the hard way!!  When applying spackle, use several thin layers and smooth it out with the trowel.  Normal "professional" spackle jobs go on in three coats - using the blade/trowel to knock off any "bumps" before the next coat.  On curved areas, I have used as many as 7 coats of spackle.  If you use the lightweight (blue can of USG) it will dry in an hour or less at 70 degrees or more.  My My 2 cents [2c]

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]I used to HATE doing drywall and sheet rock mud till I watched a pro do it.
THEN the light bulb clicked on!Dunce [D)]Big Smile [:D]

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Posted by larak on Sunday, May 4, 2008 11:35 AM

The best way is to "sand" the spackle with a damp drywall sponge. Rinse the sponge often, no dust. Sandpaper is used only where you were sloppy with the knives and floats.

Also, you can clean the dust off of the plastic with the same sponge and a solution of TSP (Tri-sodium-phosphate) in warm water. You can find the sponge and TSP in any professional lumberyard and some hardware stores. 

Good luck.

Karl 

PS: Sponges:

Link 

The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open.  www.stremy.net

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Posted by ChrisNH on Saturday, May 3, 2008 7:54 PM

In this case I am trying to create a transition between two uneven surfaces.. vinyl floor material glued on top of masonite. I am not sure I could get a smooth transition without sanding.

 

Chris 

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  • From: northern nj
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Posted by lvanhen on Saturday, May 3, 2008 7:00 PM
Next time DONT SAND!!!  Having spent 40+ years doing remodeling & restoration work I learned this the hard way!!  When applying spackle, use several thin layers and smooth it out with the trowel.  Normal "professional" spackle jobs go on in three coats - using the blade/trowel to knock off any "bumps" before the next coat.  On curved areas, I have used as many as 7 coats of spackle.  If you use the lightweight (blue can of USG) it will dry in an hour or less at 70 degrees or more.  My My 2 cents [2c]
Lou V H Photo by John
  • Member since
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Posted by ChrisNH on Saturday, May 3, 2008 4:39 PM

Thanks, I will keep an eye out for that.

For the latex paints I am using on the backdrop, it has not seemed to be a problem painting over what was there using a hot dog roller (my wifes term, not mine..). I probably got enough off with the damp towels and the vacuum but I will be using sprays in some cases in the future and the dust may be more of a problem.

I have put two coats of grey on but found a few spots that needed touched up with spackle so will need to go back for a third coat.. will do that when I finish the other view block so I can paint both at the same time. Can't wait to get to the "real" painting!

Regards,

Chris 

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Posted by lancelot03251 on Saturday, May 3, 2008 3:39 PM
 Any hardware store or paint supplier will carry what is called Tac Cloth. This will lift all the dust and make the surface paintable.
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Posted by ChrisNH on Thursday, May 1, 2008 8:43 PM
 gandydancer19 wrote:

The next step is to prime it with something. 

I would prefer not to go out and buy more paint.. limited budget right now. My wife did agree with you (she paints nuclear submarines) that I would need to prime to avoid problems from the vastly different color of the masonite and vinyl. I didnt want to waste my blue on that, so, I dug through the rejects from the last time we painted the interior of the house and came up with an unused can of latex flat grey (well. "pebble", but looked grey to me..). I have painted the whole thing with that and am letting it dry before I move on to the sky blue.

I am also thinking that putting the blue over grey will, if anything, give it a bit more of a hazy effect which would be just fine. 

Thanks again for the advice!

Chris 

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Posted by gandydancer19 on Thursday, May 1, 2008 7:14 PM

Just wipe it down and let it dry.  You don't have to take extream measures to get it all off.  Just make sure it is smooth for painting. 

The next step is to prime it with something.  This seals both the masonite, the vynal, plus the spackeled areas befor applying the color coat.  (Yep, your going to have to paint it twice, primer then color coat.)  In your case, since you also have Vynal, you need (or should use) a special primer. 

You might want to inquire at someplace like Lowes or Home Depot for a primer that can be used with Vynal.  They do make a primer that can be used for Vynal.  I have gotten some for a job that I had to do at Lowes.  It will be Latex as well and can be used for all three types of materials that you have.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

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Posted by ChrisNH on Thursday, May 1, 2008 6:39 PM

Thanks for the suggestion. I do use a shop vac as I sand.. didnt use it with the brush. I think I will work over the layout with that tonight then paint and hope for the best.

And yes, I am using latex paint.. so hopefully that will go on AOK.

 

Thanks for help!

 

Chris 

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Posted by Compressor man on Thursday, May 1, 2008 5:14 PM

Try a shopvac with the brush attachment on it. These really do a good job of removing small clingy dust particles.

HTH, Chris

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Posted by concretelackey on Thursday, May 1, 2008 4:07 PM

You could try a lint roller for removing fuzzies from clothing. The local $1 dollar store sells them for.....a dollar.

Or try this, take a paint roller and wrap it with duct tape (sticky side out) and see what happens.

Assuming you are using latex paint for the base coat what little dust remains should not be an issue in my opinion.

Ken aka "CL" "TIS QUITE EASY TO SCREW CONCRETE UP BUT TIS DARN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO UNSCREW IT"
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Posted by BlueHillsCPR on Thursday, May 1, 2008 3:05 PM

Painters wipe down the walls before painting them.  The less dust the better.  How much is too much?  You'll have to ask a painter that one.

 

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  • From: New Hampshire
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Question about spackle dust and painting my backdrop
Posted by ChrisNH on Thursday, May 1, 2008 1:35 PM

Hi,

I have used quite a lot of vinyl spackle to smooth the transition from my vinyl floor end pieces with my masonite background.Next time I will use vinyl siding entirely but thats next time. In the course of sanding I have created quite a lot of spackle dust, much of which was smeared into the masonite as part of the sanding process. I have cleaned it as best I could with damp towels but there is still a film of light white powder adhering to the masonite.

The question is will this interfere with my painting, do I need to make a more dramatic effort to clean off the residue or should I be able to paint over it? 

Below is a pic of the backdrop.. this is before sanding and doesnt show the white fielm over much of the backdrop. Also note there will be a perpindicular backdrop at the left seperating the staging track from the loop. It wil not be possible to see "through" the layout from one side to the other.

Thanks for the help,

 

Chris 

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