Dust and more
Before I opened The American School of Paperhanging Arts almost twenty years ago, I had been installing wallcovering professionally everyday. As an everyday installer dust was not one of my big problems. About the only thing I (or any other installer) had to worry about dust was just to remember to wipe it off the walls before priming.
Dust, after all, is a super release agent. If dust is present on the walls your wallcovering and primers just won't stick. If you doubt this dust the back of your hand with body talc and then try to get a band aid or any other tape to stick to your hand. It is impossible. Dust on your walls acts and the same way and so we had to remember to wipe it off before any installation.
Beyond wiping the other major concern with dust was which brand of beer best washed it out of your whistle the quickest at the end of the day! But that was then...today there we are much more knowledgeable about the harm dust causes.
One of the saddest stores related dust was told me by one of graduates, named Andy, while he was a student of mine. Andy and his family had just buried his father prior to Andy attending school. His dad who was a drywall finishing technician had died of asbestos poisoning.
Like me and most of my associates in the decorating trades Andy's father was far to "macho" to be caught wearing one of the sissy dust masks. We all during that period of time would pound our chests and say it wouldn't bother us. It ended up "bothering" Andy's father in a way that could not be cured.
Doctors now have proven that second hand cigarette smoke is a great cause of ear infections in children who are exposed to it. Like cigarette smoke dust and fumes are not just harming our lungs. They are finding their way into our eyes, ears and any other open orifice in our bodies.
Please, (especially those of you who are still young enough to think you will live forever) take the time to protect your health. You are only given one body and you want it to last 100 years. There is absolutely nothing unmacho about wearing a dust mask. Purchase a sophisticated mask for solvent based VOC's and buy and use the new equipment that is designed to minimize dust as you work. There are stick sanders, random orbital sanders and many other tools that will help eliminate problems with airborne dust.
On the same note wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from solvents. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and it too deserves the same consideration that we show our lungs, eyes and ears.
Part of your job as a contractor or worker in any home or office is to always care for the health and safety of your customers. Many of the tools and techniques you can use to limit dust from your lungs will also protect your customers.
One of the simple and practical methods you can use to prevent airborne dust is to wet sand whenever possible. Drywall mud can be sanded with a wet sanding sponge and all the airborne dust is prevented. My good friend and former student, Jan Prohl of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina says it best, "If you don't make a mess you won't have to spend the time to clean one up!"
Another easy method of limiting the spread of dust and fumes is to block off the air return duct in the room you are papering. You can do this by filling a paper bag with crumpled newspaper and taping it closed with masking tape. Remove the register and stuff the bag into the duct. Be sure to make certain that it is snug enough in the front of the duct so the air conditioning or heating fan motor will not suck it in so far that you can't get it out when you are finished with your job.
When you make these "paper pillows" up be sure to save them. They can be reused over and over again. These pillows do any excellent job of keeping the comfort system from taking dust, fumes and smells from your work area into the rest of the home. Believe it or not, they also help control any noise you might make from circulating through the home. Lots of benefits and very little trouble.
The next time you are on a construction site ask the mason or builder for a few scrap brick halves or pieces. Purchase some inexpensive throw away dropclothes and cut them into door size pieces. You can use push pins to attach dropcloth cut outs to the door molding on the blind edge above the painted face. The bottom can then be held in place with these pieces of brick you have saved. This makes entrance and exit from the room easy while containing dust to the subject rooms.
A helpful hint to your customers who are building a new home is to tell them to vacuum and then mop before their new carpet is installed. This will greatly reduce the amount of construction dust that always seems to migrate through carpet in new homes. Also suggest that they change the furnace filters every two weeks for the first few months. Most people don't realize how dirty a new home can be.
The place that is almost never wiped by the cleaning crew for the builder is the top of the window and door moldings. Many times is is unpainted because the painter didn't want dirt on their brush or in their paint. I keep a small five gallon shop vac for this and many other purposes. Don't be surprised when the customer sees you cleaning these areas that she will find YOU indispensable!
Every minute you spend cleaning before hanging will be returned to you two for one! Cleaning like education doesn't cost -- it pays!
The future only holds more of these tools, techniques and regulations in terms of harmful dust and fumes. When you are in the paint store for supplies take a few minutes to ask what is new to deal with these occupational problems.
Attend pro shows that area retailers and manufacturers sponsor. Many times these shows will not only give you a free luncheon buffet but also offer some specials just to encourage your attendance. This is a great way to fellowship with some of fellow contractors and see up close and personal. You will also see the latest new tools and supplies designed to help keep us and our clients happy, healthy, safe and calling us back!
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