How To Prepare Wood For Sanding

Repeat this process for every part of the wood youll be staining.

How to prepare wood for sanding. Always sand with the grain of the wood. Tear or cut a sheet of sandpaper into fourths then fold each piece until it fits comfortably beneath three fingers of your hand. Tear sandpaper sheets into fourths then fold them into pieces just big enough to hold with three fingers.

Do NOT start sanding with very fine sandpaper on unfinished wood. For larger surfaces you can use a paint stripper. Also the brush fibers could clean dust from tricky holes or corners.

When you water pop wood you wont have to do multiple coats of stain either. Finishing it up with a 220-grit sandpaper is incredible. Before sanding scrape loose and flaking paint from the siding.

Prep sanding is done with progressively finer grits. Follow it through with a 100 a 120 a 150 and a 180- grit paper respectively. Sand in a straight line back and forth until you reach the end of the woods surface.

Work a paint scraper from every direction keeping the blade flat against the wood so you dont create gouge marks. Watch cabinetmaker Steve Maxwell explain the method he uses for prepping wood for a flawless finish. As you notice a sandpapers grit number determines the coarseness of its grit.

It is the primary tool to clean the woodwork. Sand the surface of the wood until its smooth then wipe off any dust and debris. For large flat surfaces an electric orbital or palm sander can also be used although it is not required.