It is the little things that we do that make a really huge difference and sanding is just about one of them. It is probably the
most boring, cumbersome and time consuming of all the tasks that are involved in the process of woodworking. However, if done right (
learn how to sand and pick the right grade sand paper), the outcome can just wow you.
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| What is sanding ? |
Each piece of wood that you buy comes with scratches and may be coarse in appearance. Running your fingers along the surface of the wood would reveal the irregularity in the wooden piece. Sanding is the
process of removing the scratches, and the roughness on the wooden surface in order to attain a smooth and even finish. Sanding is done by hand using ordinary sand / emery papers (available for Rs.5-10 at any local hardware store) that are available in different grades / grits starting from extra coarse to very fine. It is
performed by simply rubbing the sand paper in the direction of the grains on the wooden surface.There are also power sanders available for this purpose.
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| Chairs sanded and waiting to be re-finished |
Personally I start with a coarse sand paper of grit 80 and work my way towards the finer ones (220 or 350 grits). So the
process itself involves sanding with 80 grit sandpaper and subsequently with 100,120,150,220 and 350 grit sand papers. The number of sanding cycles performed and the grades of sand papers used is specific to the level of smoothness one desires. A Sanding block can be used to ease the process. While there are commercially available blocks, you can learn
how to make your own Sanding Block from our earlier post.
Sanding offers the following advantages and hence becomes a necessary evil that cannot be overlooked:
This is quite a helpful post! So is "the difference between wood stain and paint". Must try painting a stool that's lying around home!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you must visit Sikkim Preethi :) An unforgettable taste of beautiful village life, apart from all the scope for adventure it offers!
Oh yes!! I know.. I know.. When we decided to paint.. Sims sofa bed.. white.. from black.. and the cabinet.. It was such a huge deal.. Sanding is so so difficult.. :-)
ReplyDeleteDid you see my coloured cabinet on the blog??
Hi Ambika, thanks for dropping by. Surprising that we missed this comment.
ReplyDeletePatricia, true, sanding is a big deal... but then it makes the difference between a good finish and an almost good finish... There is so much that we need to browse through in colors dekor... and we are doin that. :) Do you have the direct link to your cabinet post...Would love to see it !
Old post but I just wanted to put up a little note. The first grit you use does most of the work all the effort is used in it. subsequent grits just require 2-4 passes to remove the scratches from the earlier girt provided you don't skip grits. If you are putting a transparent finish like stain and varnish or polyurethane then sand up to 320 or 400 max(though 220 is good enough in most cases). If you are planning to paint then sanding beyond 180 is redundant the paint itself will leave brush marks which are thicker than that. Often people stop at 150 for paint. In some materials sanding above 180 will cause adhesion issues with paint.
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ReplyDeleteReally very nice post Author. Keep up the good work.
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