Selecting the right grit sandpaper
Whether you choose to use a power sander or sand by hand, you will want to make sure to begin your project by using the finest grit of sandpaper to start that allows you to get the job done effectively. For heavy sanding and stripping, you need coarse sandpaper measuring 40 to 60 grit; for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections, choose 80 to 120 grit sandpaper. For finishing surfaces smoothly, use extra fine sandpaper with 360 to 400grit.
Grit Guide
60 COARSE: Heavy removal, stripping, dimensioning and shaping
80 COARSE: Moderate removal and stripping
100 MEDIUM: Moderate to light removal and stripping
120 MEDIUM: Light stock removal and surface levelling
150 MEDIUM: Fine surface preparation
180 FINE: Final surface smoothing and initial between coats
220 VERY FINE: After priming, staining or sanding
320 EXTRA FINE: Between coats sanding
400 SUPER FINE: Final finish
Keep in mind that the goal when sanding is to take away material from the surface to remove imperfections and/or shape edges, so you’ll want to start with a sandpaper grit that is just coarse enough to remove these imperfections without gouging into the material further; typically this is an 80 grit for planed or shaped wood and a 100 grit if the wood does not contain blemishes. Since both 80 grit and 100 grit paper leave minor scratches, the next step is to sand with a finer grit paper and replace these scratches with less noticeable ones. As a general rule, if you started with 80-grit paper, skip to 120 grit paper, or if 100 then to 150. Finally, sand with 220 grit sandpaper.
Note that it is essential to know the type of wood you are finishing before starting to sand as this has a direct relationship to the grit used for final sanding. There are two basic types of wood, softwoods and hardwoods. Understanding the difference can help prevent you from over sanding and creating a situation where the wood piece will not accept finish. With typical softwoods like pine and alder, start with 120 grit abrasive and finish with no finer than a 220 grit for water based stains and 180 grit for oil based stains. For hardwoods such as maple and oak, start with a 120 grit abrasive and finish sand no finer than 180 grit for water based stains and 150 grit for oil-based stains.
Some of the wood dust from sanding may become airborne; so, it's wise to wear a dust mask, gloves and safety glasses while working.
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