Back To The Family Handyman
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
Sanding Techniques
Begin by sanding
A good finish starts with sanding the bare wood with a 100-grit sanding sponge and/or paper. This step is crucial for achieving a uniform wood surface that’ll absorb stain evenly. It also smooths out surface imperfections, which might show through the clear coat. Your goals are to eliminate the sawmill “burnish” (shiny surface left by the planer), smooth off any standing rough wood fibers and sand out any blemishes. Blemishes can include dirt, fingerprints, machining imperfections and label residue. Don’t sand with finer grits at this stage or you’re likely to end up with uneven stain.
The sanding tool you select depends on the profile and size of the trim you’re finishing. For large areas or deep imperfections like chatter marks (washboard textures) from the mill planers, use a random orbital sander. It’s aggressive and cuts and smooths quickly.
For hand-sanding, use a sanding sponge for flat areas, a sanding pad for curves and a folded piece of sandpaper for tight crevices.Always sand in the direction of the grain and sand every square inch whether you think it needs it or not.Your fingertips and eye will tell you when enough is enough. But look closely with good light before you call the job finished. Otherwise, imperfections like scratches caused by cross-grain sanding or chatter marks will become painfully obvious when you start staining. Another common problem is burn marks. Sometimes extra elbow grease will be needed to eliminate those. This may sound like a lot of work, but believe me, if you use fresh paper and sponges, the sanding goes fast.
| Must-have finishing supplies |
 High-quality finishing supplies take the pain out of staining. A $50 investment in these tools and accessories will greatly speed up the job and increase the quality of your finishing work.• Sanding supplies. Buy 100-grit (medium) products for sanding the raw wood and either 240- or 280-grit (extrafine) sanding paper, sponges and pads for sanding between clear coats, depending on the profiles you’re sanding. • Brushes. Buy two 2-1/2-in. china-bristle brushes (natural bristles). Use them for staining, dry brushing (Photo 6) and applying the clear finishes. Don’t spend less than $8 for a brush. (Pros will spend more than $20.) If you take care of it and clean it well, a top-quality brush will last for 20 years or more. A cheap brush is more likely to leave brush marks and bristles in the finish. • 100-percent cotton painter’s rags. Buy a box at a home center for about $12. Don’t use old bed sheets or clothes that contain synthetic fibers. They may leave behind dyes and won’t absorb stain nearly as well. • Gloves. A box of disposable gloves will protect your hands from solvents, and you won’t have to struggle with putting on reusable ones after coffee breaks. • Mineral spirits. Buy a 1-gallon can to clean brushes and to thin stain if needed. • Tack cloths. Find tack cloths in the paint department. Use them to eliminate the last specks of dust after you sand between coats. |
Clean the room
A clean work area is crucial for a smooth, blemish-free finish. If you have the option, sand the wood outdoors or in a room that’s separate from the finishing area.
If you’re forced to sand in the finishing area, wait several hours after sanding before cleaning the room, to give the dust a chance to settle out of the air. Vacuum the floor and any nearby work surfaces. Then dampmop those surfaces too.Avoid sweeping—it just stirs up more dust. If there are rooms overhead, declare a moratorium on overhead foot traffic during finishing. Otherwise dust on the underside of the floor will rain down on wet finishes. Or do your clear-coat work after everyone’s gone to bed. If you’re working in a room that’s heated or cooled with forced air, warm or cool the area a few hours ahead and then shut off the system until clear finishes are applied and become dry to the touch. That’ll keep ventilation fans from stirring up more dust or bringing it in from other rooms.
CAUTION: Spread out stain-soaked rags and let them dry before disposing of them in a waste container. Piles of damp staining rags are a spontaneous combustion hazard.
Advertisement 
