Do you sand with or against the grain?

No matter what type of edge you're going for, always maintain steady pressure and sand with, not against, the grain. Don't employ sandpaper to remove things like pencil marks or dried glue, but do use it to smooth joints or filled nail holes.

Do you sand in circles or with the grain?

As the name implies, they sand in small, random circles. Wood grain goes in more or less straight lines. Every time you use your sander, you are sanding across the grain. Of course it is all right, but I do agree that the very last sanding should be by hand, with the grain.

Why do you sand in the direction of the grain?

What are the advantages of sanding along the grain? It just makes it easier to hide the scratches when they're running along the grain of the wood. If you're sanding with 320 grit sandpaper across the grain, the scratches will be so small you won't be able to see them.

Should you sand wood in one direction?

The basic rule of sanding is you always sand with the direction of the wood grain, never against it. So I started at one end of the table with my power sander, in the direction of the wood grain of the band around the edge of the table.

Should you sand back and forth?

Always sand back and forth with the direction of the wood grain (if possible). If you sand across the grain, you will likely end up with noticeable sanding marks at the end. If you end up with these marks, you probably need to remove them with 80 grit, then work your way thru the grits once more to a smooth surface.

Sanding Against The Grain, LIKE A MANIAC

How do you know if you sanded enough?

The best way to know when you're done sanding is to scribble a light pencil line across your wood before you start. Once the line is gone, move up to the next grit. Repeat up to the highest grit sandpaper, then wet your wood with mineral spirits to confirm there are no remaining marks.

Why does my sander leave swirl marks?

A random orbital sander can leave swirl marks due to poor quality sandpaper, improper technique, or an inability to clear the dust from the surface.

What is the fastest way to sand wood by hand?

What if I sanded too much?

If you sand wood past 240 grit sandpaper, the wood dust becomes so fine that it starts clogging the pores of the wood. This prevents stain and finish from soaking into the wood properly, risking a poor finish job. Alternatively, if you sand too much in one single spot, you might create a divot in the wood.

How long should you sand wood?

Sanding a piece of furniture shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. When you picture yourself sanding a furniture piece, you might envision yourself sanding away with a small piece of sander for hours to get every bit of old stain or paint.

How much sanding is enough before staining?

On most raw woods, start sanding in the direction of the grain using a #120-150 grit paper before staining and work up to #220 grit paper. Soft woods such as pine and alder: start with #120 and finish with no finer than #220 (for water base stains) and 180 grit for oil base stains.

Why is my wood not smooth after sanding?

Even after sanding, many of these woods will feel fuzzy or slightly rough after the first coat of paint or varnish has been applied. This is because the coating wets the grain and causes the fibers to swell slightly, ruining what seemed to be a perfectly smooth finish before you started.

How fast should you move a sander?

A correct pace is about 1-inch per second. When you first try it, that speed will seem SO SLOW! But it allows the machine to properly do its work, and you will soon learn that by slowing down in that regard, you actually spend less time sanding overall.

Can you sand wood too much?

If wood gets over-sanded in one spot, it starts to become uneven, with a distorted sort of appearance. This can happen to even the most experienced woodworker. Usually this starts simply by attempting to sand out a discoloration, defect, scratch or gouge.

Why am I getting pigtails when sanding?

While pigtails can be created by a number of problems, the most common cause is that some particulate or material will build up in between the sandpaper and the surface being sanded, creating a high point. This high point then gouges the surface, much like a rock would if stuck in a polishing pad.

Do you sand wood in circles?

The corners and edges are really fine and delicate places on your project. It only takes a little sanding with light pressure to round them over. You can also sand the corners with the paper in your hand to round them more. The more you sand, the more rounded the corners and edges will get.

Why is my sander scratching the wood?

Just take care that sanding directly perpendicular to the grain by hand puts some serious scratches in the wood that will be very hard to get out with a finer grit—a better solution would be to sand at a slight left-hand or right-hand angle from the grain, and not to cut directly across the grain.