The basics of polishing wooden furniture

Step / method

The first rule of sanding is to polish along the wood grain, because if it is polished against the texture, it will leave a very visible permanent scratch. The second rule is to use the grinding block, because if the grinding block is not used, the uniform grinding force cannot be guaranteed.

For flat surfaces, the grinding block should be cushioned; the sanding without the cushion will be inelastic, so the sand on the sand will scratch the surface of the wood during the grinding process. For curved surfaces, your best bet is a thick foam pad or sponge that wraps out the sandpaper. These fillers can change their shape according to the curvature of the wood, so that the grinding strength is stable and uniform.

Excellent grinding technology is easy to learn and easy to use. Grinding should be carried out along the texture of the wood, and the grinding distance should be long, light and uniform. Do not press down hard; too much force will cause grooves on the edge of the block. Once the sandpaper is stuck together or smoothed, replace it with new sandpaper.

You can gradually switch to finer and finer sandpaper to evenly and thoroughly polish the wood surface to make it smooth. The surface after the first grinding is slightly rough, but it will become smooth after the next grinding, and the last grinding will remove the remaining rough marks. Use coarse sandpaper when starting sanding - for most wood you should use 3/0 sandpaper, and for some very soft woods, such as pine or aspen, use 4/0 sandpaper. Gradually switch to 4/0 and 5/0 sandpaper, and finally use 6/0 sandpaper. Although in theory, the finer the sandpaper used, the smoother the surface of the polished wood will be, but the use of too fine sandpaper will not only block the pores of the wood, but also affect the effect of the coating.