How I Learned to Love Sanding (and Why Your Finish Depends on It)
I used to hate sanding. It was dusty, boring, and felt like it took forever. I would rush through it, skipping grits just to get to the "fun part"—applying the finish.
That changed when I built my Spalted Maple Basement Bar. I had spent hundreds of dollars on a gorgeous, unique slab of wood. I poured the expensive epoxy, let it cure, and then... I rushed the sanding.
""The finish doesn't hide your mistakes. It highlights them.""
When I applied the final coat, every single swirl mark and uneven spot popped out like a neon sign. I had to strip it all back and start over. That painful lesson taught me that sanding isn't a chore—it's the most critical step in the entire build.
The Golden Rules of Sanding
Sanding is about patience and progression. You can't force the wood to be smooth.
- Don't Skip Grits: Jumping from 80 to 220 is a recipe for disaster. The 220 grit can't remove the deep scratches left by the 80. You must go 80 → 120 → 180 → 220.
- The Pencil Trick: This saved my sanity. Lightly scribble over the wood with a pencil before you start. Sand until the marks are gone. It guarantees you've sanded the entire surface evenly.
- Clean Between Steps: Vacuum the dust before switching to a finer grit. Otherwise, a stray piece of 80-grit dust will scratch your 220-grit finish.
I applied these rules when restoring the beam for my Barn Beam Light Fixture. In that case, I didn't want it *too* smooth, so I stopped at 80 grit to keep the rustic character. Knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing how to start.
My Sanding Kit
WORKPRO 150-piece Sanding Discs
You will go through a lot of sandpaper. Buying in bulk is the only way to go. This set covers every grit you'll ever need.
DEWALT Random Orbit Sander
I've used a lot of sanders, and this one just keeps going. It has good dust collection and doesn't vibrate your hand to numbness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. If you jump from 80 to 220, the fine paper won't remove the deep scratches from the 80 grit. It will just polish over them, and they will show up instantly when you apply stain.
Use the 'pencil trick' (scribble on the wood and sand until marks are gone). Also, use a raking light (shine a light low across the surface) to spot any remaining scratches.
Not always. For most wood projects, 180 or 220 is perfect. Going higher (like 400+) can 'burnish' the wood, closing the pores so it won't take stain or finish properly.
A 5-inch Random Orbital Sander is the most versatile tool. It removes material quickly but leaves a smooth finish without swirl marks.