Medium (80-120 grit): Perfect for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections. Fine (150-180 grit): Used for the final sanding before painting. Very Fine (220-240 grit): Ideal for sanding between coats of paint or primer. Extra Fine (280-320 grit): Best for achieving a smooth finish on the final coat.
Step #3: Sand Surfaces Before Painting
Smoothing walls before painting is necessary for surfaces previously painted with a gloss or high-gloss paint. For previously painted water-based paint, sand with a fine-grit sandpaper. For oil-based paint, a medium-grit sandpaper (100- to 150-grit) should be used.
You should paint over 400-grit. That is an excellent grit to paint your base coat and clear coat over, including enamels or anything else that you're doing. You can actually go even more coarser if you're doing a single stage enamel. Some people even paint over 280 grit-sanded surfaces.
180 - 220 Grit: Fine. 180 – 220 grit is primarily used for the sanding finish or to sand in-between coats. It is also great for distressing! There are instances where you can use 180 to 220-grit to rough up a piece in preparation for paint, but you do not typically use these grits until after your first coat.
Selecting the Right Grit Sandpaper
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 400 grit.
The Golden Rule of Sanding
The golden rule for choosing your sequence is to never skip more than 1 grit. For example, if you start with P80, and need to finish at P240, rather than using every grit from P80 – P220, you can do P80 – P120 – P180 – P240. This sequence cuts out P100, P150 and P220.
With enough time and energy spent sanding, you can still end up with the same result. However, because we skipped so many grits, it is going to take much more time and effort to lower the 80-grit peaks and establish the 180-grit scratch pattern that we need for a high-level finish.
Sanding is often a crucial step for ensuring that your surface is ready to be painted. If you don't have a properly sanded surface, paint may not adhere to certain items properly. You can oversand, undersand and often people underestimate its importance. But, you don't have to be a pro to sand a surface.
Ultra-fine sandpaper in the 2000 to 3000-grit range won't scratch car paint if used properly as a wet sanding procedure. Is sanding bad for car paint? Sanding can be bad for car paint if done incorrectly or with too coarse a grit. Done right, it can help your car look its best.
When looking to sand a surface before applying primer, the best grit sandpaper to use is 320 to 400.
Wet Sanding – Wet sanding is often recommended because it reduces dust and can help achieve a smoother finish. Use wet/dry sandpaper and keep the surface and sandpaper wet during the process. Even Pressure – Apply even pressure and sand in a consistent pattern to avoid creating low spots or grooves in the primer.
You can use the same grit if you're sanding before clear coat. After removing the base coat, the final step in preparing the surface for a clear coat is sanding. Using a 600-grit sandpaper first will ensure a flat finish. However, it's important to note that it will reveal the underlying texture of the panel.
Do Professional Painters Wash Walls Before Painting? In most cases, professional painters don't wash walls with a detergent solution to avoid damaging the drywall or trim. Instead, most professional painters lightly sand or “scuff” the walls with a pole sander using fine-grit sandpaper.
After the final coat of flat paint, sand* lightly with super fine sandpaper. Your project should be smooth and even. Remove sanding residue with a soft bristled brush attachment on a vacuum. Then wipe the project down with a damp cloth.
Dust Removal: After sanding, use a tack cloth or a vacuum with a brush attachment to remove all the sanding dust. This step is crucial for a clean surface ready for painting.
Medium (80-120 grit): Perfect for smoothing surfaces and removing small imperfections. Fine (150-180 grit): Used for the final sanding before painting. Very Fine (220-240 grit): Ideal for sanding between coats of paint or primer. Extra Fine (280-320 grit): Best for achieving a smooth finish on the final coat.
Choose your brush
You can use any brush, but softer, tapered bristles tend to promote a smoother finish. Try to avoid those with stiff and/or flat cut bristles. These can easily cause drag lines, creating brushmarks and encouraging overworking of the paint. In turn, this leads to an uneven texture.
One of the most popular types of wall paint, eggshell finish provides a low sheen and a soft, smooth finish just like a true eggshell. Perfect for low- to mid-traffic areas like hallways, living rooms, entryways and family rooms.
How Do I Paint Over Painted Walls? If the wall is in good condition and the paints are chemically the same (both latex, for instance), you have a few options when the new paint is the opposite shade of the old paint. You can use a primer to thoroughly cover the old color, then apply 1 or 2 coats of the new paint.
To sand properly, your coats of paint should dry a minimum of 24 hours, potentially extending your project out for a few days.
Liquid sandpaper is a chemical solution that removes the glossy layer from a painted item, enabling you to paint over the object without the paint dripping off. Unlike regular sandpaper, it just removes gloss; it can't be used to smooth the surface, correct imperfections or as a paint primer.
A “P” in front of the grit size indicates that the product is graded in accordance with the European FEPA standard. You should always look for products with a P in front of the grit size as being measured by this standard ensures for an accurate number and a smooth sanding.
You want to start with a more abrasive grit and then use successively finer grits. The first grit is meant to take off any finish, the next is to smooth out the pattern of the first grit, and the final grit is meant to smooth out any remaining sander marks and provide the finishing touches.
Fine grits close up the pores of the wood, so if you sand to too fine a grit, less finish will soak into the surface. Generally, if you're using an oil or clear finish, you can stop sanding at 180 grit. Continue on to 220 grit if you're using a stain or dye.