You did not sand in between coats of paint. Not only is it important to sand between primer coats, but also between coats of paint and especially between coats of topcoat. If you have primed your piece, each coat is less rough, but I always do a quick sanding just to be sure.
Use a piece of large general use sandpaper and gently rub a specific area in a circular motion. Do this over all irregularities until the surface feels smooth under hand. Simply wipe away any sand and dust debris before painting another layer.
By sanding with progressively finer grades of sand paper. Then moisten the wood, which will raise the grain, and after it's dried sand again. If it feels smooth as glass after this put on an appropriate finish. Some woods like oak have a very open...
Use a very fine-grit sandpaper, typically in the range of 320 to 400 grit. These finer grits are gentle enough to smooth the surface without removing too much of the primer or paint.
Oil-based finish: If the wood has been previously painted with an oil-based finish, a primer is essential to create a surface for the new paint to adhere to. Without primer, the new paint may not stick properly, causing flaking.
Learning how to apply polyurethane can give wood furniture and flooring a glossy, smooth finish while improving its durability.
Whenever water or any stain or finish that contains water comes in contact with wood, it causes the wood fibers to swell, which is called “grain raising” or “raised grain.” After the water has dried the wood feels rough to the touch, and thinly applied finishes also feel rough.
The main wood smoothing tools at your disposal are sandpaper, scrapers, planes, rasps and files. Each has its advantages.
If you're looking to make a wooden surface smooth without sanding, there are a few methods you can try. For example, you can use a chemical wood stripper to remove old finishes, or apply a wood planer to level out rough patches. Another is to buff with fine steel wool or an abrasive pad to gently smooth the surface.
Your paint may be too thick. Whether you are spraying, brushing or rolling, the consistency of your paint is essential. When spraying, I always add 1-2 ounces of water for every 10 ounces or so of paint. When brushing, I use a mister to spray a light mist of water onto the surface when doing my final long strokes.
If you want your paint to have a smooth finish, the technique you use is very important. Keep your brush at a 90-degree angle while applying the paint and feather as you go. Between coats, sand the wall lightly using a very high grit sand sponge of at least 220 grit.
In short, that rough texture that you feel is basically a mix of micro-level dirt that has stuck to your clear coat that won't come off with a simple wash. It can be things like industrial fallout, paint overspray, metal shavings, dust, etc…
Use a fine grit (a 220 grit sanding sponge works great) and just go over everything quickly. You don't want to sand the paint off, you just want to smooth it out a bit before applying another coat.
What happens if you don't prime bare wood is not pretty. Similar to new drywall, raw wood soaks up paint like a sponge. As a result, your surface will look blotchy since pores in the woodwork unevenly absorb the paint. More importantly, the painted wood will likely peel in two or three years without primer.
Don't Overwork the Paint.
If you go back and forth over the paint, brushstrokes will almost certainly occur. Rather, THINK THIN. Instead of using globs of paint, apply multiple thin coats. Also, brushing (or rolling) from one end to the other of your piece will avoid starting and stopping strokes.
A detail sander or hand sanding works for smaller areas. Sand with the grain of the wood. Use a coarse 120-grit sandpaper if there are deep gouges or imperfections in the wood. Repeat the sanding process with a progressively finer grit sandpaper until you are satisfied with the surface of the wood.
Rough carpentry is all about laying the groundwork, creating the structure that will hold everything in place. It's more labor-intensive and typically requires large tools like saws and nail guns. On the other hand, finish carpentry involves more detailed work and focuses on creating a visually appealing space.
The grit in sandpaper acts like a series of minute pointed scrapers, removing wood by compression failure at the points of the abrasive. It is a reliable way to smooth wood, but in some ways, it is as if you are using an uneven bed of nails.
The answer is yes! Using polyurethane on paint can make painted surfaces last longer. It also gives a smooth finish and protects against damage.
Use a Roller on Large, Flat Surfaces
rollers lets you apply the poly fast and evenly. No brushstrokes, puddles or thin spots.
Sand it with 220 on a foam block, vacuum off, sand with 400, vacuum, 0000 steel wool, vacuum, tack rag, and apply your final coat with a wide foam brush. Before my "final coat", even if my previous coat was perfect, I sand with 400-600 and 0000 steel wool to make it silky smooth before that last coat.
Allow each coat to dry fully. To give the subsequent poly layers something to bond to, sand lightly between coats with 320-grit sandpaper wrapped around a hard block. Note: The first coat needs the most sanding to appear smooth; don't worry if it doesn't look as flawless as you'd like at first.