It can also help remove the orange peel effect, where
Wet sanding helps to prevent surface scratches and is used to provide a smooth, even finish after dry sanding. Wet sanding is a sanding process that uses water or another liquid as lubrication to wash away grit particles.
Cons of wet sanding
The presence of water or a liquid lubricant extends the drying time of the surface, which may increase the overall project duration. Additionally, wet sanding is not suitable for all materials or applications. Some materials may absorb water, causing swelling or damage.
Remember, wet-sanding removes paint and so does the compounding and polishing steps... On that note, it's important to keep in mind that the MAJORITY of all wet-sanding is done on fresh paint in a body shop situation, not on thin, factory baked-on, hardened paint.
This is done to flatten the “bubble” you have created with the paint so that the surface will be level and reflect light evenly. To do this you will need to wet sand the area with (~1500 to 3000 grit) sandpaper wrapped around a soft rubber or foam sanding block.
Get a bottle of low-grit rubbing compound and carefully work a small dab over the repair area with a microfibre cloth to smooth out the paint bump.
Fill a bucket with water and add a small amount of automotive soap. This will provide the lubricant for the sandpaper to prevent it from burning the paint when force is applied.
After the car has been wet sanded, you can break out the polishing compound. We have successfully used inexpensive polishes to bring the shine back to our paint. It can be applied by hand or with a random orbital polishing tool.
After painting something, I typically like to wait at least a week so the paint is cured, however, this can depend on the paint thickness and your climate. The paint needs to be hard so the sanding won't cause damage or imperfections in the final finish.
Sand or Scrape the Drip
Some people use a damp cloth to sand off the drip, but this approach doesn't deliver the best results. With the drip flattened, smoothen out any remnant with a fine-grit sandpaper. Be sure to sand in the drip direction. Back and forth sanding will cause paint flaking.
In addition to the risk of entrapment, wet sand can also hide other hazards, such as rocks, shells, and other debris. When digging in wet sand, it can be difficult to see what is beneath the surface. This can increase the risk of injury if someone accidentally digs into a hazard.
Wetsanding allows you to remove any scratches that dry sandpaper may have caused without removing too much of the underlying material. It can also be a great tool for paint correction to fix any defects or imperfections from an uneven paint job and remove any debris that may have gotten stuck in the paint finish.
Disadvantages of Wet Grinding
Potential contamination: Wet grinding may introduce impurities into the material due to the use of water or other liquids. Limited application: Wet grinding is not suitable for all materials, such as those that are sensitive to water or those that may be damaged by moisture.
Because wet sanding is a finishing process, you'll likely use high-grit sandpaper, from 1000 grit to 3000 grit and above. Compare this to dry sanding, which typically begins with 600- or 800-grit sandpaper. It's best to use a backing pad when wet sanding to achieve a uniform finish.
Use 400 grit (or higher) piece of sandpaper all over your piece and I PROMISE you that you WILL feel a difference. I use this one, but any soft sandpaper with a high grit will work. I know many paints say “no final sand required” but trust me, you don't want to skip this pro step.
Smudging, blotchiness, or streaks, or even patches of dark and light on the surface is actually a sign of excess trace residues still on the surface. Usually wiping the paint with a spray detailer and a soft microfiber polishing towel will remove the smudging or streaks. A normal car wash will also fix the problem.
To sand properly, your coats of paint should dry a minimum of 24 hours, potentially extending your project out for a few days.
For best results, let dry at least 30 minutes before wet sanding.
First, wet sand with low grit sandpaper that can be used both wet and dry. Then apply rubbing compound to the coat. Next, wipe away excess clear glaze with a microfiber cloth. This process gets rid of any imperfections and makes the coat look new again.
Not every type of paint is a good candidate for wet sanding, and you should almost never wet sand factory clear coat paint. Most of the time when we're talking about wet sanding, it's in the context of sanding fresh, custom paint — not the factory paint on a daily driver.
Both choices will work, (foam or fiber pads) but fiber pads will always tend to work faster but potentially also leave some type of micro-marring if used on an orbital polisher or holograms when used on a rotary buffer. A second polishing step should easily remove any marring or holograms simply by switching to foam.
Wet Sanding Technique
The water captures and binds the dust, preventing it from becoming airborne. Be cautious not to oversaturate the drywall, as excessive water can damage it. Wet sanding not only reduces dust but also creates a smoother finish.
Water spots can be easy to remove, they can be an absolute nightmare and can require wet sanding to remove, or worst case; the panel will need to resprayed if there's not enough paint thickness left to remove them with wet sanding and paint correction.