How to Get the Best Results from Sanding

Sanding is one of my least favorite woodworking tasks, but it is one of the most important, because how well your finish turns out is directly dependent on the job you do sanding your piece.

There's a lot more to sanding than simply turning on the power sander and rubbing it all over the wood. To begin with, you need to choose the right sandpaper for the project, and then as you progress, move to finer grits of sandpaper. You can use a Random Orbital Sander or another appropriate power sander, but it's always a good idea to end the process with a hand sanding for a perfect finish. You can use a sanding sponge, like the new Gator Zip or simply fold over a piece of sandpaper if you like that feel better.

Once the sanding is completed and you're satisfied with the results, you need to remove all sawdust from the project before the finish can be applied.