How to Sand a Piece of Furniture
Contents
– Step 1: Prepare your work environment
– Step 2: Case 1: Sand the furniture with an electric sander
– Step 2: Case 2: Sanding the furniture manually
– Step 3: Proceed to the finishing touches
Sanding a piece of furniture is essential in renovating and personalizing it.
This sanding is not done in any way, especially if it is an old piece of furniture with moldings, grooves, and turned legs.
– For a simple piece of furniture, manual or electric sanding will do.
– The tool will be different for a piece of furniture with embellishments.
Here are the steps and equipment needed to sand a piece of furniture.
1. Prepare your work environment
– Wood dust is very fine. That’s why it’s essential to cover your furniture with polyethylene film, old sheets, or tarps.
– Also, caulk doorways with a cloth or terry towel.
– Work in an airy room. To do this, open the windows.
– Finally, before sanding furniture, protect your eyes, hands, and face from wood dust with a mask, gloves, and goggles.
Tip: If the furniture has fittings, handles, or hinges, it is necessary to remove them before sanding it. Put the screws back in a jar so that you can find them once the furniture is completely renovated.
2. Case 1: Sanding the furniture with an electric sander
To save time, sand the entire piece of furniture with two different electric sanders: one simple electric sander for sanding the large surfaces of the furniture and the second triangular (angular) sander for sanding areas that are not accessible with the simple sander.
– Place a sheet of medium grit sandpaper on the electric sander’s shoe.
– Connect the sander to a 5- or 10-meter extension cord so you can sand the furniture while turning around.
– Remove the handles and fittings (if any) from the furniture and put the screws in a jar so that you can find them again once the furniture is completely renovated.
– Turn on the sander and sand the entire piece of furniture following the grain of the wood so as not to damage it.
– Sand the spaces that are not accessible with the simple sander with the help of an angle sander (triangular, corner).
– Then, change the medium-grit sandpaper for a sheet of fine-grit sandpaper.
– Sand the furniture again in the same way.
– Then, fit a sheet of fine-grain sandpaper to the angle sander and sand the areas you cannot reach with the simple sander.
2. Case 2: Sanding the furniture manually
If you do not have an electric sander, sand the furniture with medium and fine-grain sandpaper. This paper will be fixed on a sanding block.
Always sand in the direction of the wood grain.
3. Proceed to the finishing touches
– Use a slightly damp cloth to remove any dust residue left on the furniture.
– Then wipe the furniture with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Your furniture is ready to be repainted or varnished!
Equipment for sanding furniture
Vacuum cleaner
Tarp
Sanding block
Cloth
Gloves, goggles, and mask
Sanding paper for sander
Sander
Angle sander
Electric extension cord
Towel
Read more:
– 6 Steps to Install Wallpaper With Seams;
– Tips to Remove Stains on Wallpaper;
– 5 Steps to Upholster an Armchair;
– 3 Steps to Assemble a Knitted Fabric;
– Tools Every Craftsperson Should Have;
– Best Tips on How to Knit Purl;