Sanding stuff
When you’ve completed a fantastic bit of fillering or if you need to get rid of the unsightly paint drip left by the previous decorator, you’ll probably want to give it a blast with the sandpaper.
Let's get started
Materials and tools
- Sandpaper
- Sanding block
- Something to sand smooth
There's not much to it
Most surfaces are flat (ish), and there’s no way to sand something flat if you just use fingers on sandpaper. Always use a sanding block on flat surfaces (and on most non-flat surfaces). Tear off a reasonable sized piece of sandpaper (it’s helpful to fold it back and forth several times before tearing) and wrap it round a small wooden block. Then, away you go.
Some things to know
That sanding block is pretty important. If you don’t use it, your sanded surface will always end up lumpy and bumpy. Using a block ensures you end up with a perfectly flat finish.
If the sandpaper gets clogged up with dust, you’ll probably be able to clear much of it by scrubbing at the paper with your fingers, an old paintbrush or a scrubbing brush.
It’s worth knowing that sandpaper doesn’t work too well when it’s wet so make sure the surface is pretty-much dry.
Takeaways
Always use a sanding block.
Make sure your surfaces are dry.
