Sand wooden furniture before oiling
Before oiling, sanding is required. The rule of thumb when sanding is: Always start with From coarse to fine. This article provides information and tips about sanding Raw panels made of Solid wood.
Sanding is an essential part of woodworking. Even though it may seem like a very simple operation, there are several things to bear in mind. The following answers address frequently asked questions about sanding wood.
WHY IS WOOD SANDED?
In the woodworking trade, almost all wooden surfaces that are sanded have already been jointed and planed. The purpose of sanding is therefore not to even out major irregularities in the wood. Rather, sanding is intended to create an optimal foundation for the subsequent surface treatment. Both oils and lacquers require a suitable substrate for good adhesion. Therefore, when oiling raw wood panels, the final sanding should not be too fine. For all standard sanding work and depending on the sanding method, we recommend carrying out the final sanding with 180-grit abrasive. On purely oiled surfaces, the final sanding also has a decisive influence on the feel and appearance. Fine sanding should therefore always be carried out very carefully and in the direction of the grain.BY MACHINE OR BY HAND
It is hardly surprising that machine sanding is significantly faster and less strenuous than sanding by hand. Particularly for larger surfaces, random orbital sanders are frequently used in practice. Of course, all surfaces can also be sanded by hand in the traditional way, although this requires somewhat more time. In addition, there are still many areas on a workpiece that cannot or should not be sanded by machine. Profiles and edges in particular are still sanded by hand, as a random orbital sander cannot adapt to the profile or is too aggressive for breaking an edge. Sanding sponges are therefore ideally suited to such areas, as they can adapt to a profile.WHICH GRITS SHOULD BE USED?
For a perfect result, a graduated sanding process is typically carried out in the trade. This a graduated sanding process is typically carried out. This in short, that the entire sanding prseveral grits are used during the sanding process, and using several grits in sequence, from coarse to fine. Each sanding operation creates fine scratches in the wood that are created during the subsequent sanding operation must be removed again. The The sanding marks become increasingly finer and, after the finalno longer perceptible after the final sanding. The graduated sanding process can be divided as follows:
1. Coarse sanding with 80 grit: The coarse pre-sanding removes the final minor unevenness from planing evened out.
2. Medium sanding with 120 grit: This sanding stepforms the bridge between coarse and fine sanding. After this sanding step can be wet-sanded.
3. Fine sanding with 180 grit and finer: The final sanding operation has the greatest influence on the final appearance and feel. In practice, there may be aslight variation when selecting the grits suggested here The grits may vary, but this selection can be used wonderfully for a large number of projects implement. A suitable set with high-quality discs in these grits is available here.
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN SANDING?
When sanding, the key word is “evenly.” Each sanding operation with a particular grit should take approximately the same amount of time. This is the only way to completely remove the sanding marks from the previous sanding operation. In general, all areas of a workpiece should also be sanded for approximately the same length of time. When sanding by hand in particular, it is important not to sand across the grain. These sanding marks are very noticeable, especially if a color oil is used afterward. Color oils additionally emphasize any sanding imperfections. After each sanding operation, the surface is dusted off. This can be done with a brush, although vacuuming is clearly preferable because it prevents the dust from being dispersed into the surrounding air. Ideally, the machine is vacuumed directly during machine sanding. This greatly reduces the dust load in the workshop.ARE THERE DIFFERENCES WITH ALREADY COATED SURFACES?
BeIn renovation sanding, it is usually significantly more material is removed. Therefore, it can also be started with a grit coarser than 80. Especially viscoelastic coatings such as oils and Glazes quickly clog the abrasives. Detepfte Sanding discs can be extracted less effectively and cause more heat to develop during sanding. The disc should therefore be checked somewhat more frequently, and the speed should be reduced slightly when sanding with a machine. Special caution is required with very old and therefore unknown coatings. It is particularly important to extract the sanding dust thoroughly or wear respiratory protection to avoid unnecessary contact with harmful substances through the respiratory tract.
WHEN SHOULD WATERING BE CARRIED OUT?
Watering is recommended especially for surfaces such as table and kitchen countertops and/or for types of wood with a high tannin content. Watering also increases the wood’s absorbency. This pretreatment technique can be carried out after medium sanding or fine sanding. Solid wood panels that have already been pre-sanded at the factory and are ready for finishing can be watered directly. Watering raises the wood fibers, which means that an additional sanding step is always required afterward. You can find more details about watering and its benefits in our blog post dedicated to this topic.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SANDING?
After fine sanding and dust removal, you can start surface treatment right away. You have a wide selection of clear or colored OLI-NATURA oils & waxes.
SANDING - STEP BY STEP
- Start with coarse sanding. Sand the surface with the coarsest sandpaper (80-grit) & smooth it roughly.
- This is followed by intermediate sanding with 120-grit sandpaper. After this sanding stage, the surface can already be wetted with a damp cloth or sponge. Wetting raises fine wood fibres again, which are then removed in the next sanding step.
- Once the surface has dried, fine-sand it with 180-grit - max. 240-grit sandpaper and remove all dust.
- A protective oil can then be applied.
TIP & NOTES
- Especially when fine-sanding, it is important to work carefully and always in the direction of the grain to avoid creating “clouds”. Remove the sanding dust again and again between sanding stages with a vacuum cleaner or hand brush.
- When sanding with a machine, work without applying pressure & always keep moving to avoid removing too much material in individual areas.
- Sanding dust is considered hazardous to health. Therefore, always sand with dust extraction or wear a dust mask.
- When wetting tannin-containing woods such as oak, prevent contact with iron (remove fittings).
- Before staining oak wood with OLI-NATURA Antique, never wet it first in order to make full use of the tannin reaction.
WHICH WOOD OIL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
If you want to buy a wood oil, the selection may initially seem huge and overwhelming. We will help you make your decision and show you which OLI-NATURA oils & waxes best suit you or, rather, your project. Our experts will quickly and easily recommend a suitable wood oil, answer your product questions and provide application tips. We are happy to assist you with any questions, by phone at 037208/84-488 or by email at faq@oli-lacke.de. (dp_23012023)