Does the wood have to been soft or rough before i prime it?

Question

So I am going to paint a pine bookshelf, it has never been painted or anything.
When I sand, do i want to sand the wood soft or rough? is 220 paper good? How will I know when i can prime it?

Answer 1

For me, if I were starting with raw wood then I would begin with grit 100. The object here is not to smooth the surface but to level it. Granted there will be some smoothing but my main objective is to get my surface level. If filling in holes or gaps needed to be filled in then I'd use a wood filler before this point. Then, once dry, sand to get it all level.
I would complete this stage by swipping it one time with a steel wool #0000.

Next I'd move to grit 220 and sand to get it smooth, but maintain that level surface. Once completed I would go over the surface with the steel wool again, a bit more agressively this time.
If i feel i would like to smooth it out further then move on to about 280 - 300 grit and complete with the steel wool.

Before staining i wet down the wood so it soaks up the water and causes the inner fibers to swell. Then when the stain is applied it will penetrate deeper into the wood. I do like to go darker on the stain than I want the end product to be.

If you are applying a clear finish; such as, polyeurathane, actylic, or shellac. Do not put on a heavy coat. In fact, remember thinner is better. I only wet very slightly the tip of the brush and apply it. My brush tip I can barely tell by looking at it that it actually is wettened once I dip it. This is how light you want to be when you apply your coat. Apply one even coat across your surface and let it dry. You will be reapplying several times to get where you want to be but you will have a very good looking finish in the end. Applying heavy coats of finish really messes up the job entirely, and each coat will show the screwups in the previous coat.

The best way to remove saw dust from sanding is with a " Tac Cloth"

When applying the steel wool I always go in one direction only - with the grain. The steel wool will " Knock down" any raised fibers - this really makes a difference and is definitely something you do not want to skip.

If you decide you want to smooth further than I described you should move on to a grit in the 400 range beyond what I have listed ....I never had any reason to go that far though, I do see any further benefit in doing so. Remember, sometimes there is no benefit in further sanding so try a test piece before had...sanding up to the 300 grit on two pieces and sand with a 420 on one...now is there a great difference between them that will be noticed once a finish is applied, is what you need to ask yourself at this point.

I hope all of this helps ya out some...Have Fun !!

Answer 2

With all due respect I have some suggestions. First of all depending on the GRADE that exists in the PINE,and if you purchased it RAW or crafted it, it should already be "Smooth" enough to accept primer and paint.

If you had to sand at all, if the Pine isn't rough cut, certainly you might gently sand the edges, and NO,,, 220 is way to fine a grit.

Your question shows that you want to know certainly, and yet are confused. ROUGH wood will show as such no matter how many coats of paint you apply. Consider this analogy.
If for example you were painting something similar in texture to TIRE TREAD, wouldn't you assume that while paint might flow into the depressions, it's also building up coats on the higher surfaces at the same time. You cannot "Catch up"

The other issue in what finish you want, is dictated by how you apply paint. I assume you realize that even the finest, most expensive Brushes and paint may leave that texture, as would a HIGH NAP roller cover. For furniture if you must hand finish you can use a brush for cuts, a foam roller cover for smooth finish, and/or paint pad applicators.

Now to add a very personal opinion,,, and I've been in the trades a long time. Depending on your intent, in finishing, I so want to assume, smooth, perhaps even a factory look? I see hundreds of Q's and A's all claiming PRIMER is the way to go. It's a step one so often DOESN'T need to do.

Assume for a moment that you may apply no less than two coats of any paint. WOOD///RAW PINE, is very absorbent, and will likely absorb the first coat, SEALING the surface. In my opinion and experience, if I wanted a BLACK finish, PINE, Bookshelf; my first coat would not only accomplish what PRIMER would, but will be BLACK, as opposed to whatever OTHER color a Primer might be. The second coat; also black, or any successive coats, also black, would merely add to the MIL thickness. This would be as effective whether or not you wanted a Matte, Satin, or Gloss finish.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

smooth smooth smooth Every step of a finish shows the previous step. The smoother you start the smoother the final result. You should even sand or steel wool between coats, both primer and top coat to get a really nice smooth finish. After your fist prime coat go to 400 grit and sand it before your second prime coat. Then sand that with 600. Do the first top coat and go with 800 or I prefer 0000 steel wool. You'll dull it alot but the idea is to get it as smooth and flat as possible. Then put on your final top coat. Good luck.
Make sure you clean all the fine dust between coats. Get some tack cloth for this and wipe down the entire surface.
Oh yeah, 220 is fine for sanding the bare wood to start.

Answer 4

youw ant to sand this so its smooth..you dont want it rough it wouldnt look or feel good.. snad it smooth..do a little at atime stop and run your hand over the sanded area..if it feels smooth then go to the next part then do the same just keep repeating til its all sanded..then prime it..then its ready to paint.. hope ya show us a before an after photo!! hugs n good luck

Answer 5

Use a rougher grade of sand paper and wipe the dust off. Then use a fine grade of paper and damp off the bookcase.

Let the item dry thoroughly. Then stain and polyurethane.

The best cloth to use with stain is an old, clean man's undershirt. Be sure to wear plastic gloves.

Answer 6

It should be sanded smooth

Answer 7

when its smooth like a baby's skin