Sanding Primer With Steel Wool

The very fine strands of steel gently cut into the surface being sanded removing an ultra thin layer.

Sanding primer with steel wool.

Without a smooth base you can t get a smooth finish. For large flat surfaces use a sanding block to get even pressure. 3 drys and 2 wets each round of sanding preceded by priming. I always use oil based primer on woodwork and cabinets so that i can sand it down to a super smooth feel before beginning my finish painting.

Sanding removes defects and levels ridges. This is standard practice with any wood finishing job and is nothing out of the ordinary. The steel wool is very fine and will actually scrape off a very fine layer leaving a silky smooth finish often referred to as a hand rubbed finish. Using steel wood to polish wood might seem out of place and actually harmful to the surface of the wood but it isn t if done properly.

Start with 120 grit sandpaper and work to finer grade sandpapers ending with 320 grit. Synthetic steel wool creates an even silky smooth finish that s a joy to look at and feel. Sand lightly with 240 grit sandpaper between coats then let the last coat dry for at least 24 hours. Use 220 grit paper or fine sanding sponges to sand everything down once the primer has dried enough that it generates dust when.

Alternately use a piece of superfine 0000 steel wool to buff between shellac layers. Follow immediately with the first coat of primer. He would do his initial blocking with 80 grit then recoat and sand with 120 150. Re coat and sand with 220 then 2 wet sands.

Wipe the surface with a tack cloth to remove the dust. That said sanding bare wood beforehand to create a smooth foundation is key. The main advantage of using steel wool rather than sandpaper is that the steel wool can compress to almost any shape so it can be used much more easily in hard to reach places as well as on complex shapes such as. I don t think he was using epoxy as his base as i don t remember anyone using it then.

Primers may be applied with a roller or paintbrush or from a spray can. This age old two step technique is commonly used on shellac and lacquer finishes but it can work well on water and oilbased.