Even if you’ve never sanded wood yourself, you’ll be aware that the process involves smoothng rough surfaces.. It also gets rid of blemishes such as stains, scratches and so on. Plus it creates a uniform base for finishes from varnishing and painting to staining.
Sanding additionally brings out the natural beauty of timber, eliminates dirt and so boosts hygiene, and makes the material last longer.
And if you’re keen on home DIY, you’re probably doing ‘dry’ sanding, i.e. working on a surface directly with paper or a machine. However, there is another method, ‘wet’ sanding, which means wetting the material ahead of sanding. You typically do this with pure water, but some people add a detergent or use a lubricant.
The benefits of wet sanding
The liquid or lubricant traps dust so that you can look forward to a super-smooth finish. And it can be especially effective on varnished timber, painted wood, or plaster. That”s because it lessens airborne dust so that your sandpaper doesn’t clog.
Which tools are best for each technique?
For dry sanding, you can choose from a range of materials and tools for various tasks. These include power tools such as orbital, belt and detail sanders. For manual efforts, you can use sandpaper and sanding blocks.
For wet sanding, there are sanding blocks designed for this method; sometimes people call them sanding sponges, plus a bucket of water. With sand paper (NOT any power tool), you can also use wet sand.
How do the results differ?
You can use dry sanding both to finish a piece of wood and to remove the under layers of a surface. But wet sanding is all about getting a fine, smooth finish on a surface.
For a very uneven surface, wet sanding would probably not be the best option. Instead, you could work it more vigorously using dry sanding with low-grit paper before finishing the job with progressively higher-grade grits.
But if the surface is already smooth, a wet-sand finish can yield smooth, glossy results.
However, it’s not a method you’d generally want to use on raw timber or anything else which could be vulnerable to moisture damage. So really you only use wet sanding to smooth varnish or lacquer. You don’t want the liquid getting into the wood itself.
Dry sanding is more versatile. And it’s what most DIY-ers use at home. But that doesn’t make it always necessarily the best choice.
Essentially, it comes down to the type of surface you’re working on, plus the type of finish you’re trying to achieve.
Talk to Royal Stone Care
At Royal Stone Care, as well as looking after natural stone restoration services, we offer expert wood sanding, restoration and polishing in London.
Get in touch today whatever you need, so we’ll gladly discuss your needs.
