What to use for sanding between coats?

toolguy

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Hey all,

I searched here and did not find the answer.

Can somone please tell me what paper, or steel wool to use for sanding between coats?

When I google this, I find 220-280 grit paper to use.

I'm sponge rolling on Rustoleum satin black, already did one coat too.

Thanks,
 
Last edited:
0000 ultra fine steel wool.

Works like a charm.

I thin out the paint with thinner a bit...Just a bit. Then VERY thin coats of paint. steel wool, paint, dry, steel wool...Rinse and repeat about 6 times.
 
6 times, really? I'm not doubting you, I just did not know that.

I'm building the cabinet from scratch.
 
6 times, really? I'm not doubting you, I just did not know that.

I'm building the cabinet from scratch.

It depends I guess. I put mine on super thin to avoid roller marks and I use high density foam rollers. I do it over a two or three day period, a couple of coats a day. Tedious for sure but the results are very good. Use a primer cost first btw.
 
Yup, laid down two coats of primer, sanded using fine grit paper between too.
 
Steel wool is a strange approach to me. For a couple reasons. One, most steel wools have some kind of oil applied to prevent rust, sanding with them transfers those oils to the painting surface. Two, it leaves fine hairs of wool behind that are tough to get rid of due to the static created. Great stuff for polishing things, but not sanding.

You can sand primer coats too smooth, the whole point of primer is to provide a good tough toothy base for the final coat to adhere to. 250-300 grit wet dry paper is all you need.
 
Steel wool is a strange approach to me. For a couple reasons. One, most steel wools have some kind of oil applied to prevent rust, sanding with them transfers those oils to the painting surface.

something tells me that he is using oil based if he is adding thinner. latex based paints are typically thinned with water.

I have been priming with Kilz2 (2 coats), sanding lightly with 220 then 400. after that, i have rolled on the paint and have started wetsanding with 1000/2000 between coats. Depending on how the coat turns out, i usually have 2 or 3 coats.

also, i bought an LVLP spraygun at harbor freight and it seems to be pretty cool... i havent painted a cabinet yet, but it did work nice on my trailer.
 
I have used wool on stains before and it works, but I thoguht I might try and scotch bright pad. Issue is, Home Depot does not carry them but I had a used one at home. Tried it last night and it seemed to take a lot of rubbing to get high spots to level down, probably because it was used. So I think I'll go the sanding block and paper route.
 
something tells me that he is using oil based if he is adding thinner. latex based paints are typically thinned with water.

I have been priming with Kilz2 (2 coats), sanding lightly with 220 then 400. after that, i have rolled on the paint and have started wetsanding with 1000/2000 between coats. Depending on how the coat turns out, i usually have 2 or 3 coats.

also, i bought an LVLP spraygun at harbor freight and it seems to be pretty cool... i havent painted a cabinet yet, but it did work nice on my trailer.

Yeah, oil based. And after steel wool, windex and wipe. Worked for me, ymmv.
 
I have never used steel wool, I always use 800 grit on the random orbital sander between coats, then 1500 followed by 2000 on the final coat.
 
i use 600 wet by hand between coats of rolled oil, takes a while to do but the end results is very good, i have not tried using 1500 on final coat, but i may do just that on a tron i am working on, my only question is once you wet sand the final coat down how do you get the sheen back?
 
400 on primers, 600 between coats. Been doing it for 20+ years that way.

Then if you want your final finish to stand out, hit it with 800, 1000, 2000 and buff it to mirror like finish.
 
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