I've been diving into the directions of various wood finishes (yes, I'm actually reading them!), and I noticed that a lot of water- and oil-based finishes suggest sanding only up to around 200 grit. I've usually gone up to 300 or 400, using a tack cloth between grits, and then applying a few coats of products like Tried & True. The smoothness is definitely better at those higher grits, but I'm wondering: am I compromising the adhesion or long-term stability of the finish by going this high?
5 Answers
It really depends on the type of wood and finish you’re using. For flooring, I usually finish with 80, 100, or 120 grit. For general wood, I go with 150, and for something delicate like mahogany, maybe 240. I’d say anything above 240 is often overkill. Just keep in mind you want to get a good initial cut with your first couple of coats to tackle grain raise.
It depends a lot on the finish you’re using. I work with Osmo Polyx on my furniture and sometimes I’ll sand as high as 800 or 1000 grit. A higher grit gives a sheen close to semi-gloss, while sanding to 220 gives a more matte look. A fun experiment could be to sand different boards to various grits, apply a few coats, and see how the sheen changes!
For face grain, I usually wrap things up at 180 grit and 220 for end grain. When working with epoxy, though, I’m comfortable going all the way up to 600 or even 1000 grit. Between finish coats, I’ll use 400 grit to keep things smooth.
Tried and True actually suggests going up to 400 grit! I typically take it to 600 grit without any issues. I've even tested it up to 2000 grit, and it still adheres well. Other finishes, like Osmo, tend to suggest stopping at around 220 grit.
Like Yas mentioned, it all depends on the wood and finish. I personally don’t go above 220 grit, unless I’m looking for a really high build gloss finish. High grits can be nice, but are mostly unnecessary for standard work.