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Even Sock Monkey knows how to use a sander.
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By Carol Duvall
Because we have a good number of painting segments, we occasionally forget to mention some of the basics, such as what to do before you even start to paint. Here's a quick review.
- No matter how smooth the wood may feel, it should always be sanded first and then a tack cloth used to pick up the dust that was left behind. There are a variety of sandpapers available in different coarseness. The higher the number, the finer the paper. A sanding sponge is a handy item, too. For those very small sanding jobs, emery boards are perfect, especially the commercial kind that you can purchase in beauty supply stores.
- Before you run your hand over the board to check whether or not the surface is smooth, do the same with a piece of cheese cloth. If there are any splinters, the cloth, rather than your skin, will catch them.
- Test the softness of the wood. The softer it is, the more likely it is to absorb paint or stain. It's a good idea to seal the piece (with a sealer) after sanding and before painting.
- Sand AGAIN after painting. Lightly this time. Expert Priscilla Hauser recommends using just a piece of brown paper bag. Amazing what a difference it makes. Also available for light sanding is very fine steel wool and a product called Super Film available at art supply stores.
- Some things...like decoupage, after you've applied a dozen more coats of varnish...need to be wet-sanded with a very fine (usually #400 or #600) sandpaper. It is very important to do this a number of times between every three or four coats of varnish.
- On the finished, painted item, a protective coating of acrylic is usually desired. There are many different kinds available on the market, in craft stores, art supply stores and hardware stores, in both the brush-on and spray-on types. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with several different ones so you can zero in on the one that best suits your needs and taste.
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