5 minute read -
Sanding Furniture: The Right Sander for Cabinets, Chairs and Tables
For most furniture, use a random orbit sander for flat surfaces and a detail sander for corners and edges. Sand round legs and spindles by hand or with a sanding sponge.
When sanding furniture in bare wood, work from 80 grit up to 120 or 150. If a piece is already painted or varnished and you only want to repaint it, just key the surface with 150 to 180 grit.
What will you learn in this article?
- Which sander suits which piece of furniture?
- Which grit should you use?
- Sanding furniture before repainting
- Removing old paint or varnish
- Sanding scaffold boards
- Sanding veneer
- With or against the grain?
- Looking after your sander
- Safety
- Frequently asked questions about sanding furniture
- In short: sanding furniture
Which sander suits which piece of furniture?
| Furniture or part | Machine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet doors, sides, tops | Random orbit sander | Fast and smooth |
| Corners, drawers, panels | Detail sander | Reaches into inside corners |
| Wide flat areas with square corners | Sheet sander | Rectangular pad |
| Scaffold board furniture | Random orbit sander | Start coarse, finish fine |
| Thick paint on a large top | Belt sander | Take care, removes wood quickly |
| Spindles, legs, mouldings | By hand with a sanding sponge | A machine flattens curves |
A cordless sander from the Maxxpack 18V range is handy when you are working outside or in the shed, with no cable dragging across the workpiece.
Which grit should you use?
- 60 to 80 grit: removing old paint or varnish, flattening scaffold boards.
- 100 to 120 grit: smoothing bare wood.
- 150 to 180 grit: keying existing paint or varnish, final sanding before stain or oil.
- 240 to 320 grit: sanding between coats of varnish.
Always work from coarse to fine and do not skip a grit.
Sanding furniture before repainting
- Remove handles, hinges and drawers.
- Clean the piece with a degreaser or sugar soap. Old furniture is often coated in wax or furniture polish, and paint will not stick to it.
- Key the flat surfaces with 150 or 180 grit until the shine has gone.
- Do the corners and mouldings with the detail sander or by hand.
- Remove the dust with a tack cloth and apply an adhesion primer.
With chalk paint and some furniture paints, you do not need to strip the piece and sometimes you do not need to sand it at all. A light sand and a good degrease will still improve adhesion and make the finish last longer.
Removing old paint or varnish
If you want the wood to show again, or there is a thick, damaged coating, the old finish has to come off. Start with the random orbit sander and 60 or 80 grit on the flat surfaces. For many layers of paint, a chemical stripper or a heat gun and scraper is often quicker, especially on mouldings. Then sand from 100 to 150.
Varnish heats up as you sand and can clog the paper. Change the paper in good time or tap it clean.
Sanding scaffold boards
Scaffold boards are rough, often splintery and sometimes have nail holes and saw marks. Decide first what look you want. For a crisp, smooth top, flatten the surface with 60 or 80 grit and finish with 120. If you want to keep the weathered look, just sand off the splinters with 100 to 120 grit. Scaffold boards are soft softwood, so do not press too hard and keep the sander moving.
Sanding veneer
Many older and budget pieces have a thin veneer over chipboard or plywood. That layer is often less than a millimetre thick. Only sand veneer with a fine grit, from 120 upwards, and with light pressure. Do not use a belt sander. If you see a different colour appear at the edge, stop straight away: you have gone through the veneer.
With or against the grain?
On bare wood, sand with the grain. Scratches across the grain will show, especially after staining or oiling. A random orbit sander does not leave straight scratches and can be used in any direction, but for the best result do a final pass by hand along the grain.
Looking after your sander
Empty the dust bag regularly and blow out the air vents. Replace the sanding paper as soon as it stops biting: worn paper heats up and leaves marks. Replace a damaged sanding pad, because worn hook and loop will no longer hold the paper properly.
Safety
Wear a dust mask with a P2 filter, safety glasses and, for longer jobs, ear defenders. Sand outside or with dust extraction where you can.
Use chemical strippers outdoors or in a well-ventilated space and wear chemical-resistant gloves.
Frequently asked questions about sanding furniture
What is the best sander for furniture?
A random orbit sander for flat surfaces and a detail sander for corners. If you only want one machine, choose a multi-sander with interchangeable pads.
Do I need to sand furniture before painting?
Usually, yes. A light sand with 150 to 180 grit and a good degrease help the paint grip. Even with chalk paint, a light sand improves durability.
How do I sand round legs and spindles?
By hand. Use a sanding sponge, or a strip of sandpaper pulled back and forth around the leg like a polishing cloth. A machine will leave flat spots on a curve.
How do I get scaffold boards smooth without losing their character?
Sand only with 100 to 120 grit, so the splinters disappear but the saw marks and colour variations remain. Finish with an oil or wax made for scaffold boards.
In short: sanding furniture
Use a random orbit sander for flat surfaces, a detail sander for corners and your hands for curves. Key existing paint with 150 to 180 grit, strip with 60 to 80 grit only when the old finish has to go, and treat veneer gently. Wear a dust mask and never dry-sand old paint that might contain lead.
