Sanding Nooks and Crannies: Sanding or filling in the nooks and crannies on a surface. This is often done to make it smoother but can also ensure that paint will adhere better. So, how does sanding nooks and crannies works?
Sanding nooks and crannies may seem like a tedious task. Still, it’s worth the extra time because it provides many benefits, such as improved finish quality and increased durability of coatings applied over them.
The key to sanding well is knowing when to stop; you don’t want to go too far with your sandpaper because this could lead to uneven surfaces, which would not look good at all.
What is Sanding?
Sanding is a finishing process that uses sandpaper to remove material from the surface of something. It’s especially effective for smoothing out surfaces but can also be used to thin them out in some cases.
Sanding is usually done with an electric sander, which has a rotating disc or belt covered in sandpaper attached to an electric motor.
You hold it by one handle, and you push it over the surface, so the spinning paper slowly grinds its way through whatever material you’ve chosen to work on.
Most people use sanders to make curves on their pieces smoother, but two other uses are more commonly seen in DIY projects: cutting down pieces morning pieces.
When someone is sanding down a piece to make it thinner, they are often described as “sanding the corners,” There is usually a pretty noticeable difference between the flats on a corner and those on edge.
It’s important to know when to stop sanding because it can easily be overdone if you’re not careful. If you do it too much, you’ll have some uneven surfaces that look bad at first glance.
How does Sanding Work?
Sandpaper works by slowly abrading whatever surface you’re working on, which will gradually wear it down over time until eventually there will be nothing left but dust.
This happens through a combination of mechanical processes: physical contact with the material being worked on forces some pieces to detach from the surface, and these pieces are then caught up in the sandpaper.
When they bump into one another, they cause tiny scratches on the surface of whatever is being worked on.
It’s a gradual process that’s hard to see without doing a side-by-side comparison with a piece that hasn’t been sanded, but if you were to do this, you’d start to notice that there will be fewer after a while fewer visible imperfections left.
The level of abrasion can vary depending on what kind of material is being worked on: harder materials tend to have smaller grits attached to them, which means there will be very small scratches compared to softer materials such as wood.
Related: Top 6 Best Paint For Basement Stairs Reviews & Buying Guide
Why Should you Sand your Wood Nooks and Crannies?
Sanding your wood pieces is an essential step for getting them ready to take paint, but it’s also important to ensure you get all the little nooks and crannies.
Almost all paints rely on adhesive or binder; this keeps things like pigment suspended throughout the liquid that forms the final coat.
This binder needs something to hold onto, which means that you need to make sure your surface is at least somewhat porous (a quality called “tackiness”).
Once the liquid has dried over whatever surface you’ve applied it to, it’s gone forever. You should never sand before applying the first coat because doing so will remove whatever tackiness and leave behind no place for anything else to be applied.
Once you’ve applied a coat of primer, though, the tackiness will have returned, and your surface is ready to be painted upon! Just make sure all those hard-to-get corners are sanded down as well to ensure a smooth finish.
Sanding Guide
Sanding nooks and crannies is not an easy task because it requires particular attention to detail. The more time you spend on this part of the project, the better results you’ll get.
For best results, use fine-grit sandpaper (220) for a good finishing result with a good appearance on surfaces.
It is better to start sanding with 220 grit paper than go up to 400. After that, use 800 for polishing. Below is the rough guide on sanding nooks and crannies:
Step 1
First, sand with 220 grit paper, start from one end of the area to another. Sand multiple times if needed for a good finishing result.
Then, go over the whole surface with 400 grit sandpaper (One or two more times).
Step 2
Use 800 grit sandpaper only on the small areas that need polishing, like corners and edges. The rest can be left as it is without polishing.
If you need to use Stain on your work, do not forget to prime first before applying stain or paint.
NOTE: Always check on a small hidden part of your project before taking further steps to ensure everything is smooth and ready to be painted or stained.
Step 3
It is important to sand the nooks and crannies thoroughly with fine-grit sandpaper, particularly if you plan to stain your woodwork project.
If not, the piece will have an uneven appearance because of all the bumps and ridges left behind by coarser grades.
Sand in straight lines when working on flat surfaces that need a smooth finish or in circles when working on curved surfaces.
How Does Sanding Nooks And Crannies Works?
Tools are essential for precision woodworking and other high-end jobs. I can’t tell you how many times a random orbit sander just won’t do the trick. Well, maybe I can: Every time!
I should clarify that finishing products such as stains and dyes affect how sanders work on nooks and crannies.
When using heavily pigmented varnishes or stains, these products will clog an ordinary orbital sander’s paper pretty quickly, leaving you with less than optimal results. That’s why it’s important to use tools specifically designed for these applications.
You’ve probably heard of drum sanders, but few people know what they’re capable of achieving. Drum sanders are like large versions of your palm sander.
They have a pad of sandpaper on the end of a stick so you can reach into tight corners, odd angles, and other hard-to-sand surfaces.
They are useful for removing material quickly, but they also leave some pretty rough finishes. If you’re using stains or dyes, then I would not recommend this option.
At first glance, mini drum sanders might look like fun toys to play with within your shop, but their small size limits them to finishing flat surfaces rather than nooks and crannies.
These tools work best when used with the right 3M products designed specifically for woodworking applications.
These mini sanders are quick and easy to use. If you’re careful, they can produce a decent finish (with the right product).
But again, I wouldn’t recommend this technique for surfaces that will be stained or finished with dyes. Power tools are also very useful when sanding nooks and crannies.
Small random-orbit palm sanders are the best tools for this type of application. They’re lightweight, easy to handle, and work very well in tight spaces.
Their small size makes them perfect for smoothing out hard-to-reach corners or surfaces that are almost too small for your palm sander to reach.
Things to Consider Before Sanding.
There are three things you must consider before you even think about using your palm sander, random orbit sander, or any other tool to sand a nook or cranny.
The first is the type of material being sanded. Different surfaces have different textures for a reason:
They need different tools to achieve their final look. And so it goes with nooks and crannies—sanding these areas requires a very specific application to get the results you’re looking for.
Always pay attention to what your finished product will be because this will determine the best method, tools, and techniques that will work best for your project.
The second consideration when working with nooks and crannies is whether they contain nails or screws.
Most wood furniture pieces have at least a few nails or screws, and sanding nooks and crannies near these fasteners requires great care as not to create dents, divots, or other imperfections that can’t be repaired.
The goal is always to avoid changes to the piece’s original surface, and sometimes this means you just need to wait until all the hardware has been installed before you can safely start your finishing work.
The third consideration: Is the area deep enough that it needs multiple passes? We’ll discuss what type of sander would work best for your application, but it’s important to consider whether an area is deep enough so that you might need more than one pass with a tool such as a palm sander.
If you’re using these tools, understand that they quickly remove the material with each pass. This is a good thing for speed but not always the best choice for this kind of work because it can lead to an inconsistent surface.
I would say that 90 percent of the time sanding a nook or cranny in furniture, you should use a drum sander for a good reason. They are the easiest and most efficient way to sand these spaces accurately and get great results every time.
However, there are times when drum sanders just won’t get the job done without creating some serious problems.
For example, if you have figured veneer on your project’s doors and drawers, you will need to remove these pieces to safely use a drum sander.
Tips On How To Clean Up After the Job Are Done.
Once you’ve sanded to your heart’s content, one of the most important jobs is cleaning up all that dust that has been created.
A shop vac and/or wet/dry vacuum will work well. Some people like to use tack cloths for this job, but they tend to leave lint behind and aren’t very efficient at removing wood dust from the nooks and crannies.
Start with a Shop-Vac or a wet/dry vacuum followed by compressed air in the areas you can access them.
One last step is to use compressed air with a chemical such as Acetone if there are any stubborn areas leftover; hit these spots one more time, and you should be left with a nice clean surface, ready for your finish.
How To Sand Small Details Of Any Furniture
Small details like nooks and crannies can often be miss when sanding furniture, resulting in a messy finish. To avoid this, follow these simple steps:
- Apply a light coat of sandpaper to the area you want to sand. Remember that the finer the paper, the greater the detail you’ll be able to achieve.
- Work your way gradually down the length of the paper, using circular, back and forth motions.
- When you reach the end of the paper, switch to a rougher paper for a complete finish.
What Is The Best Way To Remove Paint From Wood?
Sanding nooks and crannies are one of the best ways to remove paint from wood.
You’re rubbing the entire wood surface when you sand a nook or cranny. This means that all the paint on the wood will be removed, including any sealer or primer that was applied beforehand.
Another advantage of sanding nooks and crannies is that it creates a smooth finish overall. This is because it removes any bumps and irregularities in the surface of the wood, which would otherwise create shadows and other visual inconsistencies.
Finally, when you sand a nook or a cranny, you expose new surfaces to the elements. This allows water and moisture to seep into the wood and rot it from the inside out. So if you want to keep your wood looking good for years to come, Sanding Nooks And Crannies is your best bet.
Steps On How To Remove Paint From Wood
When you paint a surface like wood, you’ll end up with nooks and crannies that need to be sanded down.
Sanding nooks and crannies are necessary for the painting process because they remove the paint on the wood. It also removes any bumps or valleys that may have formed from the paint application.
There are several steps involved in sanding a surface like wood:
- prep your work area by cleaning it thoroughly with a degreaser or soap and water
- Sand using 150-grit paper until the surface is smooth and without any noticeable grain
- Repeat the process if there are areas that still show signs of paint
Prepare The Surface And The Work Space
Before you start sanding, you need to prep the surface and the workspace. This will ensure that the sanding process goes smoothly and that your wood doesn’t end up with scratches or nicks.
The surface is first cleaned with a cleaner or a soap solution to prep. Then, use a tack cloth to remove any dust or debris. Finally, apply a layer of sandpaper to the surface, using gentle strokes in a direction perpendicular to the grain of the wood. Try not to apply too much pressure – this will damage the wood further.
When sanding nooks and crannies, use extra caution when dealing with delicate areas. Use light pressure instead and apply enough force, so the sandpaper doesn’t drag across the surface too harshly. You also want to make sure that you stop before reaching any cracks or holes in the wood – these are likely hiding spots for water damage you don’t like taking place while you’re working on your project.
Final Words
Sanding nooks and crannies will require more time, but getting professional results is well worth it. I hope now you know how does sanding nooks and crannies works.
Be patient when working on this kind of project, always choose the best tool for the job, and take your time to avoid making mistakes or creating irreversible problems.
FAQs
1.How Do You Sand Tight Spots?
Ans. It all depends on the situation at hand. Most likely, you’ll want to use hand tools if your job requires a high level of detail, like working around chair rungs or other small spaces where it can be hard to get into tight spots.
2.How Do You Get Into Corners When Sanding?
Ans. If you are using hand tools, use short strokes when sanding to get corners. For example, when you’re sanding the inside of a joint, turn the piece so that it’s on its side and then rest your hand on top of it while resting the tool against your forearm.
3.How Do You Sand the Inside Of A Joint?
Ans. Use short strokes and try not to make too many passes. This might be best accomplished using hand tools, but if you must use a power tool such as a palm sander or belt sander, take your time and don’t rush it.
4.How Do You Sand An Inside Corner?
Ans. Do your best to sand parallel with one side of the corner and then sand parallel with the opposite side. You will probably need to sand diagonally because there are four planes within that one corner, so move the sander in an arc motion.