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Step 1
Choose the right sand paper for your woodworking project. To hand sand a woodworking project properly, the right grit of sand paper is necessary. Grit is the coarseness of the sand paper. Referenced by number, the lower the number of sandpaper, the more coarse the paper is. Use grits of 80 and lower to remove a finish from a woodworking project. Sandpaper with a grit of 100 to 140 is good for sanding rough wood with no finish. Finer sandpapers range from 150 on up and are used to sand softer woods and as the last step as you hand sand to smooth the woodworking project.
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Step 2
Use hand tools when you sand a woodworking project. A sanding block is coupled with your sanding paper to evenly distribute force and pressure on the wood as you sand. Contour sanding grips are a necessary hand tool for when you sand detailed, shaped areas of a woodworking project.
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Step 3
Position the woodworking project so the grain of the wood is in a vertical direction. Hand sand the wood going with the grain in long, even strokes. To hand sand deeper scratches, sand at a 45-degree angle to remove the scratch and finish sanding the area with the grain to remove rough patches.
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Step 4
Change sandpapers as you proceed through the sanding process. Start with a coarse sandpaper and finish with a fine paper to smooth the woodworking project. Use a tack cloth in between each sanding to remove wood dust.
