How to Sand a Perpendicular Joint

Perpendicular wood joints often mean two directional wood grain. This can cause problems when it comes to finishing sanding on a wood project. Everyone knows the rule to sand in the direction of the plane but when there is more than one direction, you may need some instruction. Below are guidelines for sanding perpendicular wood joints. Always remember to wear safety goggles and appropriate safety gloves when sanding wood.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Goggles
• Gloves
• Clamps
• Belt sander
• Orbital sander
• Sandpaper
• Cloth

1. Clamp the wood to a flat surface such as a woodworking bench. Use at least two clamps one on each side of the joint, to secure the project.

2. Use a belt sander to level the top surface of the joint. This means to take the belt sander in your hands, one on the top and one on the side handle, and move the switched on belt sander across the surface of the joint, constantly switching directions until the surface joint is smooth to the touch.

3. Apply a random orbital sander to the surface and sand both sides of the joint by moving the sander in smooth even motions across the surface. As the orbital sander travels in a circular motion, it works best for hiding oppositional sanding marks on the wood surface.

4. Sand the perpendicular joint by hand using sandpaper. This means to push the sandpaper across the surface of the wood, applying enough pressure with the hand to eliminate any remaining machine marks. Try not to go over the line of the joint and create new scratches on the wood's surface.

5. Wipe dust from surface of the wood with a damp cloth.