How to Use Wet Sandpaper

Wet sanding is a sanding technique that uses water to lubricate both the sandpaper and the surface to be sanded so the grit will last longer, and so you can attain a smooth-as-glass appearance. Using water while sanding will also keep the dust down. The down side to wet sanding is that all of the sanded particles end up on the floor and make a mess that may be difficult to clean up. But if you sand over a tarp or a drop cloth, cleanup is easy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wet sandpaper or sanding pad Sanding block Water spray bottle Rubber squeegee Water bucket Buffing compound Electric buffer

The Steps

1. Soak sheets of sandpaper in a bucket of water for 20 to 30 minutes before using them. Start sanding with a low-grit paper (220 to 300 grit) to remove large imperfections quickly.

2. Take the sandpaper out of the bucket and cut it to fit around a rubber sanding block. Wrap the sandpaper around the sanding block. Avoid wet sanding without a sanding block because your fingers will press onto the sanded material unevenly, wear the sandpaper out faster in those areas, and it may take longer to obtain an even sanding.

3. Spray the surface to be sanded with water, coating it evenly. Work in one small area at a time. If sanding scratches, sand at a 45-degree angle to the scratch so you can see it better. The water will hide the scratch, so you will think it is gone when it isn't. Squeegee the water away from the area to see if it is really gone before moving on to other areas.

4. Sand the surface with progressively higher grits. Sandpaper is available in grits up to 4000, but it is OK to stop sanding after using a 1500- to 2000-grit sandpaper. Squeegee the surface in between grits to remove debris so the finer sandpaper is not contaminated with larger debris. Spray water onto the surface as needed.

5. Add a buffing compound to the sanded area when sanding has been completed and buff the area with an electric buffer.

References

• Wet Sanding Procedures