Best Sandpaper For Refinishing Furniture

For your refinishing furniture projects, you’ll want to use the right sandpaper for that smooth and polished finish. The best sandpaper for refinishing furniture will depend on the type of material you are working with and the level of roughness or damage that needs to be sanded down.

Sanding is one of the most important refinishing furniture techniques to master, as it helps prepare the surface for a new coat of paint or stain. So in this post, we’ll cover the different types of sandpaper you can use for a successful furniture refinishing project. Let’s dive in!

Sanding helps remove old layers of paint, varnish, or stain to reveal a smooth and clean surface. It also helps in creating a better adhesion for the new coat of paint or stain, making sure it stays on longer and looks more even.

Now you can’t just use any kind of sandpaper – using the wrong one can result in damage or an uneven finish. So it’s important to understand the different types of sandpaper available and their specific uses.

You may even need multiple rounds of sanding with different grits of sandpaper to get your desired result. This may seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it for that beautiful and professional looking finish.

What Grit Sandpaper For Refinishing Furniture

Speaking of sandpaper grits, what exactly does that mean? Well, that just means the higher the grit number, the finer and smoother the sandpaper will be. Each grit level has a different purpose in the refinishing process.

You’ll want to start with a low grit sandpaper (around 80-100) to remove any existing finish or rough spots. This is also known as “rough” sandpaper and should only be used for heavy duty tasks as it can cause deep scratches.

Once you have removed all of the old finish and smoothed out any rough patches, you can move on to using medium to fine grit sandpaper (around 120-220). This will help in smoothing out the surface and preparing it for painting or staining.

For a final smooth and polished finish, you can use very fine grit sandpaper (around 320-400). This is also known as “extra fine” sandpaper and is great for removing any remaining imperfections and creating a smooth surface ready for that final coat of paint or stain.

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Types of Sandpaper For Furniture Refinishing

So we’ve learned about the different grit levels, but what about the actual types of sandpaper? These come in different materials that are suited for specific tasks. You can use them by hand or paired with a power sander for faster and more efficient sanding.

Sanding Sheets

Sanding sheets are the most common type of sandpaper – you’ve probably seen them in hardware stores or home improvement shops. You’ll want to grab them if you’re only working on small projects.

These sheets are versatile and can be used by hand or paired with a power sander for faster sanding. They can wear out quickly and aren’t very flexible for some surfaces though, but they’re budget friendly so you can easily replace them if needed.

Best Sanding Sheets for Refinishing Furniture

Our top choice for sanding sheets is the 3M Pro Grade Precision Faster Sanding Sheets. These are perfect for both hand and power sanding, specifically for palm sanders with latches that hold onto sandpaper.

It’s cheap, but among other budget friendly sheets, it’s the best in terms of durability and effectiveness. It has longer lasting grits that won’t rip or wear out quickly, making it a cost efficient choice for frequent use.

Foam Sanding Pads

A foam sanding pad is the perfect tool for sanding those hard to reach, curved surfaces on your furniture. It’s sandpaper with foam material that allows it to be flexible, making it easy to sand intricate designs and details.

If your furniture has lots of curves and contours, it’s best to use a foam sanding pad rather than traditional sandpaper. This is because the foam conforms to the shape of the surface for even sanding all over.

Foam sanding pads are longer lasting than traditional sandpaper, but just be careful when using them on sharp edges as they can rip and tear easily. Other than that, foam sanding pads are a great addition to your sanding toolkit, especially when paired with an electric sander for efficiency. You can check out our post on foam sanding pads for electric sanders for more on this sanding combo.

Best Foam Sanding Pads for Refinishing Furniture

If you’re looking to try foam pads, we highly recommend the SurfPrep Foam Sanding Sponges. These pads have superior flexibility and contouring abilities, making it easy to sand even the most intricate designs and details on your furniture. Check out this post to learn more about how to sand in tight spaces.

What’s awesome is that they come in a variety of sizes, perfect for different types of sanders such as orbital sanders and Festool sanders. Yes, the brand caters to sanders from different brands like Festool so you won’t have to worry about compatibility.

The hook and loop backing also make it easy to switch out pads and stick onto your sander that has the same backing. Here’s our list of SurfPrep Foam Pads for Festool to find out the options that will work with your specific Festool sander model!

Sanding Discs

If you have an orbital sander, then you’ll definitely want to have some sanding discs on hand. You can easily attach these circular sheets to your sander with the adhesive backing and get to work on those flat surfaces.

These discs are perfect for heavy duty tasks like removing layers of paint, especially from large surfaces. Just be careful when using sanding discs as they are aggressive and can remove material quickly – you might end up sanding too much if you’re not careful. You should also use them on flat surfaces only.

Best Sanding Discs for Refinishing Furniture

When it comes to sanding discs, we usually go for the Diablo 5″ Sanding Discs. You can use them for scuff sanding to removing paint or stain from flat surfaces, and they fit perfectly on most if not all 5″ orbital sanders, or sanders with a hook and loop pad.

These sanding discs don’t rip and tear easily, plus they don’t get clogged quickly. That just means you can use them for longer and save on replacements.

We have also used the Diablo sanding screens on our SurfPrep Sander 3×4″ sander, even though they are a different shape. They still do the job well, so if you have a rectangular sander as well, don’t hesitate to give these discs a try.

Best Sandpaper for Curved Surfaces

A lot of furniture pieces have curved surfaces that can be a bit tricky to sand. But with the right tools and technique, it’s actually not that difficult! As we mentioned above, one way is to use foam sanding pads for electric sanders. The foam conforms to the shape of your furniture, making it easier to sand those intricate designs and curves.

Another great tool for this task is sanding contour grips. You just wrap your sandpaper around the grip and you’re good to go. These grips come in different shapes for different curves, so you can easily sand any contour on your furniture.

This way you can reach those hard to sand areas without worrying about damaging or scratching your furniture. Plus, it saves your hand from cramping up from using traditional sandpaper! Just make sure to use a light touch and follow the natural curve of your furniture. Check out our guide on how to sand curved surfaces to help you tackle this task with confidence.

Here’s our list of furniture refinishing supplies to make sure you have all the right sandpaper and other refinishing supplies when working on a project.

Now you know all about different sandpaper grits and types, plus some handy techniques for sanding curved surfaces. Sandpaper can make all the difference in getting that pro finish, so be prepared with the necessary grits and types for your refinishing projects.

More Refinishing Furniture Tips

• Best Sandpaper For Removing Paint from Wood
• SurfPrep Sandpaper
• Sanding Wood Table Top
• How to Refinish Wood Furniture Without Stripping
• Refinishing Painted Furniture

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