# Sanding Dimensional Lumber



## manglum (Dec 26, 2013)

I am building a coffee table out of dimensional lumber (spruce/pine/fir). My plan is to use a general finishes gel stain on it (after using some blotch control conditioner) and arm-r-seal.

My question is how much sanding do I need to do on the lumber?

I have already sanded all the parts to 120. The remaining grits I have in my stock are 150 and 220.


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## hoosier0311 (Nov 8, 2012)

I think you will get a wide range of answers to this. I certainly wont pretend to be any "authority" on things, but I'll tell you what I do. Generally I start with 100 or 120, then to 150, and 220 is as fine as I go on nearly anything prefinish. granfather always said a little elbow grease on the sanding will make all the difference in the end result. I agree the blotch control is a good idea, then use the stain, this is where I use finer stuff 320 and 400 between coats.
If you search this site for sanding techniques there is alot of infor to be had.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

For a stain and film finish it's rare that I go past 150.


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## manglum (Dec 26, 2013)

AlaskaGuy, when do you go above 150? Tung oil? Varnish on bare wood?


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## Texcaster (Oct 26, 2013)

Closed grain like maple and pine need careful sanding to remove all sanding marks. Open grain, ring porous, like Oak can be over sanded, and you can get high and low areas. Bare timber I stop at 240. Closed grain, hard timber fingerboards without much polish, 400.


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