Hey Reader,

Ever wondered if you're using the wrong sandpaper grit and wasting hours sanding unnecessarily?

I used to spend way too long prepping projects—until I learned sanding comes down to just two things: the wood's initial condition and your intended finish.

So in this email, I'm going to show you a simple, easy-to-follow approach that'll speed up your sanding and get you finishing faster than ever.

Get Off to The Right Start:

One common mistake people make is starting sanding too aggressively, leaving deep scratches that require extra work later. For most projects, 120-grit sandpaper is ideal—it smooths the wood without creating deep marks you'll need to remove later with finer grits.

If your wood is especially rough or has noticeable planer marks, start with something coarser—like 100 or even 80-grit. These grits remove material faster, saving you time and effort. Keep sanding until all rough spots disappear.

Finish Strong:

Think of sanding like preparing a canvas for painting. Too rough, and the paint won't flow smoothly. Too smooth, and the paint won't adhere properly. Similarly, sanding too little leaves swirl marks and rough spots; sanding too much can seal the wood pores, preventing stains and dyes from absorbing evenly.

Here's the trick: choose your final sandpaper grit based on your finishing method.

• If using stains or dyes:​
  Sand to 180-grit, and sand endgrain slightly finer at 220-grit. This prevents the ends from absorbing too much color and keeps your finish even.
• If skipping stain or dye and going straight to clear coat:​
  For water-based finishes, sand to 220-grit since water raises wood grain. For oil-based finishes, stop at 150-grit to give the finish something to grip, reducing the number of coats you'll need.

Fill in the Middle:

Now work through your grits step by step. Resist the urge to skip grits, this can leave scratch marks that will be harder to sand out at higher grits.

For example, your project isn't too rough, so you don't need to remove a lot of material, and you plan on using a stain before the topcoat.

Your sanding progressio should look like this:

• Start at 120-grit.
• Then move to 150-grit.
• Finish with 180-grit.

A couple more quick tips:

• Hardwood plywood is often pre-sanded at the factory, so a quick touch-up with 150-grit (or higher) is usually enough.
• For end grain (the cut ends of your wood), finish with an even finer grit to help the stain or finish match the face grain.
• Stop over sanding! Mark the board with a pencil before using each sanding grit. Once the pencil mark is completely gone, you can move to the next grit!

And remember—replace your sandpaper often. Worn sandpaper only smooths the wood and can make your work take longer.

Follow these simple sanding guidelines, and you'll achieve professional-looking results every single time.

Now, go build something awesome!

John - Biscuit Tree Woodworks

p.s. Need plans for your next project? Instantly download high quality plans: https://www.biscuittreewoodworks.com/products​

p.p.s. What is biggest woodworking problem you are facing? Reply to this email and let me know, it just might be my next video!