A buddy told me my sanding was the reason my paint kept peeling

I was working on a dresser last spring, and I kept getting adhesion problems after painting. A guy at the hardware store in Spokane asked what grit I was using, and I said 220 because I thought finer was better. He told me to drop down to 120 for raw wood, then do a quick pass with 180 before primer. I switched it up on my next project, an old nightstand from a thrift store, and the primer actually stuck this time. It saved me from having to strip and redo the whole thing, which would've taken another weekend. Has anyone else been over-sanding their furniture?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_joseph7d ago

That 120 grit before primer trick is a game changer, I learned that one the hard way too... spent a whole summer stripping a hutch I'd sanded too smooth with 220. The finer grit practically polishes the wood fibers flat so there's nothing for the paint to grab onto. I start with 100 grit for any old finish removal, then hit it with 150 before primer, and save the 220 for between paint coats if I want a glassy finish. It feels wrong going rough at first but the paint actually bonds like it should.

willow6727d ago

Is it just me or does that whole rough-to-smooth thing apply to so much more than just furniture? @the_joseph I learned that lesson the hard way too with my kitchen cabinets. I went too fine on the sanding and the paint peeled off in sheets within six months. It's like how you gotta scuff up a wall before you paint it or how you need a little texture in a relationship for it to actually stick. Sometimes the rough stuff is what holds it all together, you know?