{"id":1377,"date":"2021-04-11T12:05:38","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T09:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/?p=1377"},"modified":"2022-09-07T12:00:51","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T09:00:51","slug":"top-4-alternatives-to-sandpaper-to-smooth-out-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/top-4-alternatives-to-sandpaper-to-smooth-out-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 4 Alternatives to Sandpaper to Smooth Out Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you work on wood, the chances are that you stock up on sandpaper. But eventually, you\u2019re prone to run out of supply. What to do in that scenario? Search for the alternatives of course. In this article, we will suggest to you the top 4 alternatives to sandpaper to smooth out the wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 4 alternatives to sandpaper to smooth out the wood are: sand, steel wool, walnut shells, and pumice. In the past, people used sand and walnut shells to smoothen out wood. Steelwool is a great alternative to sandpaper and you can find it in various grits too. Pumice is a volcanic stone that you use to remove dead skin from your hands or feet, but it can also be used for wood.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, you can find many things lying around your house that can be used in place of sandpaper. But the above-mentioned alternatives provide the best results, especially steel wool. People often use that when fine-grit sandpaper is not available near them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing what to use is only as an alternative to sandpaper is only half of the job done, to sand wood to the same standard as you would with sandpaper you also need to know how to use the alternatives, and the tricks to working with them. So don\u2019t worry as we\u2019ll not only go over all the alternatives but also, how exactly to get results out of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Steel Wool for Smoothing Out Wood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Most people at home use steel wool to clean their dirty pans. But when it comes to industrial applications, it is used to smoothen out wood and metal. Normal household steel wool will not do though, you will need fine grit steel wool. The recommended grit is 0000, which is equal to the 400-grit on sandpaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a thick cloth or leather piece, since you don’t want to hold the abrasive sander with bare hands, and put it on top of the piece of wood. Slowly rub over it with the fine-grit steel wool. You will see that the wood will start to smooth out in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steel wool is by far the most common substitute for sandpaper. In fact, some carvers use it on a regular basis because they prefer it to sandpaper. Steel wool only goes for a couple of bucks for a 12-piece pack, we recommend you buy it on Amazon to ensure quality. Our recommendation is the HOMAX Steel Wool<\/a>, check how much it currently goes for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will actually find this method much easier. It is less messy as well compared to using sand as an alternative to sandpaper. Some woodworkers say that using steel wool provides you with a different kind of smoothening.<\/strong> It is close to burnishing<\/a>, which is also a process through which you can smoothen wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apply even pressure throughout the whole surface. Once you are done, you can feel that it has given a much finer result. If you are working with rough wood, then you can use a less fine grit, for instance, 000 steel wood which is extra fine. It is a bit more abrasive and smooths rough wood better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To conclude, steel wool is probably one of the best alternatives to sandpaper, and definitely our favorite. The finish is a little different to normal sandpaper, but it may even be for the better. We highly recommend you give it a try if you have not worked with it yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Sand As an Alternative to Sandpaper<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The very first instance of sandpaper was discovered in China. It was made up of crushed seashells and sand, adhered to parchment with gum. So sand was used for smoothening wood out way before the modern sandpaper originated. We are going to take a lesson from the pages of history for this one. But you do not need to use crushed seashells, only sand will do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will need a few things for this method to work: A piece of leather or a piece of thick cloth that is not in use anymore and enough sand to cover the piece of wood you want to smoothen out. You don’t need a lot of it, a thin layer of it would be sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, place a thin layer of sand over the piece of wood you want to sand. Once you are done with that, use the piece of leather or cloth to rub the sand on the wood. A fair bit of warning, try to rub the sand in the direction of the grain<\/a>. Moving against the grain might roughen it up even worse. If you are careful of that, you will have no trouble whatsoever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind that this method can create a ton of mess. Hence, it\u2019s suggested to do this in an isolated space, or you will have a lot of trouble clearing up later on. In fact, it may even take days before you get rid of the sand from your workshop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the flip side, you will get really great results, almost as great as fine-grit sandpaper. But do not expect miracles, it will only do a little better than abrasive sandpaper<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-tip: Apply equal pressure throughout to ensure an even finish, otherwise you might smoothen out one area more than the other<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Using Pumice to Smoothen The Wood<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pumice is a volcanic rock that is formed when water is mixed with lava. This rock has an abrasive surface and is usually used to clean dead skin. You might have seen people use it on their heels to clean cracked skin and calluses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another great way to smooth out wood, and one that you may have never heard of before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is different grit of pumice available in the market. A problem with pumice is that it is, it is hard to find for most people locally if you want to buy pumice online, you can get the Mohawk pumice<\/a> that we personally tried and were satisfied with. It is unlikely you have some laying around in your garden, but you may already have some at home if your wife does her own manicure, ask her before you buy it online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this method, you need to dampen your workpiece a bit and then rub pumice on it, you do it with a brush for this. Rub along the wood grain and not against it. 4F grit pumice will give you smoother results. Take a look at this short video showing the process of using pumice to smooth out the surface of an antique piece of furniture, skip to 1:30 to get to the important part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rPMOvLxgKRU<\/a>