<font size="3" color="#990000"><strong>Simple Steps to Soothe the Necessary Evil of Sanding</strong></font> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt">(ARA) – Take on tiling? No problem. Paint a floor-to-ceiling mural on your child’s bedroom wall? You’re ready, willing and able. As a do-it-yourselfer, you not only reap the financial savings of not paying for professional labor, it can be deeply satisfying to do a job yourself.</span></p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">But even a dedicated do-it-yourselfer may balk at one of the most dreaded aspects of home improvement and decorating projects — sanding.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Simply stated, sanding can be hard work, even if you use a power tool to do it. Yet it’s a necessary evil for many DIY projects and foregoing it can mean you end up with less-than-perfect results. Nearly every decorating or home improvement project that calls for sanding will look better if you actually do it … and do it properly.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><img src="../images/sanding-cabinet.jpg" border="0" alt="Sanding kitchen cabinets" title="Sanding kitchen cabinets" width="115" height="86" /></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Here are some simple steps to ease the pain and labor of sanding:</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Step 1 – Embrace Your Sanding Destiny</strong></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">From spackling and smoothing dents, dings and nail holes before you paint a wall to refinishing a favorite piece of furniture, sanding is a necessary part of a good DIY job. Proper prep can help make virtually any project look better when you’re finished, so think of sanding as the basic foundation of doing a good job.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/2a.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/2a.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Step 2 – You’ve Got to Have Grit</strong></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">It’s important to use the right grit of sandpaper for your job. Generally, it’s best to sand multiple times, starting with the coarsest grit and finishing with the finest. A typical grit progression would be 80 to 120 to 220 for many projects.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Step 3 – Go with the Grain</strong></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">For the best finish, it’s important to follow the grain of the material, especially when dealing with wood.<span> </span>By following the grain, you minimize visible scratches on the surface as well as improve the overall final finish.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><img src="../images/sanding-wood.jpg" border="0" alt="Sanding wood " title="sanding wood" width="115" height="86" /></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Step 4 – Tool Up</strong></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">There’s no shame in using power sanders whenever possible. Most popular sanding tools include orbital motion (for overall surfaces) and detail capabilities for corners and hard-to-reach spots. If you do a large project or many projects, it’s probably worth it to invest in a power sander. Or, you can rent one only when you need it if you don’t do a lot of projects.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Step 5 – Mind Your Fingers</strong></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Sooner or later, you’ll have to set aside your power sander to do some hand sanding. Be careful if you use your fingers to back the sandpaper; it can lead to finger grooves in the wood or an uneven overall surface. It can also be very uncomfortable to hold the paper in your hand. Yet hand-sanding can save you money if you don’t want to buy or rent a power sander, and it can help you achieve a detailed finish that you just can’t get with a power tool.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">A better alternative is to use a sanding device like the Zip Sander that is designed to make hand sanding an easier, finger-sparing activity. The unique handle fits into the hand, reducing fatigue and protecting your fingers. A hook-and-loop system, similar to that found on power sanders, securely holds the sandpaper in place while you’re working and makes changing paper simple and easy. Visit www.zipsander.com to learn more.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/2b.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/2b.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">A home you can be proud of never goes out of style. Almost every home improvement project, whether you are painting, refinishing or remodeling, will start with some sanding … and sometimes end with more sanding. Following a few simple rules, and having the right tools at hand, can make the process easier and produce results that will do any do-it-yourselfer proud.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt">Courtesy of ARAcontent</span>&l
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