Painting plywood- uneven coverage- need solution

[Brian K]

Anyone who has ever painted plywood (oil base) knows that the summer wood soaks up paint like a sponge and the denser winter wood keeps it on the surface. The result is terrible.

 

I went to my local home center and asked them for a solution, but they had nothing for me (basically). They just suggested many coats of paint. Is that correct? It won't show?

 

I'm about to make some shop cabinets that I intend to paint and I'd like to possess a solution to this problem before I get to the finish stage. I bought my cabinet grade plywood today, so I'm locked in.

 

Anyone have a solution they'd like to share? Will multiple coats give me the smooth finish I want?

 

FWIW, oil base enamel paint or water base, it makes no difference. I'm open to either as long as I can get it to cover the cabinets w/o the sliced grain showing through.

 

TIA

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

Orbital sanders will leave swirl marks---just the nature of the beast.

Move slowly and with light pressure, to minimize swirl marks.

After using the orbital sander, and to remove any remaining swirl marks, with the hand sanding method---

using a sanding block or pad and with light sanding pressure---

sanding ''with the grain''---

220 grit followed by progressively finer grit, until the desired finish is achieved---

generally 320 grit is fine.

  ''Synthetic finishing pads'' are great.

  I've cut some pieces to size, to fit my orbital finishing sander---the synthetic weave adheres nicely to the hooks on the sander hook pad.

==================

Rick said:

Now you tell me, Ken!

Wish I'd thought of this a while ago!

My maple mantle top still has swirl marks from something under my orbital sander.  I should have wiped it with spirits to see if all the swirls were gone.  I carefully went thru several stages of grit, but I had a couple coats of spray varnish on it before I realized what I had done. Grrr! Ugh!

Ken Darga said:

Prior to applying a sealer, wiping the wood surfaces, with a water dampened cloth, will raise the wood fibers, akin to whiskers---allow to dry---sand lightly with 320 grit---remove the fine dust particle with a tack cloth---then apply the sealer---will result in a smoother surface.

Wiping down the surfaces with a cloth dampened in mineral spirits, removes the sanding dust, and will expose sanding/grinding marks---this will permit one to determine if any additional sanding is necessary, so as to make as smooth as possible.

[Rick]

Ahhh ....  Ken, you're killing me with this 320 grit stuff!  I'm not painting a Mercedes.

Didn't I hear you say "woodrat?"  Gots'ta have a few "tooth marks" somewhere, huh?  LOL

That old piece of maple, I used for the new mantle, was salvaged from the used material store.  I started with 80 grit, then 120 grit, then finished with 150 grit.  Never got higher than that, and never went "with the grain."  That why we got random orbital sanders.  Right?

Ken Darga said:

After using the orbital sander, and to remove any remaining swirl marks, with the hand sanding method---using a sanding block ---sanding ''with the grain''---220 grit followed by progressively finer grit, until the desired finish is achieved---generally 320 grit is fine.

[Ken Darga]

Rick,

For rough sanding I use a belt sander---

40-60 grit, followed by 80, then on to 120grit.

  For rapid surface removal, I position the belt sander at 45 degree angle to the grain---

rotating 90 degrees on subsequent passes.

After the final pass with 120, I then change to my orbital sander.

  Refinish metal surfaces, such as auto body parts, with finer grits---

600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000---

followed by polishing.

  Polishing compounds and jewelers rouge can be used to smooth and/or shine metals, plastic, wood, and other materials.

  

Material	Compounds (Coarse to Fine)
	Black Emery	Brown Tripoli	White Rouge	Green Stainless	Jewelers Rouge	Blue All Purpose
Acrylics						x
Aluminum	x	x	x	x		x
Brass	x	x	x	x	x	x
Copper	x	x	x	x	x	x
Gold		x	x		x	x
Iron	x			x		x
Nickel	x			x		x
Pewter	x	x			x	x
Platinum			x	x		x
Sterling or Silver Plate		x	x		x	x
Steel	x			x		x
Nickel or Chrome Plate					x	x
Brass or Copper Plate		x	x		x	x
Stainless Steel	x	x	x	x		x
Thermosetting Plastic (Baklite, Formica)		x	x		x	x
Hard Rubber		x				x
Horn		x				x
Wood		x				x

  When using power driven tools, use a slow rpm, with a light touch.

==============

Rick said:

Ahhh ....  Ken, you're killing me with this 320 grit stuff!  I'm not painting a Mercedes.

Didn't I hear you say "woodrat?"  Gots'ta have a few "tooth marks" somewhere, huh?  LOL

That old piece of maple, I used for the new mantle, was salvaged from the used material store.  I started with 80 grit, then 120 grit, then finished with 150 grit.  Never got higher than that, and never went "with the grain."  That why we got random orbital sanders.  Right?

Ken Darga said:

After using the orbital sander, and to remove any remaining swirl marks, with the hand sanding method---using a sanding block ---sanding ''with the grain''---220 grit followed by progressively finer grit, until the desired finish is achieved---generally 320 grit is fine.