When Should I Wet Sand or Dry Sand While Painting?Updated 2 days ago
Sanding ensures a smooth surface and professional-quality finish. However, it isn’t necessary for every touch-up job. This guide clarifies when and how to sand during your painting projects.
When to Sand
Projects Requiring Sanding:
- Fixing large areas using aerosol spray cans
- Repainting larger parts or accessories
- Addressing small scratches (optional)
Projects Not Requiring Sanding:
- Small touch-up projects, such as chips or minor nicks
Surface Preparation (Before Primer):
- Use 400-grit sandpaper (dry or wet) to level uneven surfaces or significant scratches.
- 400-grit sandpaper is aggressive and should only be used to smooth damaged areas.
- Always apply Primer after using 400-grit sandpaper to create an even surface.
Surface Preparation (No Primer Needed):
- If you're repainting a part that isn't damaged and only changing the color, Primer and Putty are unnecessary.
- Use 800-1000 grit sandpaper (wet sanding) to gently scuff the existing paint surface, ensuring optimal paint adhesion.
- After sanding, you can proceed directly to applying your Colorcoat.
Using Putty for Deep Scratches:
- Fill deep or indented scratches with Putty.
- Once the Putty cures, wet sand it smooth with 800-grit sandpaper before applying Primer.
Sanding & Primer:
- Always wet sand Primer using 800-1000 grit sandpaper after the Primer has completely dried.
- Never wet sand between color coats.
Colorcoat (Basecoat or Midcoat):
- Never wet sand waterborne Colorcoats (Basecoat or Midcoat).
- Properly prepared surfaces result in a smooth Colorcoat. If the Colorcoat appears uneven, remove it and redo your surface prep rather than attempting wet sanding.
Clearcoat:
- Wet sanding Clearcoat is optional and should only be done once it’s fully cured (minimum 48 hours after application).
- Wet sanding can enhance shine for glossy finishes but is considered an advanced technique, recommended only for experienced users.
- For DIY enthusiasts, we recommend using our Polishing Kit—a simpler alternative designed to safely enhance your Clearcoat’s finish.