NC Sanding Sealer

 

Whether you're refinishing furniture, cabinetry, or hardwood floors, the ultimate goal is to get a smooth, flawless finish that lasts. A perfect finish not only looks great, but can extend the durability of your woodworking projects. Raw wood can be challenging, due to its pores and inconsistencies that affect how the finish adheres to the wood’s surface.

Sanding sealer is base coating containing zinc stearate that is used before painting to seal wood pores. Using sanding sealer is a great option to quickly give you a smoother surface where your topcoats can adhere properly and achieve a stunning, consistent look.

 

 

What Does Sanding Sealer Do (and Why Use it)?"

These products have a range of benefits for all woodworkers, whether they are professionals and DIYers.

  • Fills in Wood Pores: The sealer seeps into and fills its natural pores, almost like a microscopic spackle. Filling these pores creates a smooth, even base for the paint or stain to adhere to.
  • Creates a Barrier: This barrier prevents excessive absorption of paint or stain into the wood, allowing these topcoats to sit on the surface evenly rather than soaking unevenly into the wood. This helps to achieve a more consistent color.
  • Improves Adhesion: The smoother base enhances the adhesion of your paint or stain. This leads to less problems with shipping or peeling down the line.
  • Makes Sanding Easier: Sanding sealer for wood reduces the amount of grain raising and minimizes the need for extra sanding.

 

When to Use Sanding Sealer

While sanding sealer isn't always necessary, it can be particularly beneficial for:

  • Porous woods: As we’ve mentioned, sanding sealer’s main job is to effectively fill in wood pores. This makes sanding sealers a must-have for open-grained woods like oak, mahogany, and ash, where the pores are more visible
  • Pre-staining: Applying sealer before staining is highly recommended to help prevent blotchiness so you get a more consistent color distribution.
  • High-gloss finishes: If you're aiming for a flawless (if you’re reading this, we’re sure you are), mirror-like finish, sanding sealer can help you smooth out the surface to hide any imperfections that would dull the finish.
  • Wood furniture and cabinetry: Sanding sealer creates a uniform finish and protects wood furniture and cabinetry from stains, scratches, and moisture which are things that wood furniture and cabinetry are prone to.
  • Hardwood floors: Sanding sealer enhances the appearance of hardwood floors, protects them from damage, and makes maintenance easier. 

 

When NOT TO Use Sanding Sealer

You don’t always need to reach for a sanding sealer. There are some instances where you may opt to skip using it:

  • Closed-Grain/Non-Porous Woods: Woods like maple and cherry naturally have very tight pores and have lower absorbencies. Sealing the wood sealer might not be necessary since these types of woods won’t benefit much from the pore-filling properties.
  • Rustic or Distressed Look: If you’re looking for an intentionally rough surface or want to highlight the natural texture of the wood, sanding sealer might counteract your end goal.
  • Over Existing Finishes: Sanding sealer is intended for raw, unfinished wood. Applying it over an existing finish can prevent proper adhesion.
  • Quick Projects: If time is a major constraint for you and the final finish doesn’t require a high-quality aesthetic, you can skip the sealer to save time.
  • Oil-Only Finishes: Certain oil finishes, linseed oil or tung oil, are designed to penetrate deep into the wood to enhance its natural beauty and provide protection. Applying a sanding sealer can prevent the oil from absorbing properly, diminishing the desired effects of the oil.
  • Open-grain Woods with Exposed Finishes: For projects where you want to show off the natural grain pattern of open-pore woods like oak or ash, sanding sealer may fill in too much of the texture you're trying to showcase.