On railings, use 80- to 100-grit sandpaper, and take pains to sand all surfaces and crevices. Here, a detail sander or even sanding by hand may be necessary to get to all areas, but again, do not sand to a smoothness that will prevent the stain from penetrating. Vacuum the railings thoroughly.

What grit sandpaper should you use on a cedar deck?

We recommend using 60 grit sand paper for both floor sander (drum sander or square buff) and random orbital sander—perhaps a 40 grit to start if extremely weathered with deep grooves or sanding hardwoods like Ipe. As with anything, some brands are better than others.

Can you use an orbital sander on cedar?

Smooth Cedar



If you do need to sand it with a power sander, use an orbital sander with 100-grit sandpaper. Keep the sander moving, using circular motions to flatten and smooth the surface. Don’t allow the sander to remain in one place. When the surface is consistently smooth, stop sanding and proceed sanding by hand.

Can cedar be sanded smooth?

Cedar is a softwood that responds well to gentle sanding. Ensure cedar is ready for sanding by cleaning it and checking for loose knots. Sand with 100 and 180 grit sanding paper for a super smooth finish.

What do you sand a cedar deck with?

Attach medium-grit (80- to 120-grit) sandpaper to a floor sander using the manufacturer’s instructions. Plug the sander in and place it at one end of the cedar deck. Put on a dust mask and safety glasses before beginning to sand.

How do you sand a deck railing?


Quote from Youtube video: And as you're sanding along and going back and forth you can put the the sander at about a 45 degree angle. And. So when you do that you can see that it's just taken off just a little bit on the edge.

What grit sandpaper should I use to sand my deck before staining?

Sand the Deck



Use 60- or 80- grit sandpaper on the main deck boards, and use 80- or 100-grit on the handrails. After sanding, vacuum the deck thoroughly to ensure that dust does not settle on the new finish.

Should I sand cedar before staining?

If your cedar deck is newly installed, you’ll need to sand* the cedar boards prior to staining. The boards go through a planing process at the mill that result in “mill glazing”. The planing process causes an oily surface on the boards that can hinder the wood stain from penetrating the wood.

Can you sand stain off cedar?

Sand the cedar with 80-grit sandpaper to remove gray, weathered wood and remnants of the old finish. Follow up with 180-grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface. Sand in long, even strokes and avoid leaving any patterns on the wood.

Should you sand cedar fence before staining?

You should not stain over a painted fence, sand it first to prepare the surface. If you want to add color choose a stain which will bring out the best from the grain of the wood. Often a clear stain looks best, showing off the quality of the grain in the new fence on the property.

How do you sand a cedar deck?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So what we're going to do do is use a sixty grit to take off where the stain was. And all these little patches here and then we're going to go over the entire thing with an 80 grit.

What is the best sander for sanding a deck?

random orbital sander

A random orbital sander is a specialized tool that sands wood in an elliptical pattern. It’s the most efficient sander to use when refinishing a deck, as they’re easy and practical to use.

Can I sand my deck with a floor sander?

It is possible to use a floor sander to sand your deck, although we still advise you to use a hand-held belt sander for best results. The steps for sanding with a floor sander are very similar to the ones described above, except you replace the step using the belt sander with using the floor sander.

Can you use an orbital sander on wood?

Is an Orbital Sander Good for Wood? Yes, orbital sanders can effectively sand wood. However, you should keep in mind that regular orbital sanders can leave circular marks on wood surfaces.

How do you refinish a cedar deck?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Which work under the scarab termite the viper and the raptor models. It's a vacuum brazed tool which is perfect for removing aluminum oxide epoxies and paints from wood floors.

How do you sand wood with an electric sander?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Make sure the switch is off before you plug it in the next step is choose your grit and apply that sandpaper to the sander.

What will happen if you put too much pressure on a sander?

Avoid pushing down with too much pressure on the sander.



When you use too much pressure, the sander has to do more work to perform its rotations, this means there will be more work for the motor and more friction on the surface of the workpiece. Both of these things lead to more heat.

What is the difference between an orbital sander and a finishing sander?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: There's really no difference between this one and the DeWalt except.