{"id":1602,"date":"2020-11-25T09:32:26","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T14:32:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diywithchristine.com\/?p=1602"},"modified":"2024-02-28T16:31:18","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T21:31:18","slug":"orbital-sand-vs-hand-sand-polyurethane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diywithchristine.com\/orbital-sand-vs-hand-sand-polyurethane\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Use An Orbital\/Palm Sander Between Coats Of Polyurethane? (+ Pictures!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you ever wondered if you can use an orbital or palm sander to sand between coats of polyurethane?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wondered the same thing because it seems like it would save so much time! But I wasn\u2019t sure, so I had to test this theory. Here is what I found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An orbital or palm sander with 220 grit sandpaper creates a smooth finish in polyurethane, but it leaves behind a thin, easily scratched finish in the polyurethane. Hand sanding provides better control over how much polyurethane is sanded off, which also creates a smooth finish with more durability.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, I recorded my entire experiment process, so you can see how I found these results, and you can determine whether hand sanding or sanding with an orbital\/palm sander is right for your wood project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive on in!<\/p>\n\n\n

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There is a noticeable difference between the two! Scroll down to find out more.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Navigation: What Happens When You Use An Orbital Sander Between Coats Of Polyurethane<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Sanding Polyurethane Using An Orbital\/Palm Sander vs. Hand Sanding<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Final Results: Can You Use An Orbital (Or Palm) Sander Between Coats Of Polyurethane<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. How To Avoid Bubbles In Polyurethane From The Start<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Do You Sand The Final Coat Of Polyurethane?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sanding Polyurethane Using An Orbital\/Palm Sander vs. Hand Sanding <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    To run this experiment, I stained two pieces of pine wood and applied 3 coats total of polyurethane. Between each coat of polyurethane, I used 220 grit sandpaper to sand before applying another coat of polyurethane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For the hand-sanded piece, I used a normal 220 grit sanding block. And for the palm-sanded piece, I used <\/strong>this DeWalt palm sander found at Amazon<\/a>. It is an excellent beginner mechanical sander because it is cheaper and gets the job done.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although, in the future, I plan to get a more commercial-grade quality sander to cut my sanding time down significantly. This DeWalt palm sander does the job for now, though, and I\u2019m glad I learned how to use a mechanical sander by using this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are the finish, durability, and texture comparisons of the polyurethane after I sanded between each coat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sanding Type<\/th>Finish<\/th>Texture<\/th>Durability<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Orbital\/Palm Sanding<\/td>Splotchy coverage<\/td>Extra Smooth<\/td>Easy To Scratch*<\/td><\/tr>
    Hand Sanding<\/td>Uniform coverage<\/td>Smooth<\/td>Hard To Scratch*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
    *scratched with a fingernail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Finish<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    First, let\u2019s talk about the finish. When I started this experiment, I really thought that the finish difference was going to be obvious. I was expecting the palm sander to eat through the polyurethane immediately, and I\u2019d never get enough good coats on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I was surprised to see that the polyurethane was still there on the palm-sanded piece, but it definitely was thinner than the hand-sanded version at each coat.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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    See the splotchiness in the reflection on the palm-sanded piece? That tells me the finish is thinner on this piece.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is because there was no way for me to control the amount of pressure placed on the palm-sanded piece of wood. (I even tried to put hardly any pressure on the palm sander and just the weight of it sit on the wood while it sanded.) Whereas for hand-sanding, I could start lightly and apply more pressure as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Because I couldn\u2019t apply the pressure evenly when a palm sander, the final polyurethane coat turned out splotchy in certain lighting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It didn\u2019t feel splotchy or uneven to the touch, but in certain lighting, it looked like I only applied one coat of polyurethane in random spots. Definitely not ideal for a flawless polyurethane finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The hand-sanded piece, on the other hand, had an even, uniform coverage of polyurethane. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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    No splotchiness in the reflection of the hand-sanded piece.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It definitely smoothed out any minor unevenness between the coats of polyurethane, left the stain completely intact, and left a thicker layer of polyurethane behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This round goes to hand-sanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Score:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n