Sanding block is an essential element if you need to sand furniture, a surface before painting or want to do other related resurfacing or varnishing. It is a painful job if you sand with your hand. If you tired of hand sanding and do not want to spend on Lowes Sander then, making a sanding block can be a useful and excellent choice.
A well-made sanding block can remove this pain, and you can also sand faster easily with a sanding box. The block is more comfortable to grip and direct as needed. If you need instruction on how to make sanding blocks, then you are in the right place. Follow our, and you will found yourself a suitable sanding block to work with.
How To Make a Sanding Block From Wood
Things Needed
You do not need a lot of equipment to make your sanding block. So, before making Sanding blocks, let’s see what you need;
- Sandpaper
- Cutter and Scissors
- Scrap Wood Block
- Cork
- Glue
- Hand Plane or Router
You may use some other tools or equipment according to your need, but these are enough for making an ultimate sanding block.
Determine the Size of the Sanding Block
To determine the size of the sanding block you need to determine the size of the sandpaper. No way, you are going to use full sandpaper for making large sanding box. If you ever do that, it will be uncomfortable to use and useless.
Cut the Sandpaper
Generally, the size of sandpaper is 9 X 11 inches. So, to make a sandpaper block that fit your hand, you can either cut your sandpaper into four pieces or 6 pieces. For making 4 pieces, you need one vertical and one horizontal fold. For 6 pieces, you need 2 horizontal and one vertical fold.
Such a project requires the full sandpaper to be cut into six pieces. You can use four pieces too.
Cut the Block According to Sandpaper Size
To make flexible sanding block find construction lumber or wood block. The wood block can be pine, whitewood or Douglas fir. Try to find a 2X10 inch size scrap with around 3 inches of thickness. Cut the scrap into quarter sawed stock and smooth every edge. Make sure the thickness gets no less than 2.75 inches.
Then, cut the wood strip with a width that the sandpaper scraps can get around each side with 0.25 inch. If you cut the full sandpaper into six pieces, the final width should be 3.38 inches. Cut the strip into 4-inch block. So, the last block size is 0.94 inches thick X 3.38 inches wide X 4 inches long. There is 0.25 inch of excess sandpaper on both edges.
It’s Time to Shape the Wood Block
If you want more comfort then, shape your wood block accordingly with a hand plane, router or even a saw if you can do it carefully. You can also put a 45-degree chamfer on the top edges of the block. Once reshaping is complete, smooth every corner and edges with sandpaper.
Add Cork to the Bottom
Finally, we are going to complete making our sandpaper block by adding a cork on the bottom surface of the block. This will allow the sanding block to accommodate valleys, peaks and invisible ridges in the wood. Even it seems not worthy to attach, but it will increase the quality of the final finish of your work.
Find a 2.5 or 3.0-millimeter thick cork. Cut according to your sanding block. Cut any leftovers. Spread wood glue on both cork surface and wood surface. Allow it to become tacky. After that, attach both glued sides. Make sure full contact by clamping or putting something on the block.
After drying out the glue, carefully trim the extra size of the cork with a knife or cutter. Use a piece of sandpaper and smooth the cork’s edges.
Start Sanding
To use this flexible sanding block, you may wrap a sandpaper piece (which we cut before) around the bottom, carefully hold it with the edges and start your sanding! Now you have a comfortable sanding block to make the best use of your sandpaper. It will also help you create smoother finish in the shortest time.
Tips and Tricks
Now that, you have made your flexible sanding block, let’s see some tips and tricks.
- Do not make or use oversized sanding block as it may cause hand pain if you apply for a long time
- Do not forget to replace sandpaper when needed
- Wear glove before starting sanding
Final Words
Hand sanding is quite painful and buying a sander or polisher costs a lot. If you perform sanding on a regular basis, making a sanding block would be an ideal choice. Moreover, it is fun and useful. It is comfortable and convenient to use. You will also perform faster sanding with a sanding block.
If you have any question regarding sand blocks or sander, you can always write back to us. Have fun with your sanding!
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