In order to get rid of old paint or scratches on metal, sanding is necessary. Refinishing old furniture to look like new usually involves sanding down the metal. It doesn’t matter how you sand the metal, just that you sand it properly. In that case, learning how to use a sander on metal is mandatory.
You won’t be able to achieve the desired finish without knowing them. If the metal is sanded properly, it will look stunning. Therefore, you can either use an electric sander or sand it manually using your hands.
If you get worried about how often you can do sanding with this, then check out asap. We discuss here in vivid and more wide descriptions about using sander on metal.
How To Get Prepared To Sand The Metal
Before you start the process, make sure that you’ve got all things for sanding. Don’t forget that sanding is a long-term process. The more you give effort to this, the more perfection you’ll get. For this pneumatic or electric whatever you’ve, just ensure that all are loaded righteously.
Some production houses prefer to sand on the rust metals. Rust metal is really hard to sand, depending on its age. If you want to grind the metal to reduce rustiness, then clean the tool first. It’s because if the previous dust gets loaded on the machine, the output you may get is too poor. Choose the right sandpaper for metal. It’s a crucial fact that you shouldn’t skip. Keep in mind that the sandpaper you used for removing paint from metal isn’t similar to omitting the rust. You can take a look at our below sandpaper list regarding this matter.
List Of Sandpaper Grit With Their Purposes
As we mentioned before, each of the sanding grit has its grit number. Without knowing them correctly, it’s tough to do the task successfully.
- Very rusty or excessive scratchy metals – use 60-80 grit sandpaper
- Normal to medium rusty metal– use 80-100 grit sandpaper
- To smooth the surfaces – use 180 grit sandpaper
- Before applying the metal sealer or polisher– use 200 grit sandpaper
So these are the most used sandpaper grit for metal. It’s well known that the higher the grit number is, the better the output that sandpaper is. To keep these in mind, it will be wise to choose the number around 30-100 grits. By doing this, the sandpaper can remove all the top layers from cleaning metal before painting fruitfully.
You should be aware before beginning the task, as excessive sanding may weaken the metal.
How to sand metal Using Electric Sander
Let us move directly into the steps on how to sand down metal with a sander. Before we start, it’s best to inform you that the process of sanding can be different if you use another sander, as we discuss here on the random orbital sander.
Tools Needed For The Task-
- Different types of grit sandpaper
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Safety wear
- Electric sanders
- Lubricating oil
- Metal cleaning elements (Rubbing alcohol / White vinegar / mild shampoo)
Step 01
Wearing the safety gear is the main procedure before going to start any task. Especially when you’re going to do such a dusty and rusty job like sanding metal, don’t forget to wear gloves and a mask too. You can also use safety glass to protect your eyes.
Step 02
In these steps, you’ll learn how to use a sander for metal work. First, start the job by cleaning the surfaces. It must be like most of the metal elements had excessive rust that got into the way of sanding.
On the other hand, cleaning the metal will make the way of sanding half done. Just use a good amount of rubbing alcohol over the surfaces and rub it with a cotton pad. If you don’t have to rub alcohol, then use vinegar or shampoo as an alternative. But don’t skip the steps as it helps to get a smooth finish.
Step 03
Choose the right sander for metal grinding. But it’s good to use the orbital sander. An orbital sander is a less aggressive and best sander for metal than other sanders. Each of them is incapable of moving the sander in a circular path due to the need to remove rust efficiently.
Drum sander for metal finishing isn’t too reliable to omit all the old finishes from the metal. These things are equally true for the belt sanders and grinder-type metal sander machine also.
Afterward, switch on the sander and load the 80-grit sandpaper inside it. Never go with the higher grits at first if you’re a newbie of sanding.
You may now ask what sandpaper to use for metal if I wouldn’t switch to higher grit? Well, the answer is too simple. We always suggest doing at first with the lowest (grits) one. Then gradually went through the higher one.
Of course, higher grit sandpaper will work to give you well-furnishing surfaces. But it’s good to start with the lower one, then go with the next.
It’s because the 80-grit sandpaper will remove the top layer from the metal more evenly. Go slowly and pay close attention to remove all scratches. Be careful not to overpressure the sander disc. Turn on the next step after it is done.
Step 04
Now begin to smooth the sanding with 200-grit sandpaper. We use 80-grit sandpaper only because it is more effective in removing the old rust from the grinder. And the 200-grit will work to conceal the layout of the metals.
One of the crucial advantages of using the 200-grit is finishing the surfaces without limiting the speed. It didn’t do any harm to the metal, even if you’re driving the sander too fast. Keep running the sander over the metal until you’re ensured that all parts are removed fully.
Next, stop for a while and check the surfaces to inquire if any space is remaining unfinished. Steel wool can also be used to achieve a smoother and unique finish. After that, rub the metal with rotating motions until it looks more polished and even. Use a metal hand sander to make it more furnished.
Step 05
Once you’ve finished doing all these above procedures, the final step is to seal the metal. Metal sealer is essential to get the perfect finish. Apply the right amount of metal sealer and let it dry for a few hours. Lastly, do finish the task using metal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Bottom Line
Quality sanding gives a new life to your metal surfaces, no doubt. But don’t try to underestimate your skills. Sanding over the metal requires some skills and practices to opt out of a visible result.
There is no alternative to practicing in these matters to become more proficient. As the course makes a man perfect, do some experiments over your garage wastage or unused doors over time.
Finally, we hope that our information on how to use a sander on metal has helped you in this regard so far. So keep it up and apply the instructions theoretically.