How to Sand Wood Putty
- 1). Allow the wood putty to dry. Refer to the label directions, because drying time varies depending on the product, how large an area you're filling and temperature. Oil-based wood putty may take a day or two to dry, while water-based putty typically takes an hour to dry when used for nail holes and small repairs.
- 2). Wipe a white cloth or paper towel over oil-based wood putty to check for dryness. If no color comes off, it's dry.
- 3). Sand water-based wood putty with 100-grit sandpaper. Form the sandpaper to match the contours of the item you're working on. If the item is rounded or curved, wrap the sandpaper around your fingers. A flexible sanding sponge also works very well for curved or intricate areas. Sand flat areas with a sanding block.
- 4). Sand in the direction of the wood grain. This is especially important if you will be staining the wood. Sanding across the grain scratches the wood's surface, and these scratches will show up after staining.
- 5). Rub oil-based wood putty with a rough cloth, such as burlap or towelling, if the repairs are small areas like nail holes or narrow joints. This putty stays fairly soft even when dry, so it takes little pressure to smooth it down. Sand larger areas with 180-grit sandpaper.
- 6). Smooth either type of wood putty with copper wool as a final step for a very fine, furniture-grade smoothness. Copper wool is finer than steel wool and won't leave little shreds of steel embedded in the wood fibers. These shreds of wool can rust and discolor wood over time.
