Use fine glasspaper to roughen painted wood before applying new enamel or varnish. Sand between coats, too.
To sand chair rungs and table legs, cut a strip of glass paper and apply masking tape to the back as reinforcement. Then pull the paper back and forth around the rung, as if you were shining shoes.
For carvings and turnings, fold the sandpaper and fit the folded edge into the curve so that the grit smooths both faces at the same time. Use fine steel wool (No. 000) to get all the way into deep crevices.
When you sand, wear rubber gloves or rubber thimbles - the kind designed for office use-to protect your skin and keep oily fingerprints off the wood.
To clean off very fine dust from a smoothed surface, buy a tack (or tacky rag) from your local decorating shop. This is a special resin-impregnated duster which will pick up the fine dust without leaving the wood surface sticky to the touch. It will also ensure that painted surfaces do not appear gritty when new paint is applied.
Screwfix is the UK's largest direct and online supplier of trade tools, accessories and hardware products. To view their range of sander and woodworking tools customers can visit the website here: http://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/power-tools/cat830692.
