Sanding acrylic paint can help you achieve various finishes on the surface you’re painting. Sanding is usually done at the end of a painting project to remove imperfections. However, is it possible to do the same between coats of acrylic paint?
You can sand acrylic paint between coats to remove bumps and blemishes on the surface before applying a second layer. Sanding between coats also helps remove unwanted textures, create effects, and improve adhesion to the surface.
While sanding, it’s crucial to be gentle to ensure the paint doesn’t peel off from the surface. In this article, we’ll look at how sanding between acrylic coats can help and provide tips for going about it: Can You Sand Acrylic Paint Between Coats? Well, yes.
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Is It Necessary To Sand Acrylic Paint Between Coats?
Oil paint takes hours even to begin drying, considering it has so many layers. As such, sanding between oil paint layers
isn’t practical and can cause unnecessary delays in the completion of a project. And considering the extended drying time, you can always correct course along the way. Oil paints also contain certain toxins released when the surface is sanded.
On the other hand, acrylic paint dries more quickly, and sanding between layers can help create specific effects.
It’s unnecessary to sand acrylic paint between coats, as you can continue painting over rough layers. However, sanding removes bumps and creates better adhesion to the surface, making the subsequent layers of acrylic paint bind better to the surface.
Why You Should Sand Between Coats of Acrylic Paint
Now that you have an idea of why you should sand between acrylic layers, let’s look at some of these reasons in detail.
Provides a Better Finish
Whether creating a canvas masterpiece or painting the doors in your house, sanding can help you create a solid finish. By removing imperfections in the previous coat, sanding an acrylic layer allows the colors in subsequent layers to pop out and create a better finish.
Remove Unwanted Layers
You can use sanding to get rid of unwanted layers of paint as well before applying a fresh layer. You may have painted your steel bench, but notice that the colors don’t suit the furniture. In this case, sanding can help remove the previous layer so you can paint using a more suitable color.
And when it comes to canvas paintings, sanding can help remove streaks of color that could jeopardize the aesthetics of the painting.
Correct Bumps and Blemishes
Sanding between layers also allows you to eliminate any bumps or imperfections before adding a new layer of paint.
Occasionally, dirt or other particles may collect while the acrylic paint is drying. Additionally, you may have caused too much paint to congeal at one spot. Sanding can help smooth out these imperfections, allowing the next layer of acrylic paint to sit on the surface properly.
Create Effects
When painting on canvas, sanding can help create certain effects on your painting. And to make this work, you must figure out how to sand properly between layers of acrylic. Once you get the hang of it, you can use sanding to create special effects in your painting, taking your artwork to a new level.
Improve Adhesion
Sanding glossy surfaces can help rough them up, so it’s easier for acrylic paints to bind to the surface. This principle applies between layers of paint as well. Typically, when the paint dries, it leaves a smoothness that can make applying subsequent layers of paint challenging.
By sanding between coats, you can improve adhesion, allowing the subsequent layers of acrylic to bind correctly to the surface.
How To Sand Between Layers of Acrylic
How you sand between layers of acrylic paint will depend on what you’re painting. For example, sanding a steel frame requires far less thought than sanding a canvas when creating a work of art. Here are a few general tips to keep in mind when sanding between layers of acrylic paint.
Let the Paint Dry
It’s essential to allow a layer of acrylic paint to dry completely before sanding the surface. Drying the paint can take eight to twenty-four hours, and you may need to check the dryness before sanding.
However, it’s best to let the paint dry thoroughly or risk ruining the painting and its subsequent layers.
Use Fine-Grit Paper
Sandpaper comes in different levels of grit, and a lower number on the sandpaper indicates a more coarse surface that will aggressively remove acrylic paint. Investing in fine-grit sandpaper is best, as the material will allow you to remove imperfections and create a smooth surface without damaging the paint.
However, you may need to experiment to find the correct grit depending on the surface you’re painting. Canvas paintings typically require very fine-grit sandpaper so the canvas isn’t damaged, and the imperfections can be carefully removed before applying new layers.
But metal surfaces and concrete walls may require a higher grit to achieve the effect you’re going for.
Use Circular Motions
When sanding any surface, it’s best to go in slow, circular motions to ensure the appearance of the final coat isn’t adversely affected. While sanding can help create different effects, doing it wrong can give the new layers of paint a strange appearance.
Get a Vacuum
While it’s not essential, using a vacuum while sanding is an effective way to ensure a smooth finish. When you sand a painted surface, the dust that comes up can settle on the surface and get trapped when you apply the next coat. As such, you may have to sand the surface again to remove these bumps.
Using a vacuum cleaner between coats can help eliminate this dust and ensure the surface is smooth and ready for the next layer.
Final Words
Sanding between layers of acrylic paint can significantly improve the final look of the surface you’re painting. By removing imperfections and creating better adhesion, the subsequent layers will tend to pop. This technique can also help elevate works of art and allow the painter to create specific effects.
It’s crucial to ensure you’re using the correct grit of sandpaper and sanding in a way that preserves the base coats while preparing the surface for subsequent layers.