How To Make Plywood Smooth and Shiny? (Step-by-Step Guide)

You should pay more attention to your favorite restaurant’s woodwork. You need clarification as to how smooth and polished plywood can be made.

There is, however, no need for alarm. We are here to assist you in manufacturing smooth and shining plywood, achieving the highest finish possible, and obtaining assistance with maintenance. 

This holds regardless of whether you work with hardwood or plywood intended for building.

Plywood may be made to look shiny by following a few easy techniques, which will make your home appear more sophisticated.

VIDEO: How To Paint Plywood?

How to Give Plywood Its Luster and Smoothness

It is easy to make your plywood smooth and shiny. 

Sanding the plywood is the first step, followed by painting it any color you like, sealing the surface to avoid cracking and stains, and applying polyurethane for added protection.

The Steps to Getting Plywood to a Smooth and Shiny Finish

Step 1: Sanding Plywood

Before we start the process, you need to realize that the smooth quality and shine of the finished product will be directly proportional to the quality of the plywood you use. 

Plywood is a manufactured wood product that can range in quality from grade A down to grade D. The one with the best quality is A, while the one with the worst is D.

 High-Density Overlay (HDO) plywood, typically used for signboards, is one variety that possesses a high level of quality.

If the plywood you have is not grade A, it is recommended that you prepare it with sandpaper with a grit of 90.

Sandpaper comes in various textures and grits, each corresponding to a specific type of product (90, 180, 200, and 220 grit sandpaper). The higher the number of grits, the more finely textured the sandpaper is. Therefore, the grit number indicates how coarse or fine the sandpaper is.

Instruments for giving a smooth finish to plywood

The first thing that has to be done is to smooth up the surface and edges of the plywood. This is everything you will need to get started:

• Cloth (cleaning) (for cleaning)
• 180-grain sandpaper or sanding block
• 200 grit sandpaper, 220 grit sandpaper
• Orbital sander/ hand sander
• Brushes on a roller or a paint sprayer
• Filler for wood grains or wood grain paste filler for wood
• Joint compound
• Plywood primer
• Brush for painting
• Paint tray
• Tack cloth for the paint roller
• Masked face
• Hand gloves

 Why it’s essential to sand plywood before using it

Okay, can you sand plywood? Sanding is a straightforward operation all the way through. 

However, you cannot treat the timber in the same manner as other types of wood by rubbing it with as much power as you can. 

Whether you use a power tool or not, cleaning the plywood will require a lot of patience. In addition, it is essential to avoid scoring the surface of the plywood with an excessive number of grooves.

Sanding produces a smooth surface by removing rough edges and flaws in the material being worked on. In addition to this, it seals the pores in the plywood. 

Because of this, the plywood that has been sanded has a smooth surface that is suitable for painting and staining.

 How to sand plywood (explanation)

Step 1:

Remove any dirt and dust from the surface by wiping it down. You can use a cloth that has a little bit of water on it. 

You could also use your gleaming vacuum cleaner to ensure that the dirt and dust are taken directly to the vacuum bag.

Step 2:

Sand the plywood very briefly with sandpaper that has a grit of 180. Maintain a steady pace because the sandpaper with a grit of 180 is the coarsest. 

Be sure to work on the plywood carefully and in a direction perpendicular to the wood grain.

Sanding the entire surface more than three times will not improve the quality of the results. 

However, by doing so, the However will be exposed, and you will be able to peel the edges of the plywood.

 

Step 3:

Continue sanding using 200-grit sandpaper. 

Then, proceed with the process again, but use sandpaper with a grit of 200. It would be best if you went over the surface three to four times this time. 

This will erase the defects that were revealed by the sandpaper with a grit of 180.

Step 4:

Sand the plywood very briefly, using sandpaper with a grit of 220. Sandpaper with a grit of 220 should be used to finish smoothing out the board. 

Next, perform a double pass around the perimeter. After completing this process, you can declare that the plywood has been sanded to a smooth finish.

Step 5:

Take care of the dust that was produced by the sanding.

 A vacuum cleaner is your best chance to remove more than just individual dust sticking out.

 You can also use a clean cloth that has been dipped in paint thinner to remove all of the dust. 

Finally, you can sand with a handheld oscillating tool with a sanding attachment attached to it as an alternative to the sanding block you usually use.

Proceed to go over the plywood that has been sanded and smoothed.

After the plywood has been sanded, it is essential to perform a careful inspection to locate any gaps in the wood grain. 

To fill up any open spaces, use a wood grain filler. Before applying the wood grain filler, make sure first to follow the instructions that the manufacturer provides.

 It is best to give the wood grain filler at least one full day to perform its work and dry after leaving the wood overnight.

Tip: Even though pore fillers are pretty helpful, some tinted pore fillers will leave color on the surface of the wood. 

When this happens, a sanding sealer can come in very handy. Sanding the raised grain and sealing the entire surface with a sanding sealer can prevent an undesirable tint from developing on the surface. 

In addition, you can safely remove any excess pore filler if you use this.

Sandpaper should be used one more time on the plywood to achieve a smooth surface once this step has been completed.

Step 2: Painting Sanded Plywood 

The selection of your paint

Make sure you pick the best exterior paint for plywood when working on tasks that will be done outside.

 When it comes to the paint, you have several alternatives, including latex, flat or satin, chalk and acrylic, oil-based, and enamel-based paint. 

But, of course, everything is determined by the finish you are going for.

Latex is your best option when looking for a satin or semi-gloss finish. 

However, because it is more reliable than satin, even when it does not have a topcoat, semi-gloss is the finish most commonly used for doors and cabinets.

You will need to apply a top coat to preserve the wood from dings and scratches while using flat or satin paint.

In addition, you need to make sure the surfaces are sealed adequately after painting with chalk or acrylic. 

Finally, you need to take care of the coat so that it will wear out faster. Painting wood beams, doors, interior walls, and shelves with acrylic-based paint produces the most outstanding results.

Tables, doors, interior walls, shelves, beams, storage chests, and cabinets are all good candidates for paint made with oil.

And last but not least, there are paints made of enamel that can be used on beams, doors, interior walls, shelves, floors, and tables.

 Fill in any spaces that are missing from the wood grain.

After selecting your paint, you are free to return to your plywood. 

After being sanded, the surface has a silky smooth feel. 

Others may tell you that it’s now ready to be painted, but here’s some advice: Joint compound, commonly known as drywall mud, can seal the edges of the plywood.

Use joint compound to fill in any holes. Protect the exposed edges by covering them and then smoothing them out.

 Make sure that any cracks and holes have been filled in by checking them. Then, give the plywood another night to air dry.

The joint compound should be sanded down. For this task, you will need either an orbital sander or a hand sander. Be prepared for debris to fly in all directions

. Carry out this activity outside while protecting yourself with goggles and a face mask.

Begin the process of painting the room.

After sanding, use a damp cloth to lightly wipe the dust off the whole surface of the plywood. We recommend utilizing a damp rag or a tack cloth for this task.

Priming can be applied uniformly with a roller after the primer has been poured into a tray. Try using a paint sprayer as an alternative.

Use a primer and apply it in two coats. After applying just one coat, there should be a minimum of three hours and no more than six hours between coats two and three.

Sand the plywood using a piece of sandpaper with a grit of 220 and then wipe away the dust.

The application of primer closes the pores, so keep that in mind. Because of this, the initial coat can remain on the wood’s surface, resulting in a thick finish. The second coat will result in a more even surface.

In addition to that, you need to make sure that you prime the edges. Because of this, the wood will have more excellent water resistance.

 How to paint plywood in the correct manner

•  Apply two coats of paint over the plywood surface using a paint sprayer or roller brush.
• Sand lightly in between each coat using sandpaper with a grain of 220.
• Adding a single additional coat is entirely voluntary.
• Spray paint applied on plywood could be a more efficient use of resources. In addition, the paint may not completely cover the surface, causing it to have the appearance of a stain.
• When you have finished painting, you will have completed the lower half of a relatively simple procedure.

Step 3: Sealing the surface of the plywood.

It is highly recommended to seal plywood to provide further protection against rotting, mildew, moisture, and sunlight.

In addition, sealing will assist in preventing the material from breaking.

 The sealer stops the wood from twisting, shrinking, and expanding while it’s in your possession. The process of sealing plywood consists of the following steps:

Step 1:

Sandpaper with a grit of 180 should be used to sand the wood surfaces and edges lightly.

Tip: If you want a smoother finish, it is best to sand the surface once more with sandpaper that has 120 grit.

Step 2:

Use a clean cloth to remove the dust off the surface.

 Step 3:

Use a paintbrush to apply the sealer to the surface. Carry out these steps equally to achieve a smooth finish. 

Again, you should concentrate on one aspect before moving on to another.

Step 4:

Sand the board very lightly, using sandpaper with a grit of 120. 

Continue doing this until the plywood acquires a smooth wood surface including the plywood edges.

Step 5:

To achieve a smooth finish, apply one additional coat of sealant on the bare wood.

A helpful hint would be to use a foam brush to apply a few thin coats of polyurethane varnish to the project’s edges. 

However, you should avoid having varnish on the surface of the wood because this will render the wood fiber resistant to being painted, stained, or treated in any other way.

Step 4:

Plywood with stain and polyurethane coatings

• Sand the wood, wipe it down to remove any sanding dust, and then let it dry completely before proceeding with the painting preparation. Then:
• Use a paintbrush to apply a coat of wood stain to the surface.
• Applying a clean cloth to the spot will remove it.
• The wood should be allowed to dry for a full day.
• Then, a layer of polyurethane or epoxy resin should be painted on with a foam brush for added defense.
• Give the sealant some time to dry.

FAQ on How To Make Plywood Smooth and Shiny