Finish & polish
Smoothing cured epoxy resin
Patience. Then more patience.
Cured epoxy is harder than most wood finishes. The climb takes longer, the heat builds faster, and you work it wet from 400 onward.
The climb
The exact sequence, in order.
- 1 120
Knock down high spots and edges
ROS, dry, slow. Watch for heat — too fast melts the surface.
Reach for
Mirka Gold 5-inch Hook & Loop Disc Assortment
- 2 320
Refine the surface
ROS, dry. Even passes.
Reach for
Indasa Plusline 220-Grit 9×11 Sheets (50-pack)
- 3 800
Start wet-sanding
Wet, by hand or block.
Reach for
3M Wetordry Assorted Pack — 600 to 1500 Grit
- 4 2000
- 5 3000
Final before compound
Wet. Surface goes nearly clear.
Reach for
3M Wetordry — 3000 Grit
Watch out for
The things that quietly ruin the job.
- ·Heat is the enemy. Slow the sander down or the epoxy gums up the abrasive.
- ·Wet from 400 onward. Dry sanding above 320 burns the surface.
- ·Wait the full cure. Most epoxies need 7 days, not 24 hours.
Questions people ask
The practical part.
Why does my epoxy keep gumming?
Either heat or under-cured resin. Slow the sander, wait longer between coats, and check the manufacturer's cure time.
Keep going