Festool Junkie Blog

Solid Surface Sanding and Finishes

1. The right Method of Sanding With the Festool RO 150 FEQ

The method that works best is sanding from left to right (making sure to overlap ½ the pad) then sand from front to back (making sure to overlap). After the surface has been sanded in both of those directions, sand in a circular motion clockwise (with the sander) in an 8″-10″ circle. This circular motion will make the finish more even. The key is to sand with the direction of the pad. If you sand against the pad you will leave swirls in the finish.

The other big thing most fabricators don’t realize is that you need to make sure all the sanding dust is removed before going onto the next grit. You will finish faster and achieve a better surface quality if you don’t skip grits.

For polishing (high gloss finishes, see below), the same method is used. It is important to clean up all compounds before moving on to the next step.

Either 80 or 120 grit can be used to sand seams. When sanding a seam, the Rotex has to be used in Rotex mode (gear drive mode) up to 120 grit. For the next steps with grits of 150 and above, it is recommended to switch to Random Orbital mode (fine sanding, pad spins freely).

2. The right Abrasives Festool Titan II

Matte finish:

Light colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, Vlies 280
Dark colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, Vlies 800

Satin Finish:

Light colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, Vlies 800
Dark colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400,
Platin 500

Semi Gloss:
Light colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400,
Platin 500
Dark colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400,
Platin 500, 1000

Gloss:
Light and Dark colors: Titan II - 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400, Festool Platin 500,1000, 2000, 4000

High Gloss:
Light and Dark colors:
Same as above (gloss finish) only use compounds after the sand paper

Use sander in Rotex mode (gear driven mode) with the following pads and compounds:

Festool Polishing Pad, Sponges and Felt Pads
Hard felt - Rubbing compound (Marine grade)
Soft felt - Finesse it II
Wool pad - Liquid glass