Step # 4 - Sanding for Tooth

Many will tell you that you don't need to sand. I say, "It's best to sand. It only take a few moments to give your piece the added assurance that the paint will have something to grab onto. It's called "tooth."

I use a flexible sanding sheet wrapped around a sanding sponge. I sand to take off the shine. Occasionally you'll run into commercial type top coats (like precat) that are hard to deal with. In those cases you'll want to completely sand it off or strip it. But for the most part, you'll be able to sand off the shine and then paint.