What grit would a person use when sanding cedar stays for staining them? I normally just lacquer them after scraping off the bark, and use 60 grit to 80 to 120 and they look great. But recently started staining them, and I think the grits must be different because I'm seeing tiny little marks/swirls I think from sanding with my orbital maybe? I cant see then till I put the stain on. Some stain just fine, and others not too good which doesnt make sense either.. What am I doing wrong? Thanks in advance..

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120 grit is not fine enough for staining a soft wood. Try going all the way to 320 grit. 120, then 220, then 280 and finally 320.

BH Davis

Hi Janet, the reason your seeing swirl marks is due to the orbital sander, you need to get a "random Orbit" sander. Your not seeing these swirls when their not stained, because there is no added color to the wood, therefore, the added stain color brings those swirls out, but does not when no extra coloring is being applied to the bare wood.!
You can see this in almost all woods if an orbital sander is being used. They go in a circular motion, where as the "random orbit sander" (ROS) goes both circular and straight line, which eliminates the swirls.! So if you plan on staining any wood, especially soft ones, you should invest in one.!
Hope this helps
Sincerely Chemmy

When you sand cedar wood, for better results, use the following grit:
1. Preliminary grinding: Use a coarse grit, such as 80-100 purpose sandpaper or emery cloth, to remove the rough part of the surface of the cedar wood and the bark.
2. Intermediate grinding: Use a medium grit, such as 150-220 grit sandpaper or emery cloth, to further smooth the surface and prepare it for painting or dyeing.
3. Detailed grinding: Use finer grit, such as 320-600 purpose sandpaper or emery cloth, to remove the marks left during the grinding process and make the surface more smooth.
There may be several reasons for poor dyeing results:
1. Insufficient cleaning before dyeing: Ensure that dust and grease are removed from the surface before dyeing to obtain better dyeing results.
2. Quality of the dye: Use high-quality, easy to mix and uniform coverage of the dye, in order to obtain a consistent dyeing effect.
3. Dyeing method: Try to use a brush, sponge or cloth for dyeing to reduce unnecessary marks.
4. Environmental factors: light, temperature and humidity may affect the dyeing effect. Dyeing in a suitable environment can improve the effect.
5. Practical experience: try different methods and skills, accumulate experience, and gradually improve the dyeing effect.
Hope you find these tips helpful! I wish you better results in the grinding and dyeing process of cedar wood products!

320, minimum.

Hi Janet, the reason your seeing swirl marks is due to the orbital sander, you need to get a "random Orbit" sander. Your not seeing these swirls when their not stained, because there is no added color to the wood, therefore, the added stain color brings those swirls out, but does not when no extra coloring is being applied to the bare wood.!
You can see this in almost all woods if an orbital sander is being used. They go in a circular motion, where as the "random orbit sander" (ROS) goes both circular and straight line, which eliminates the swirls.! So if you plan on staining any wood, especially soft ones, you should invest in one.!
Hope this helps
Sincerely Chemmy