Sanding for Completion

[rh111]

I am currently wrapping up the construction of red oak towel vanity for our master bath. I was looking at staining a darker brown color and using water-poly due to the close proximity to the shower. What grits are common to sand to for finishing? Is there a rule of thumb for soft woods versus hard woods? Open pore woods vs closed pore woods? Most projects up until this point have either been painted or small boxes and shelves, but this is my first main "it will get seen and touched" (quote by wife) project and don't want to fowl up the hard work up until this point.

Thank you in advance...

[Sawatzky]

Red oak is very forgiving. The highest grit I have sanded to on red oak is 150, and I have made a lot of things out of oak. When finishing with laquer, I use 220 or 320 between coats.

[cabinetman]

You might try this on a sample. I sand the bare wood with 150x - 180x and then if its a stained piece do that. Then apply first finish application. When cured, sand off nibs and any defects with 320x. I use 320x in between coats. That seems to work for both hard and soft woods.
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[SARGE..g-47]

If leaving the pores open with both red and white oak I sand to 180 but.. I stop at 150 and wet the wood with distilled water (has to be distilled as it has the minerals taken out) to raise the grain.. then hit the final 180. I generally sand soft-wood to 220 as the higher grit seems to burnish the surface a bit which can help even the stain.

Good luck...

[iceman61]

You might try this on a sample. I sand the bare wood with 150x - 180x and then if its a stained piece do that. Then apply first finish application. When cured, sand off nibs and any defects with 320x. I use 320x in between coats. That seems to work for both hard and soft woods.
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Ditto what Cabinetman does here, although I go one step further & hit it up with 0000 steel wool at the last.