What basecoat do I need to get rid of plywood grain?

[Kaido]

I'm painting some plywood with my automotive paint, but I need to get the grain out of it first. What's the best way to go about this? Lots of sanding for smoothness and then a few coats of house paint or something? For the topcoat I'll be using water-based and acrylic lacquer-based stuff, so I'll need something compatible with that. I've had a hard time getting the grain look out of painted wood before so I'm wondering what the best way of going about it is.

 

[alfa147x]

I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

 

[Greenman]

Use a couple coats of high build primer and sand between them. Solvent base primer will work better because it doesn't raise the grain. Or you could do one heavy coat of polyester risen then sand and paint, might come out smoother.

 

[Squisher]

By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

 

[Dubb]

auto body filler (bondo) is the best for this. spread the first layer on with a straight metal edge, sand, then wipe on a second coat with a cloth. then do your standard prime, paint, etc.

nice thing is, it cures to sandability in next to no time. bad thing is, move quickly or do small batches

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: alfa147x
I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

Various sizes. I'm building some shelves, speaker boxes, stands, etc.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

Then I stand by the white glue and water mixture, uless we are talking about indents over 1/16" then I'd use wood filler.

 

[DrPizza]

shellac

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: alfa147x
I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

Various sizes. I'm building some shelves, speaker boxes, stands, etc.

You could just use MDF

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: alfa147x
I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

Various sizes. I'm building some shelves, speaker boxes, stands, etc.

You could just use MDF

I want something a bit more durable, especially for the speakers (they'll be used outdoors).

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: alfa147x
I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

Various sizes. I'm building some shelves, speaker boxes, stands, etc.

You could just use MDF

I want something a bit more durable, especially for the speakers (they'll be used outdoors).

Marine plywood?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

Then I stand by the white glue and water mixture, uless we are talking about indents over 1/16" then I'd use wood filler.

Elmer's glue okay?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: alfa147x
I would just sand it, about what size are we looking at?

Various sizes. I'm building some shelves, speaker boxes, stands, etc.

You could just use MDF

I want something a bit more durable, especially for the speakers (they'll be used outdoors).

Marine plywood?

Too expensive :Q

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

Then I stand by the white glue and water mixture, uless we are talking about indents over 1/16" then I'd use wood filler.

Elmer's glue okay?

Yeah. Are any of the edges of this plywood going to be exposed? If so, are you using cabinet grade plywood (expensive too)?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

Then I stand by the white glue and water mixture, uless we are talking about indents over 1/16" then I'd use wood filler.

Elmer's glue okay?

Yeah. Are any of the edges of this plywood going to be exposed? If so, are you using cabinet grade plywood (expensive too)?

The first set of outdoor speakers will actually be covered in truck bed liner Most of the rest of the stuff will be indoors, just various shelves and small end tables and stuff. I'm basically just looking to get it primed without any of the grain showing through, since I'm not going for a "wood" look on these.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher
By grain look are you talking about coloration? If so use a stain kill like Killz. If you're talking about the surface texture then dilute white glue 50-50 with water and paint it on and sand when dry.

No, when I use paint, the grain shows through the paint. I want a flat, seamless surface like when you paint plastic.

Then I stand by the white glue and water mixture, uless we are talking about indents over 1/16" then I'd use wood filler.

Elmer's glue okay?

Yeah. Are any of the edges of this plywood going to be exposed? If so, are you using cabinet grade plywood (expensive too)?

The first set of outdoor speakers will actually be covered in truck bed liner Most of the rest of the stuff will be indoors, just various shelves and small end tables and stuff. I'm basically just looking to get it primed without any of the grain showing through, since I'm not going for a "wood" look on these.

The reason I ask is that if you are going to expose any edges of non-cabinet grade then you're going to have chunks fall out when you cut it and these voids will have to filled with something like wood filler. And, the porous edges might need multiple coats to seal up flat.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Squisher

The reason I ask is that if you are going to expose any edges of non-cabinet grade then you're going to have chunks fall out when you cut it and these voids will have to filled with something like wood filler. And, the porous edges might need multiple coats to seal up flat.

Is cabinet grade significantly more expensive?

 

[bctbct]

I would use sanding sealer.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: bctbct
I would use sanding sealer.

Ahh I've never heard of that before!

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Squisher

The reason I ask is that if you are going to expose any edges of non-cabinet grade then you're going to have chunks fall out when you cut it and these voids will have to filled with something like wood filler. And, the porous edges might need multiple coats to seal up flat.

Is cabinet grade significantly more expensive?

Birch cabinet grade will probably be double the price of CDX.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: bctbct
I would use sanding sealer.

Ahh I've never heard of that before!

Sanding sealer is a thinned out varnish or shellac (see DrPizza's post above), It is designed to make a piece of wood less porous so that stains go on evenly or paint isn't absorbed into the wood. Not much use for film building. The white glue and water will help with those very small lines of grain that wood naturally have.

woodnet is where a lot of woodworkers hang out on the web. You can find a lot of answers there especially in the forums. I'm more oldschool and find out this stuff on the newsgroup rec.woodworking

 

[Kaspian]

Originally posted by: Greenman
Use a couple coats of high build primer and sand between them. Solvent base primer will work better because it doesn't raise the grain. .

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: bctbct
I would use sanding sealer.

Ahh I've never heard of that before!

digging a little deeper, grain filler or pore sealer might actually work a little better on plywood.

 

[Dubb]

Auto body filler is the best way to remove grain from something to be painted. All the other options suggested here require significantly more time and effort to get a good finish.