What grits of sandpaper should I get?

[NaveAdair]

Going to be doing some case painting. Going to Lowes now, to get primer, paint and sandpaper.

And what's the best way to do things? Do I sand after each primer? How many coats of primer? How many coats of paint?

Thanks in advance.

[Negative Decibel]

I remember using lots of 800 grit sand paper. but don't stop there; get some 1000 and 1500 also. Use self etching primer. a couple coats should suffice, but make sure that you get 100% coverage!

I found that painting a case is not really difficult, but the end result is based upon how much time you put into it. If you want a mirror finish, prepare to spend several hours of wet sanding, and buffing.

[spacetrader]

^^^ werd

painting is 80% prep work.... those grit numbers look like a good range too.

[BlueFireIce]

What are you painting, what color are you painting it, how are you painting it? For your normal solid color you can get away with 400 (or just scotchbrite), anything with metallic or the like and you will want to use 800.

No you do not need to sand after each coat of primer, however one good coat should be more than enough anyway, the only time you need to sand is when you have waited to long and the coating has cured. As for how many coatings of paint you will need that can be very hard to say, it all matters on the solids by volume of the paint, the color of the paint and the shape of the pigment, along with what you are painting on and the substrates color, but there are never set rules, you always have to eye it, as some painters put on more than others per coat.