Highlight Ash Grain for Open-Pore Finishes (120–220 Grit)

Ash is famous for its bold, cathedral grain and open pores. The right sanding plan makes that figure leap under dye, stain, oil, or grain filler; the wrong plan either polishes pores shut or leaves cross-scratch that muddies the look. This guide shows a disciplined, hard-backed sequence that highlights ash’s texture—keeping pores open, edges crisp, and color take even—so your finish reads deep and intentional rather than blotchy or dull.

Why sanding matters

Ash alternates hard latewood and softer earlywood. Go too coarse and you score trenches that catch pigment and look dirty; go too fine and you burnish latewood so color skates, while earlywood still drinks, creating halos. The sweet spot for bare ash headed to open-pore finishes is a tight ladder of 120 → 180 → 220 on a hard backer. That leaves a shallow, linear scratch that keeps pores open (for contrast and filler) without telegraphing lines through translucent dyes or clear coats.

Tools

• Hard sanding blocks: one long, dead-flat block; one narrow edge block; a small stick block for tight spots
• Silicon carbide sheets: 120, 180, 220 (9×11 in)
• Vacuum with brush tip; microfiber cloths; rubber squeegee
• Masking tape for edges and hardware recesses
• Raking light/headlamp; soft pencil for witness marks; optional dry guide coat
• Optional: stiff nylon brush for gentle pore clean-out, water spritzer for grain-raise
• Your chosen finish stack: dye/stain, grain filler (if used), oil/varnish or waterborne topcoat
• PPE: respirator/dust mask, eye protection

Grit sequence

• Level & open: 120 grit establishes a uniform scratch and opens the pores without gouging.
• Refine: 180 grit erases 120 lines and tightens the pattern while keeping pores lively.
• Final pre-finish tooth: 220 grit sets a shallow, even matte that takes color and filler predictably.

Step-by-step

1. Assess boards and map with witness marks. Sight under raking light. Pencil a loose grid across the surface and around end grain. Those marks vanish evenly when a zone is truly addressed—your cue to stop instead of over-sanding.
2. Mask shy of edges. Run low-tack tape 1–2 mm shy of perimeters and hardware recesses so coarse steps don’t roll the arris. You’ll blend once at the end.
3. Open at 120 on a hard block. Wrap a fresh sheet and sand with long, straight, with-the-grain strokes. Keep pressure feather-light and the block fully supported; no fingertip spot-sanding. Starting with consistent stock makes you less likely to press too hard—reload with 120 Grit Sandpaper (25-pack) the moment the cut slows so you don’t polish latewood slick.
4. Clean and read the field. Vacuum, then squeegee dust to reveal the scratch. If faint pencil islands remain in lows, take two full-width passes rather than digging a local spot; distributed pressure keeps the face true and the pores even.
5. Refine to 180 for uniform tooth. Change stroke angle slightly (gentle diagonal) so any lingering 120 lines stand out, then return to lengthwise strokes. Stay on a rigid backer; an RO with a firm pad can help on big flats but finish by hand. For steady throughput across a run of doors or panels, keep fresh mid-quantity sheets like 180 Grit Sandpaper (50-pack) at the bench so you never push a dull piece.
6. Optional: raise the grain, then re-pass. If you’re going waterborne or you want extra pore definition, mist the surface lightly, let fibers stand, and briefly kiss with 180 again. This shears fuzz without closing pores.
7. Set the final pre-finish scratch at 220. One or two even passes are enough—stop as soon as the 180 pattern tightens into a fine, uniform matte. Over-sanding to 320 on bare ash can burnish latewood and flatten contrast. For consistent results on large projects, anchor this pass with 220 Grit Sandpaper (100-pack) so the last panel sands like the first.
8. Edge and detail protocol. Leave tape on through 180. For 220, remove it and make a single feather-light pass along each edge with a worn sheet on a tiny hard backer to unify sheen without thinning corners.
9. De-dust like a finisher. Vacuum with a brush tip (face, edges, profiles). A quick pass with a stiff nylon brush across the grain lifts packed dust from pores; vacuum again. Wipe with a clean microfiber.
10. Color or fill with intent. For high contrast, dye first (wipes in evenly on the 220 scratch), seal lightly, apply grain filler, then sand the film only before topcoats. For a natural, open-pore oil look, go straight to oil/varnish from 220, wiping off thoroughly so earlywood doesn’t pool and darken.

Special cases

Ring-porous drama (quartersawn panels): Rays and bold earlywood can read streaky if burnished. If latewood looks shiny at 180, your paper is dull; back up to fresh 180, then finish at 220.

Heavy machine marks: If planer tracks survive 120, take a few full-length passes with a cabinet scraper first. Don’t drop below 120 unless absolutely necessary; deeper trenches catch pigment and telegraph.

End grain & edges: End grain drinks fast. After your face is at 220, give end grain one extra 220 pass, then damp-wipe to preview color. If it still looks too thirsty, spot-seal end grain before dye or stain.

Whitewash/liming finishes: Keep pores clean and stop at 180–220; work pigment across the grain so it packs pores, then lock it in with clear and denib the film only (320–400).

Pro tips

• Hard backing wins. Blocks bridge highs and keep planes true; foam and fingertips dish lows and polish latewood—exactly what kills contrast.
• One direction per grit. 120 straight, 180 gentle diagonal (then straight), 220 straight. It makes leftover lines obvious—and removable.
• Change sheets early. A loaded sheet skates and burnishes, closing pores and creating shiny islands that reject dye.
• Mind the light. Inspect in raking light from two directions. Bands you miss now will shout after dye or topcoat.
• Test boards are cheap insurance. Run your precise grit ladder and finish stack on offcuts from the same batch of ash.

Aftercare

• Let early coats cure fully before aggressive handling; soft films imprint easily in open pores.
• Clean with pH-neutral soap and soft cloths; avoid abrasive pads that flatten the open-pore texture you worked to reveal.
• For maintenance sheen, scuff the film only (320–400 on a hard backer) and apply a thin refresher coat; do not drop back into bare wood unless refinishing end-to-end.

FAQs

• Why not sand ash to 320 before finishing? On bare ash, 320 often burnishes latewood and reduces contrast. Stop at 220, then go finer only on cured film between coats.
• Can I use Scotch-Brite instead of paper? Pads are okay in corners, but they leave a mixed scratch on flats. Use hard-backed sheets to keep the field honest.
• Do I need grain filler? Only if you want a flat, mirror film. For tactile, open-pore looks, skip filler and build thin coats, denibbing the film lightly.
• Should I water-pop? Helpful for waterborne systems and extra contrast. Mist lightly, then a brief 180 re-pass to knock back fuzz before finishing.
• How do I keep dye even on large panels? Work wet-on-wet, keep edges live, and pre-plan wipe direction. The 220 scratch helps dye flow without pooling in earlywood.

Video

Closing

To make ash’s grain sing, you don’t need exotic tricks—you need discipline. Keep the backing hard, pressure light, and the grit ladder tight: 120 → 180 → 220. Refresh sheets before they skate, keep pores clean, and treat edges with care. Whether you chase a dramatic dyed contrast, a pore-filled mirror, or a natural oil sheen, this prep sets the stage for a finish that looks deliberate and alive in any light.