Since a sealant must be used with Wise Owl Paints, creating a smoother surface for your desired finish can help make application of finishing products more uniform. Chalk style paints are porous and spending a small amount of time lightly sanding for a buttery smooth surface, make application a breeze. It is a common misconception that all pieces painted in a chalk style paint, are rough and gritty. Lightly sanding will guarantee the smoothest feeling surface while preserving the matte vintage style finish of the paint. Some pieces I choose to keep rough and textured when it is the desired finish. I like to use sandpaper or a sanding block of 250 grit or above. The Paint will sand easily and you will not need to devote much time to sanding, go with the grain or direction you painted in. after sanding, you will need to lightly dust off any paint dust with a lint free cloth. Sanding will lighten the color of the paint but don’t worry, this is temporary. The richness of the color will come back once the sealant is applied.