Do you sand woodwork between paint coats?

if an oil base enamel is used the answer is yes. if it's a newer, water borne enamel the answer is maybe. alkyd based enamels are designed to dry very hard for maximum durability. water based enamels are newer, have some of the qualities of oil but are more brittle. sanding an oil enamel is tedious work. use a 220 grit sandpaper, a lot of it if the job is sizable. work it until the surface is smooth and dull. vacuum it, dust it off, then use a tack cloth to grab any remaining dust as this will get into the paint and make your finish rough if even a little dust is dragged around with the paint brush. it might be better to prime twice and paint once as the primer is much easier to sand than the finish paint. the new water borne enamels can be lightly sanded between coats but be careful of being too aggressive with the sanding pad, sponge, or paper as it can tear the surface. sk painting