Step 4: When applying a water based finish, it's going to raise the grain of the wood, causing it to feel rough. Some people will pre-raise the grain by getting the surface wet with water and then sanding the surface smooth before applying the first coat of finish. I, on the other hand, let the first coat of finish raise the grain. I feel the pre-raising the grain is a waste of time since the first coat of finish will raise the grain AND seal the surface. Now if I were applyinh a water based stain or dye, I would absolutely pre-raise the grain because you really don't want to sand the stain/dye after it dries.

So after this first coat of finish dried (about 2-4 hours), I sanded the surface smooth with 320 grit sandpaper. It's important to not sand too much or you will notice the second coat will actually raise the grain again. Just sand until it's smooth and stop.