Sandpaper: Buying Guide
Quick Answer
Grit determines the result: coarse grit (under 100) removes material fast, fine grit (over 400) leaves a smooth, clean finish. Most projects need several grits in sequence, not just one.
Working Through the Grits
| Grit | Use |
|---|---|
| 40–60 | Heavy stock removal, stripping old paint or finish |
| 80–120 | Initial wood shaping, leveling rough spots |
| 150–180 | Intermediate sanding before finishing |
| 220–320 | Fine sanding for a smooth surface |
| 400+ | Very fine finishing, e.g. between coats of finish |
Sandpaper Materials
- Silicon carbide: sharp-edged, works well on metal, paint, and for wet sanding.
- Aluminum oxide: more durable, the standard choice for woodworking.
- Ceramic grain: longest-lasting, mainly used in professional/machine sanding.
Wet or Dry Sanding?
Wet sandpaper (usually silicon carbide) is used with water, which controls dust and is gentler on the surface — common for finish coats and automotive paint work. For regular woodworking, dry aluminum oxide paper is fine.
Bottom Line
Always work from coarse to fine grit, and don’t skip too many steps at once (jumping straight from 60 to 220 leaves visible scratches from the coarser grit). Three grit stages — coarse, medium, fine — cover most woodworking projects.
