One of the most common questions we get asked is “Which Sandpaper Grit should I use?”
The answer is as simple as 1, 2, 3, because sandpaper is based on the size of grit particles, which are rated numerically. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number, the smaller the sandpaper grains and the finer the grit, the lower the number, the coarser it will be.
But before that, determine the type of sandpaper you're going for.
Types of Sandpaper
- Glasspaper (Flint): a lightweight, pale yellow sandpaper that is used for removing paint, and rarely used for woodworking
- Garnet: a brownish-red color, commonly used in woodworking. An excellent choice for finish sanding.
- Aluminium oxide: more durable than garnet, suitable for use with power sanders
- Silicon Carbide: a dark grey or black paper. Used for finishing metals, or wet sanding (when water is used as a lubricant). Not typically used in woodworking.
- Ceramic: the toughest of them all, it leaves a very rough finish to quickly remove considerable amounts of material. It is often used for belt sander belts and occasionally for hand shaping of wood.
These are some common sizes and the kinds of projects to use them on:
Common Sandpaper Grit Sizes:
- 40 - 80 Grit: Very coarse grit sandpaper. Perfect for rough sanding and removing stock quickly, such as sanding the bottom or top of a sticking door.
- 100 - 150 Grit: Medium grit sandpaper. A great starting point for most projects, from sanding unfinished wood to removing old varnish.
- 180 - 220 Grit: Finer grit sandpaper. Ideal for removing the scratches left by coarser grits on unfinished wood and for lightly sanding between coats of paint.
- 320 - 400 Grit: Very fine grit sandpaper. Used for light sanding between coats of finish and to sand metal and other hard surfaces.
Once you have determined the type and grit size of your sandpaper, it's time to look at the form of sandpaper that you need.
BST Group offers a wide variety of sandpaper forms - sanding rolls, sanding discs, sanding belts and sanding sheets to suit your project needs.
Still not feeling confident? BST Group's team of friendly sanding experts are on hand to guide you through to find the most suitable sandpaper for your project.
Give us a call on 1800 677 344 or drop us an email at [email protected]. Check out BST Group’s range of electric sanders here.
