How to Pick the Correct Sandpaper Grit

Sandpaper is used for many household projects and can be used on a variety of materials. Though most commonly used on wood, sandpaper can also be used to sand putty, drywall and even metal. Sandpaper comes in a variety of numbers referred to as the "grit". The grit is basically how rough the sandpaper is, and different grits produce different results. Here is a guide to help you pick the right sandpaper grit for your job.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sandpaper

1. 40-60 Very Coarse
   Heavy sanding and stripping, roughing up the surface.
   
   Note this grit should not be used on soft woods due to scratching.

2. 80-120 Medium
   Smoothing of the surface, removing smaller imperfections and marks.
   
   This grit is used for most projects. In fact, it's best to start with this grit and if it doesn't work, then move up.

3. 150-180 Fine
   Final sanding pass before finishing the wood
   
   Fine grits are all used once the majority of sanding is done. They smooth out the finish in preparation for painting or staining.

4. 220-240 Very Fine
   Sanding between coats of stain or sealer.

5. 280-320 Extra Fine
   Removing dust spots or marks between finish coats

6. 360-600 Super Fine
   Fine sanding of the finish to remove some of the shine. This is most often used when you are applying multiple coats of gloss or polyurethane.

Tips & Warnings

• The numbers for sandpaper grit run from lowest (most course) to highest (finest).