How to Choose the Right Sandpaper For Your Work
                     How to Choose the Right 
Sandpaper For Your Work
WHAT IS 
SANDPAPER?
Sandpaper is sheet coated with 
abrasive, meaning it's made up of 
some abrasive "grain," which is 
affixed to some quiet backing – 
often paper, cloth, plastic, or maybe 
foam sponges or mesh. There may 
or might not be other added fillers or 
coatings, like stearation.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE
RIGHT SANDPAPER?
These days, there are several sorts of abrasive materials used on 
sandpaper products, including a couple of natural rocks/minerals and a 
couple of synthetic substances, manufactured in labs, each with its 
advantages and drawbacks.
SANDPAPER GRIT SIZE
For choosing suitable sandpaper, manufacturers identify a coarseness 
level. It is essentially a variety of grit sizes that are similarly effective for 
equivalent sanding work.
SANDPAPER GRIT SIZE
EXTRA COARSE SANDPAPER
The 24- to the 36-grit range is hard stuff. It's used for removing paint and polish that you 
think might never come off. The sanding of old floors can also require the abrasiveness of 
additional coarse sandpaper.
COARSE SANDPAPER
It's suitable for rough shaping of wood and, therefore, removing previous finishes, like light 
coats of polyurethane. Coarse grits are typically within the 40- to 50-grit range.
MEDIUM SANDPAPER
Starting from 60- to 100-grit, accommodates some final shaping. Primary sanding of rough 
wood and therefore removing designing marks on wood is usually best through with medium-
grit sandpaper.
SANDPAPER GRIT SIZE
FINE SANDPAPERS
It ranges from 120- to 220-grit. For many home workshops, 
this sandpaper will suffice for final sanding before the work 
is finished.
EXTRA FINE SANDPAPER
It is usually used for sanding paint or varnish. Very fine 
sandpaper has grit sizes of 240, 320, or 400, while superfine 
sandpaper features grits of up to 600, which are best suited 
for polishing jobs.
SANDPAPER ABRASIVE 
MATERIAL
Not only does the density of sandpaper grit make a difference in the 
success of your sanding project, but the abrasive does, too. Some grit 
grains are better suited to smooth and sand types of materials (wood 
versus metal, for example).
FLINT
A natural grain, flint is durable and compatible for sanding off 
surface products, like old varnish or paint.
EMERY
A natural grain, emery sandpaper is most frequently used for removing 
corrosion and polishing steel and other metals. The sides of its particles 
are often too sharp for sanding wood.
SANDPAPER 
BACKING MATERIAL
Sandpaper was originally backed with paper—hence the name—but lately, 
you'll also find it backed with fabric or film, which helps make it longer-
lasting. Fabric-backed sandpaper is often used dry or wet.
PAPER 
If the material needs flexible sanding, then choosing a lighter weight paper 
is a better choice. However, paper with a heavier weight is more robust 
and fewer likely to tear. 
CLOTH
Cloth-backed sandpaper is used for dry sanding operations and is ideal for 
heavy material removal. It is often suitable for tearing into strips and for using 
for contours, like stair spindles.
For More Information
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