What type of sandpaper to use

The differences lie in a few areas, namely the material used as the grit, the backing material paper and the glue used to hold the grit onto the paper. Industrial grades use higher quality materials for all three components. Additionally, you may see sandpapers that are rated as either "open-coat" or "closed-coat".

The difference is that closed-coat sandpaper has the grit particles grouped more closely together, where open-coat sandpapers have larger gaps between the particles. As a general rule, open-coat is typically better for woodworking, as it clogs less often, particularly when working with softwoods that contain more resin. There are five main types of sandpaper available, but not all are conducive for woodworking. Glasspaper, also known as flint paper, is lightweight, typically a pale yellow color.

Glasspaper disintegrates easily and is rarely used for woodworking. Garnet paper is usually a brownish-red color, which is commonly used in woodworking. It will not sand wood as quickly as other sandpapers but leaves a better finish. Garnet is an excellent choice for finish sanding. Aluminum oxide is another common type of sandpaper for woodworking projects.

It is the type of paper most often used in power sanders. Aluminum oxide is more durable than garnet paper but doesn't leave as nice of a finish.

Silicon Carbide paper is typically a dark gray or even black. This type of paper is used primarily for finishing metals or for "wet-sanding", using water as a lubricant.

While some advanced finishes use Silicon Carbide paper, it is not typically used in woodworking. Finally, Ceramic sandpaper is made of some of the most durable abrasives available and can remove considerable amounts of material in a hurry. Ceramic paper is often used for belt sander belts but sometimes is used for hand shaping of wood.

It will usually leave a very rough finish, so exercise care when using Ceramic sandpaper, particularly on plywood and veneers, where it can quickly sand through the finish layer and ruin a piece. In most general woodworking applications, you'll likely find that starting with varying coarse-grit Aluminum Oxide papers for the initial sanding steps followed by finer-grit Garnet papers will leave a very smooth finish that will show off your woodworking skills and give you a very nice platform for staining or painting your woodworking project.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Sandpaper materials are rated for coarseness or fineness by their grit number. The higher the number, the finer the grit, and the less rough the sandpaper.

Coarse sandpaper removes material faster but leaves deep scratches. Fine sandpaper removes less material and leaves a smoother surface. Grits can range between 24 for heavy material removal to and beyond for the gentlest sandpapers. Aluminum oxide is synthetic sandpaper that commonly comes in sheets and other forms for hand- and machine-sanding.

It is a good all-around choice for sanding bare wood and metal and for painted surfaces. It can provide excellent results when used on a power sander but is equally suited to hand-sanding. Ceramic sandpapers are composed of synthetic material normally reddish-brown in color. Ceramic sandpapers are extremely durable and hard and are ideal for use with power sanders. This type of sandpaper can be more expensive than others but can produce ideal results for rough sanding. It lasts four to six times longer than other good sandpapers and is excellent when deep wood removal is required.

Garnet is a natural sandpaper material that wears rapidly, although it provides a finer finish as it wears down. This type of sandpaper is normally a reddish or golden brown color. It is ideal for hand-sanding and lighter, finer work. It tends to be less expensive than other sandpapers and is commonly sold in sheet form. Garnet abrasives have hard, sharp edges that fracture during sanding, creating fresh cutting edges, but the sandpaper overall wears relatively quickly. Silicon carbide sandpaper often features a waterproof backing.

Usually blue-gray or black in color, it can be used on wet or dry surfaces and is ideal for sanding metal, sanding between coats of finish, and polishing smooth surfaces. It is less likely to clog than other sandpapers, and it provides excellent results on metal, plastic, and fiberglass. Wet-sanding with water helps to reduce clogging and extends the life of the abrasive. It is great for sanding metal for repainting, prior to adding a primer coat.

Steel wool is a great material for removing sludge or rust from most surfaces before finishing. Steel wool is rated by a number scale to indicate coarseness.

Grade 4 is the most coarse; grade is the finest. Grade is so fine it can be used to clean window glass. Other abrasives include diamond stones and water stones, for sharpening knife blades and other tools ; scrapers steel cutouts , for finely shaving wood; and abrasive sponges, for working in corners or on oddly shaped pieces where sandpaper can't reach.