This is a good choice for bare wood finishes such as coarse cut timber, wood that has been stripped and needs to get rid of leftover paint, and rubbing down previously painted woodwork ready for painting. Wet and dry sanding generally happens at the end of your project, when you want a light, delicate and smooth finish. As its name suggests, wet and dry sandpaper uses water as a lubricant. It doesn’t remove much material, but it can deliver an extremely fine finish. Water has the added bonus of reducing airborne particles, so assuming you have something to stop the water dripping on the floor, it can be a cleaner way of sanding. The best orbital sandpaper you can buy in 2023 1. S SATC 125mm Sanding Discs: Best-value orbital sandpaper Large particles fit through larger holes. Because they’re larger, a standard filtering screen requires fewer of them. Consequently, coarser grits are known by smaller numbers than finer grits, much like larger-diameter wires have smaller gauge numbers in the American Wire Gauge system. While fine sandpaper with a higher grit is a must-have in any toolbox, it should only be used after you have already worked the surface with other tools or with a coarser grit of sandpaper.

Usually made from silicon carbide or aluminium oxide, these materials' size is measured in microns (one-millionth of a meter). The bigger the number, the coarser grains of sandpaper will be. A good example would be silicon carbide at 220 grit, which is a coarse grade of paper. Medium-grade sandpaper is far more versatile and gentle enough for any surface that doesn't need paint removed, or rust stripped – like wood floors (unless they're very old) and metal siding. This grade gives you great results but isn't as aggressive as the coarse one. If you don't have a specific job in mind when shopping around for sheets of sandpaper, this is the one you should go for. It will work on a variety of surfaces and can be used in different types of situations. You should have a range of sandpapers in your toolbox and move from coarse to progressively finer sandpapers. Sandpaper grit is the standard way to measure how rough or smooth a piece of sandpaper is. Essentially, it tells you how coarse or fine that particular sheet is. For example, number 12 sandpaper has more abrasive particles per square inch than number 80. Simply put, more grit means rougher paper, and less grit refers to smoother paper so on. Aside from not wasting labor, overworking a particular area might cause it to look blotchy or shiny. It can be challenging to reverse the damage and give your surface a uniform appearance.

The best orbital sandpaper you can buy in 2023

So, when shopping for sandpaper, the only thing you need to know is what result you are trying to achieve. Know When You Need Extra Coarse Specifically made for bare wood, rough wood, and natural wood, these 3M Garnet sandpaper sheets have garnet abrasive particles for a smooth finish when hand sanding. The manufacturer suggests that it's better to go with the grain when sanding wood, progressively using finer grits until the surface is smooth. With some extra labor, you can use it as macro grit and shape wood and round edges. However, you can also make the most of it when giving your project the last finishes. Have a Range of Sandpapers For example, you can use this type of sandpaper to round rough edges or corners of hardwood and other tough materials. Abrasive particles come in many sizes and shapes, with the most common particle shape being round. The smaller the particle is that makes up an abrasive, the rougher it will be on a surface because there are more edges to each particle as its size decreases. Sandpaper grit numbers express how many thousandths of an inch wide (called microns) one side of a piece of sandpaper is. For example, 400 grit is about .4mm (4000 micron) wide per side and 8000 grit is about .08mm (.008mm per side).

If you are in the market for sandpaper for wood, wallpaper, or metal, the 3M 9017 coarse-grit sandpaper is a great option for rough sanding. One of the many happy customers explained that it “works so much better than generic brands.”For example, sandpaper marked with the number 800 in the CAMI standards will correspond to a FEPA’ P2000 or P1500. On the other hand, a coarser paper may accomplish a slightly smoother finish than a finer paper. Its main advantage is the speed of material removal. Also Available at: Walmart , Auto Zone 3. Best Coarse Sandpaper for Sanding Wood—3M 9017 Coarse Grit Sandpaper Coarse sandpaper has the lowest numbers. The abrasive material is made of bigger particles designed to cut through most materials. Indeed, for your project, you are likely to need more coarse sandpaper to remove some of the material first – and then you can use the finer sandpaper to add the finishing touches.

Medium (80-grit): This is often the first grade chosen when going through the grits to prepare wood for finishing. Use it to hand sand, or with a belt or orbital sander. It’s also good for removing rust and corrosion from metal. For most DIY sanding projects you will need 60-240 grit sandpaper (Image credit: Steven Jenkins) Should I sand by hand or use a power sander?Thanks to its high versatility, you can use it to round edges and corners or apply the finishing touches to your piece. For example, you might find indications such as “suitable for metals, painted surfaces, wood, and plastic” or “general purpose.”