Sandpaper Grits and Types for Woodworking

Sandpaper seems simple until you are staring at a wall of packs that all claim to be “finish ready.” I have burned through plenty of paper (and a couple of projects) learning the hard way that the grit number and the abrasive type matter just as much as the tool you are using. And “finish ready” usually just means “fine grit,” not “ready for your specific wood and finish.”

This guide will help you choose sandpaper like a pro: what grit to start with, when to jump up, what paper lasts longest, and which kind won’t ruin your finish at the last second.

What grit numbers mean

Sandpaper grit is a rating that corresponds to abrasive particle size based on a grading standard. Lower numbers are coarser and remove material faster. Higher numbers are finer and remove scratches left by the previous grit.

Quick rule of thumb

• 40 to 60 grit: Heavy removal. Stripping thick finish, shaping, flattening rough sawn lumber.
• 80 grit: Fast stock removal without being wildly aggressive. My most-used “starting grit” for rough boards.
• 100 to 120 grit: General smoothing after 80. Often the last grit before stain on forgiving woods.
• 150 to 180 grit: Pre-finish smoothing for many hardwoods, and a safer spot before staining blotch-prone softwoods.
• 220 grit: Pre-finish for some clear coats, and sometimes for knocking down heavier dust nibs after a first coat (more on that below).
• 320 to 400 grit: Between coats on many finishes, or final rubdown before polishing.
• 600+ grit: Polishing cured finishes, not raw wood in most cases.

Know your grit labels: you will see FEPA “P” grits (like P180) and CAMI/ANSI grits (often just “180”). They are close, but not identical. The real best practice is consistency. Stick to one line of paper for a project when you can, especially for your final sanding grits.

Choose the abrasive type

Grit is only half the story. The abrasive material controls how the paper cuts, how long it lasts, and whether it clogs up the moment you touch pine or old finish.

Aluminum oxide

This is the most common sandpaper abrasive and it is a great default for wood. It fractures as it wears, exposing fresh cutting edges, so it tends to last longer than the cheapest papers.

• Best for: general sanding, leveling, most hardwoods and softwoods
• Buy it when: you want one workhorse paper for hand sanding and power sanding

Silicon carbide

Silicon carbide cuts fast and is commonly used for wet or dry sanding, especially on finishes. It can wear quicker on raw wood, but it shines when sanding between coats or rubbing out a finish.

• Best for: sanding finishes, wet sanding, smoothing cured clear coat
• Buy it when: you are working on varnish, lacquer, polyurethane, or paint between coats

Zirconia alumina

Zirconia is a beast on coarse grits and holds up under pressure. If you are flattening tabletops, sanding epoxy drips, or dealing with very hard wood, zirconia discs and belts can save time and money.

• Best for: aggressive sanding, belts, coarse discs, hardwood leveling
• Buy it when: your 60 or 80 grit aluminum oxide keeps dying too fast

Ceramic

Ceramic abrasives are designed for high-performance sanding and they last. If you sand a lot, this is the “buy once, cry once” upgrade that often pays for itself in fewer disc changes.

• Best for: serious stock removal, flattening large surfaces, production-level sanding
• Buy it when: you are tired of burning through packs of discs on big jobs

Garnet

Garnet paper is common in sheets and tends to leave a pleasant scratch pattern on wood, but it wears faster. I still like it for light hand sanding where I want control.

• Best for: hand sanding, final touch-ups
• Skip it when: you need durability on a power sander

Pick the backing

The backing affects flexibility, tear resistance, and how well dust clears.

Paper backing

• Pros: affordable, widely available, great for sheets
• Cons: tears easier, especially on sharp edges
• Best use: hand sanding, light to medium power sanding

Cloth backing

• Pros: strong and tear-resistant
• Cons: usually used in belts, not as common in discs/sheets
• Best use: belt sanders, heavy duty sanding

Film backing

• Pros: very consistent grit spacing, durable, often leaves a more uniform scratch pattern
• Cons: costs more
• Best use: finish sanding when you care about a clean, predictable result

Mesh sanding

• Pros: excellent dust flow, less clogging, longer disc life when paired with a vacuum
• Cons: can be pricier, feel can be different than paper
• Best use: random orbit sanding with dust extraction, dust-heavy projects

Open coat vs closed coat

This matters a lot on wood.

• Open coat: more space between abrasive grains, resists clogging. Better for softwoods, resinous woods, and paint.
• Closed coat: more abrasive coverage, often cuts a bit faster and leaves a more uniform scratch pattern, but clogs sooner on gummy materials.

Grit progressions

The goal is to remove the scratches from the previous grit without wasting time. Huge jumps leave deep scratches behind that show up the moment you apply finish.

A simple progression rule

A good starting rule is to move up in steps of about 1.5x to 2x the grit number. In real life that looks like: 80 → 120 → 180 → 220, or 60 → 80 → 120 → 150 → 180. Some premium film and mesh abrasives cut differently, and some manufacturers recommend smaller jumps. If you are seeing random scratches, tighten the steps.

Rough lumber and milling marks

• Start: 60 or 80
• Then: 120
• Finish sanding: 180 (most projects) or 220 (some clear coats and picky hardwood)

Stripping old finish

If you are sanding finish off, remember this: sandpaper removes wood just as enthusiastically as it removes polyurethane.

• Start: 80 (or 60 if the finish is thick and you are careful)
• Then: 120 to remove the worst scratches
• Then: 150 or 180 to prep for stain or clear coat

Tip: If the finish is very thick or gummy, consider a chemical stripper or a heat gun first. You will save paper, time, and your lungs.

Leveling joints and glue lines

• Start: 80 (or 100 if it is already close)
• Then: 120
• Then: 150/180

Glue warning: dried glue laughs at stain. Scrape squeeze-out early, then sand. If you sand glue into the grain, it can leave light patches after staining.

Paint prep on trim and doors

• Glossy paint scuff: 150 to 180
• Rough spots and edges: 120 then 180
• Between coats of paint: 220 (lightly)

Glass-smooth clear coat

Two different stages here: sanding the wood, and sanding the finish.

• Wood sanding before finish: 120 → 150 → 180 (sometimes 220)
• Between coats: usually 320 or 400 (or a gray pad). Use 220 only when you truly need to level a rough first coat or knock down heavier nibs, and follow the finish manufacturer’s guidance.
• Final rubout after full cure: 600 → 800 → 1000+ depending on how level the surface is (then polish if desired)

Stop points before staining

This is where a lot of folks accidentally sand themselves into a blotchy mess. Sanding too fine can burnish the surface and reduce stain absorption, especially on softwoods and blotch-prone species.

Practical stopping points

• Pine, fir, spruce: stop at 150 or 180. Consider a pre-stain conditioner.
• Poplar: 180 is usually safe.
• Oak, ash: 180 to 220 works well because the open grain still takes stain.
• Maple, birch, cherry: 180 is a good default. These can blotch, so test first and consider conditioner or a dye instead of pigment stain.

My fence test: sand a scrap to your planned final grit, then wipe it with mineral spirits to preview the surface. If you are using waterborne finishes and want a safer preview than water, denatured alcohol flashes off fast and shows scratches without raising grain as much. If you do use water, expect raised grain and plan a quick final pass with your last grit.

Hand vs power sanding

Random orbit sander (ROS)

A ROS can leave swirl marks if you rush grits or push too hard.

• Use light pressure and let the sander do the work.
• Vacuum often and use dust extraction if you can.
• Do not skip more than one grit step when you are near the finish line.

Sheet sander

Sheet sanders are gentler but can take longer to level. They are great for between-coat work and for folks who want a little more control. Keep the pad clean and don’t let a stray chunk of grit ride along, because even a sheet sander can carve a surprise scratch.

Hand sanding

I almost always finish with a quick hand sand with the grain using the final grit. It takes two minutes and it hides the little cross-grain scratches that power sanders can sneak in.

• Use a sanding block on flat surfaces: a hard or semi-flexible block keeps things flat. Sanding with just your fingers can dish out the soft grain and leave wavy panels.
• Save finger sanding for profiles: edges, roundovers, and curves where a block can’t fit.

Edges, veneer, and other gotchas

A quick caution that has saved me from some real heartbreak:

• Veneer sands through fast: start finer (often 120 or 150), use light pressure, and stop earlier. When in doubt, stop and check.
• Edges round over easily: a ROS loves to soften corners. Ease edges on purpose, but do it intentionally. I often hand sand edges and corners instead of leaning on the sander.
• Interface pads help: a soft interface pad can reduce swirl marks and edge cut-through on a ROS, especially on veneer or curved work.

Common sanding mistakes (I have made all of these)

• Starting too fine: 150 grit on rough lumber feels “safe” but it wastes time and still does not flatten the surface.
• Skipping grits: jumping 80 straight to 220 is how you get mystery scratches that only appear after finish.
• Pushing hard on a power sander: it slows the pad, creates heat, and can cause swirls.
• Not cleaning between grits: one chunk of 80 grit dust can carve a nice little canyon during your 180 pass.
• Sanding across the grain on the final pass: those scratches love to show up under stain and glossy finishes.
• Using worn paper too long: dull paper burnishes instead of cutting. If you feel like you are working too hard, change the disc.

Two quick checks I use all the time: scribble pencil lines on the surface and sand until they disappear evenly (great for showing low spots), and inspect in raking light before you move up a grit.

Cheat sheet by task

Stripping and heavy leveling

• Grit: 40 to 80
• Abrasive: zirconia or ceramic if you want durability
• Backing: discs or belts with strong backing, open coat helps on softwoods

General smoothing

• Grit: 100 to 150
• Abrasive: aluminum oxide
• Backing: paper or film

Pre-finish sanding

• Grit: 180 to 220
• Abrasive: aluminum oxide or film-backed paper for consistency
• Backing: film if you want a more uniform scratch pattern

Between finish coats

• Grit: usually 320 to 400 (sometimes 220 for heavier leveling on an early coat)
• Abrasive: silicon carbide works great here
• Tip: sand lightly. You are not trying to remove the finish, just knock down dust and give the next coat bite. Always follow the finish manufacturer’s recoat sanding recommendation.

My thrifty shopping advice

If you are trying to keep costs down (welcome to the club), buy fewer varieties and buy better quality within those.

• Keep these on hand: 80, 120, 180, 220 in your preferred disc size, plus 220 sheets for hand sanding.
• Upgrade where it counts: spend more on coarse discs (80 and below) because those take the most abuse.
• Match the holes: buy discs that match your sander’s hole pattern so dust extraction actually works.
• Store it dry and flat: curled, damp sheets tear and sand unevenly.

If you are not sure

If you only remember one process, make it this:

• Flatten and remove defects: 80
• Refine: 120
• Prep for finish: 180
• Optional for clear coat: 220
• Between coats: 320 to 400

Then test your finish on a scrap from the same wood. That one small step has saved me from more “why does this look weird?” moments than any fancy tool ever has.

Dust and safety

Last thing, because it matters: sanding dust is not just annoying, it is not great for you. Use dust extraction when you can, and wear a real respirator for fine dust (not just a floppy nuisance mask) if you are doing a lot of sanding or working with unknown finishes.