![]() Macro Sandpaper Grit Guide Very FineĬoarser than very fine micro sandpaper and with a CAMI of 150 – 220 or FEPA P150 – P220, this sandpaper can be used to sand down fine wood. With a 240 CAMI or FEPA P240 – 360, very fine sandpaper is the least abrasive and is best used when applying sanding finishes between consecutive coats when working with drywall or wood. Ranging from 360 – 320 CAMI or FEPA P400 – P600, extra-fine sandpaper should be used during the initial wood polishing stages. Superfine grit is usually used for final wood finishing. Ranging from 400 – 600 CAMI or FEPA P800 – P1200, this fine-grit sandpaper slightly wipes away patches and/or minor inconsistencies but isn’t strong enough for complete removal. Ranging from 800 to1000 CAMI or FEPA P1500, this grit has incredibly delicate abrasives and should be used in the final sanding stages or when polishing thick finishes. Below is an essential sandpaper grits guide: Micro Sandpaper Grit Guide Ultra Fine Micro grits are primarily used on wood and some drywall, whereas macro sandpapers are used on tougher metals and hardier wood because they have a more robust clearance. Sandpaper grit ranges can be divided into two types: micro and macro grit sandpapers. If there is a “P” in front of the grit number, for example, P300, then you know it follows the FEPA grading system. ![]() Sandpaper is labeled on the back with the grit size. CAMI is used mainly in North America and FEPA in Europe. Globally, the two standardized sandpaper grit charts are the Coated Abrasives Manufacturers Institute (CAMI) and the Federation of European Producers Association (FEPA). The larger the particle, the fewer can fit through at once. What does the Sandpaper Grit Size Mean?Ĭontrary to popular belief, sandpaper grading size does not refer to the size of the abrasive materials but rather how many particles can fit through a 1 square inch filter. Here’s a basic sandpaper grit guide to help you decide which grit is best for you. Sandpaper grit size will affect your finished project’s quality, so it’s important to know how and when to use which size. If you’ve ever tried to purchase some at your local hardware store, you’ve likely noticed that it comes in many different grit sizes, which can quickly become overwhelming. Sandpaper is an essential but often underrated tool that can help you finesse your drywall, woodworking, and metal projects. Don’t take a shortcut by spot-refinishing isolated damage or a chipped section: “No stain will match the way your grandmother’s walnut table aged in the sun of her dining room for 60 years,” Hamm says.Sandpaper Grit Guide: What You Need to Know If you don’t love the natural color of the wood, find a stain you like. “Furniture oils sink in and protect wood beyond the surface, and can be reapplied in the future to bring out rich colors in the wood without shine.” Try teak oil for denser woods, or tung or Danish oil for all-purpose finishing. “Once I strip everything off raw wood, I’ll go straight for an oil,” Hamm says. Finish by wiping down the table with a tack cloth so it’s free of dust, then sand the surface again, this time with your 120-grit, to polish the wood. You can sand by hand, but a mechanical sander makes the job go, ahem, much smoother. Starting with the roughest sandpaper (60-grit), sand in the direction of the grain. Sand down the table after with an 80- to 120-grit sandpaper to ensure that the surface is as smooth as possible.Īlternatively, use coarse sandpaper to remove the original top coat from the table. Once the stripper softens the finish, run a putty knife or scraper along the grain of the wood to remove the first finish. In general, you’ll want to wear rubber gloves and long sleeves and work in a well-ventilated area. You can use a chemical stripper to remove the original coats of paint or stain just make sure you’re following proper instructions on the product label. When it comes to the old finish, you’ve got a few options. Use standard cleaning supplies, like an all-purpose cleaner. Before you strip the current finish, thoroughly clean the entire table to remove any dirt, oil, or grease, Otherwise, you’ll be grinding the debris into the wood as you sand. The biggest mistake first-timers make with refinishing is not reserving enough time to clean, or prep the surface. If you’re not sure what kind of wood surface you’re working with, Hamm recommends looking at the grain of the wood: “If it repeats across the width of the grain, it’s veneer, because it’s been rotary-sliced off a single log to make a sheet.” Step 2: Clean your wood table Refinishing laminate won’t work-it’s plastic. Solid wood is a better candidate for refinishing than veneer, which tends to be thinner.
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