Have you ever wondered about sandpaper? You see it around, maybe in the toolbox, or maybe you’ve used it to smooth down some rough wood. It’s a handy little thing, isn’t it? It’s all about that “grit” stuff. Grit? Yeah, it sounds like something you’d find at a breakfast table, but trust me, you wouldn’t want this on your plate.
Now, let’s dig deeper. Stay with me, okay? This grit thing, it’s not hard to understand, I promise.
In this post, I’ll show you What Grit Mean for Sandpaper.
what are sandpaper grit numbers?
Sandpaper grit numbers refer to the size of the abrasive particles embedded in the sandpaper. They represent the number of abrasive particles per square inch. The concept is simple: the larger the number, the more particles there are, and the smaller each particle is. This means a finer, less aggressive sanding action.
Types of sandpaper Grit number
Low grit numbers (like 40, 80, or 100)
These sandpapers have fewer, larger particles. They are coarser and remove more material, making them ideal for heavy-duty tasks like removing old paint or smoothing rough surfaces.
Medium grit numbers (like 150, 180, or 220)
These sandpapers offer a balance between rough removal and fine finishing. They’re often used for lighter removal tasks and initial smoothing of the surface.
High grit numbers (like 800, 1000, or 2000)
These sandpapers have many more, much smaller particles. They are finer and remove less material, perfect for finishing tasks like polishing a surface to a high shine or smoothing between coats of paint or varnish.
high grit vs low grit sandpaper?
The high grit numbers, like 1000, 1500, or 2000, are your smooth operators. They’re like a gentle breeze on a summer day. Use these when you want to polish something to a shine or just take off a little roughness. It’s like using a soft brush to clean an old, valuable painting – you wouldn’t want to damage it, right?
Then, there are low grit numbers, like 40, 80, or 100. These are your tough guys, ready to take on the big jobs. They’re more like a rough windstorm, good for getting rid of the hard stuff. When you’ve got a piece of wood with loads of rough patches, these are the guys you call. It’s like using a wire brush to clean a dirty barbecue grill.
What Does Grit Mean for Sandpaper
“grit” refers to the size of the abrasive particles embedded in the paper. The abrasive particles (or “grit”) are what do the work of sanding or smoothing the surface you’re working on.
The grit is usually made from materials like aluminum oxide or silicon carbide, and it can be of different sizes. The size of the grit is indicated by a number on the sandpaper.
Sandpaper Grit Chart
Grit Size | Average Particle Size (micrometers) | Range (micrometers) | Common Use |
---|---|---|---|
40 – 60 | 425 – 250 | 530 – 190 | Heavy sanding and stripping, such as removing paint or varnish |
80 – 120 | 190 – 125 | 250 – 90 | Smoothing and shaping wood, like shaping a homemade birdhouse |
150 – 180 | 90 – 70 | 125 – 53 | Final smoothing before applying a finish, like smoothing a wooden spoon you’re carving |
220 – 240 | 68 – 58 | 82 – 44 | Light sanding between finish coats, like sanding a table between coats of varnish |
320 – 400 | 46 – 35 | 58 – 26 | Final finishing, like polishing a guitar to a high shine |
600+ | Less than 26 | 25 – 5 | Polishing and refining a finish, like getting a car’s paint job to look like a mirror |
Key Takeaway
It’s all about picking the right grit for the job. Low grit numbers, they’re the heavy lifters. High grit numbers, those are your detail artists. And in the middle? Those are your everyday workhorses.