If you’ve ever taken on a craft project where you’re working with wood and you didn’t have sandpaper (or didn’t think it was necessary), you probably have an interesting story to tell regarding the finished surface.
Don’t feel bad. Anyone who is not a carpenter by trade has probably done it.
It’s really easy to underestimate the impact sandpaper will have on your woodworking project, especially for the novice Weekend Warrior.
Problems usually arise when we don’t use sandpaper properly or when we’re just so anxious to get to the “fun” painting or finishing stage that we put forth a less than thorough effort.
Not to worry, with our handy guide on this invaluable material, your sandpaper issues will be a thing of the past.
Sandpaper is similar to other cutting tools, and as such, should be used properly to get the most effective use out of it.
While sandpaper is “gritty”, those scratching elements actually tell you most of what you need to know. A sandpaper’s “grit” is determined by the number of abrasive pieces located in any given square inch.
The levels of grit you may need ultimately depends on the project you are undertaking and how professional you want to appear.
In most cases, however, three levels of sandpaper should suffice. Coarse sandpaper (40-60 grit) is used for your heavier stripping and sanding needs.
A medium sandpaper naturally follows suit and has around 80-120 scrubbing particles per square inch. Medium-grit sandpapers are well-suited to remove marks and slight imperfections.
After the heavy sanding has been done and the surface is relatively smooth, fine-grit sandpaper (150-180 per square inch) is the last sanding that is generally necessary before you finish the wood with a paint or a stain.
Just so you’re aware, there are two general types of sandpaper: commercial and industrial. Commercial is what you’ll find at any home improvement store. You shouldn’t find yourself needing the industrial grade unless you plan on manufacturing furniture on a large scale.
If not, then rest assured knowing you’ll be fully prepared for your next project with the right assortment of sandpaper in your toolkit.