How to Use Sandpaper
Use the right type of sandpaper for the job., Select 3 grades of your sandpaper: coarse, medium and fine., Choose a closed-coat sandpaper for soft woods and open-coat paper for metals and hardwoods.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the right type of sandpaper for the job.
Aluminum oxide is the most popular sandpaper for woodworking, and it also works well on metal and cured finishes.
Garnet is often used on bare wood.
It wears quickly, but costs less than other sandpapers.
Silicon carbide is ideal for smoothing metals, plastics and joint compound.
It is also used to sand between coats of paint or finish, although it is not ideal for wood.
Ceramic sandpaper can be used on wood and is usually found on belt sanders. -
Step 2: Select 3 grades of your sandpaper: coarse
A sandpaper's grade will be indicated on the product, measured in "grit." Coarse-grade sandpaper has grit of 40 to 80, medium-grade has 100 to 120, and fine-grade has 150 to
220.
Coarse-grade paper is used to scratch away larger imperfections, and finer grades are used in the last stages of detail.
Grit can be as high as 600, but extra-fine sandpaper is not always necessary. , "Closed-coat" means that the paper is more densely covered in abrasive material than "open-coat" products. -
Step 3: medium and fine.
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Step 4: Choose a closed-coat sandpaper for soft woods and open-coat paper for metals and hardwoods.
Detailed Guide
Aluminum oxide is the most popular sandpaper for woodworking, and it also works well on metal and cured finishes.
Garnet is often used on bare wood.
It wears quickly, but costs less than other sandpapers.
Silicon carbide is ideal for smoothing metals, plastics and joint compound.
It is also used to sand between coats of paint or finish, although it is not ideal for wood.
Ceramic sandpaper can be used on wood and is usually found on belt sanders.
A sandpaper's grade will be indicated on the product, measured in "grit." Coarse-grade sandpaper has grit of 40 to 80, medium-grade has 100 to 120, and fine-grade has 150 to
220.
Coarse-grade paper is used to scratch away larger imperfections, and finer grades are used in the last stages of detail.
Grit can be as high as 600, but extra-fine sandpaper is not always necessary. , "Closed-coat" means that the paper is more densely covered in abrasive material than "open-coat" products.
About the Author
Paul Hughes
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
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