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🪚Grab the wrong grit and you either take forever or wreck the surface. Understand the numbers and you sand faster and finish smoother. Here is how to pick the right grade.
Sandpaper looks simple, but the grit number makes all the difference between a job that flies and one that drags or gets ruined. Too coarse and you gouge the surface, too fine and you are there all day. Getting the grade right, and working through the grits in order, is the secret to a smooth finish.
This guide explains what the grit numbers mean, how coarse and fine grades differ, and which sandpaper to use for the job.
📌Quick summary
The grit number tells you how coarse the abrasive is. A low number, like 40 or 60, is coarse with big, aggressive particles that remove material fast. A high number, like 240 or above, is fine with tiny particles that smooth and refine. Once you have that straight, the whole system makes sense.
Abrasives fall into rough bands: coarse for heavy stock removal and stripping, medium for general sanding and preparation, and fine to very fine for finishing and between coats. Most jobs move through two or three of these bands as they progress. Here’s a quick chart to keep handy.
| Grit | Grade | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 60 | Coarse | Stripping paint and varnish, levelling rough timber, removing rust |
| 80 to 120 | Medium | General sanding, smoothing timber and removing light marks |
| 150 to 240 | Fine | Final sanding before finishing and a light key between coats |
| 280 to 400 | Very fine | Smoothing between coats of paint or varnish |
| 600 and up | Extra fine | Wet sanding and polishing finishes |
Reach for coarse grit when you need to remove material fast: stripping old paint, levelling rough timber, or knocking back a weld. It works quickly but leaves visible scratches, so it is a starting point, not a finish.
Fine grit is for refining and finishing: smoothing a surface, preparing between coats of paint or varnish, and getting that final feel. It removes very little material, so it is about surface quality, not shaping.
💬Not sure which grit your job needs? The team at Select Fasteners in Heatherbrae can point you the right way. Give them a call on (02) 4020 7951.
The smoothest finish comes from working up through the grits in order, not jumping straight from coarse to fine. Each grade removes the scratches left by the one before. Skip too many steps and the coarse scratches show through the finish, so step up gradually.
Different materials call for different papers. There are papers made for timber, metal and paint prep, and wet-and-dry paper for use with water on finer finishing work. Matching the paper type to the material, as well as the grit, makes a real difference.
Our abrasives range includes sandpaper and abrasive paper, along with other abrasives for the job. The trade specialist team at the Heatherbrae store has decades of experience and can help you pick the right grades.
You will also find the hand tools and prep gear to go with your abrasives in the same shop, so you can sort the whole job in one trip.
The grit number tells you how coarse the paper is. A lower number is coarser and removes material faster, while a higher number is finer and smooths the surface. So 60 grit is coarse and aggressive, and 240 grit is fine and for finishing.
Finer. The higher the grit number, the smaller the abrasive particles and the smoother the finish. Lower numbers are coarser and remove more material.
Start coarse enough to do the job efficiently and no coarser. For heavy removal or stripping, begin with a coarse grit. For light preparation, start with a medium grade. Then step up through finer grits to finish.
Step up gradually rather than jumping from coarse straight to fine. Skipping too many grades leaves coarse scratches that show through the finish. Moving up a grade or two at a time removes the previous scratches cleanly.
A fine grit is used for a light key between coats, just enough to smooth the surface and help the next coat bond. Check the paint or finish directions, as they often recommend a grit range.
Wet-and-dry paper is used with water on finer finishing work, such as smoothing paint or metal. The water carries away dust, reduces clogging and gives a smoother result on fine grades.
The right grit, worked in the right order, gives a fast job and a smooth finish. The team at Select Fasteners in Heatherbrae will help you pick the grades your job needs.
Give the team a call on (02) 4020 7951, drop by the store at 1 Archibald Place, Heatherbrae, or send us an online enquiry!
We supply abrasives, tools and trade supplies across Port Stephens, Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and Dungog, with the largest range north of the Hunter River.
Select Fasteners is a specialist fastener and industrial supplies business based at 1 Archibald Place, Heatherbrae NSW, serving Port Stephens, Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and Dungog. This article is general information only and does not account for the specific conditions of your project. For advice specific to your job, get in touch with the team.
02 4020 7951
