Sandpaper for wood: types and application technology

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Wood sandpaper is an indispensable tool for wood processing, which has been known to mankind for a very long time. Currently, there is a large assortment on the market, which can complicate the choice for a beginner.

In this article we will get acquainted with the existing types of sandpaper and its classification.

Processing wood with sandpaper

How to sand oak correctly?

Grinding

We start with 80 grit. We work with it carefully, removing only large irregularities. Then we repeat the treatment with sandpaper at 120, then at 180 and 240. During the work, we must periodically remove dust and inspect the surface to identify unevenness and other defects.

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Classification of sandpaper by grain size

There are different standards for classifying sandpaper by grit. Much depends on the country and year of production. In the international classification, the following designation is adopted for abrasive materials: the letter P (indicates that this is a material on a flexible basis. For materials that are not on a flexible basis, the letter F is used) and a number that indicates the grain size.

From small to large numbers, the graininess decreases.

• P40 – P60

. Used for primary rough processing of wood. This paper should be used if there are any knots, chips, or severe unevenness on the surface.

• P70 – P120

. Basic surface cleaning work. Removing old varnish or paint layer.

• P150 – P180

. Final surface treatment before applying decor, primer, and paint.

• P220 – P360

. Excellent for intermediate sanding stages. For example, interlayer sanding during varnishing, for polishing the paint layer.

“Sandpaper” with numbers starting from 400

used mainly for polishing surfaces, if necessary.

Types of sandpaper with grain size from 1000

are used mainly only in the professional activities of auto repair shops, carpentry, furniture shops, etc.

Separately, I would like to talk about such a convenient thing as an sandpaper holder. In cases where you have to grind large and smooth surfaces, you simply cannot do without it!

The holder (or grater) for sandpaper is a hard plastic block with clamps that secure the sandpaper.

Other sanding materials

In addition to sandpaper, which is used for sanding, you can rub the finishing putty on the walls with other materials or devices. These include:

1. Abrasive mesh - used for manual processing in the same way as sandpaper. It differs from sandpaper in that it does not become clogged with dust and lasts longer. The price of mesh is higher compared to sandpaper, but due to lower consumption and convenient use, the cost is justified.
2. An electric paper grater is a device with a handle onto which sandpaper is attached and moves on shafts like a belt. The skin wears out more slowly, the processing process goes faster.
3. An electric grater with a mesh is similar to the previous device, only an abrasive mesh is attached to it. It works due to vibration and displacement of the rubbing surface in different directions relative to the handle.
4. An electric grater that works using a rotating plane with an abrasive coating. Sandpaper or abrasive mesh is used.

It’s not difficult to figure out which sandpaper to use for grouting walls. Labeling the material will help with this. The most difficult thing is to achieve decent results. Mastery comes with time and experience.

It is better for a novice master to choose a manual grinding device. Sandpaper is much cheaper than other materials for grouting walls. And if you choose it correctly, then a good result will not take long to arrive.

When choosing which sandpaper to rub the putty with your own hands, you should opt for coarse-grained sandpaper marked from 120 to 180. For finishing sanding, fine-grained sandpaper with numbers from 220 to 280 is perfect.

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Application

• Sandpaper for wood in carpentry is necessary when preparing the surface for painting or varnishing.
• In construction, sandpaper is used to clean out sagging on plaster and putty, and wood fibers before use. The sandpaper also helps get rid of paint smudges.
• Car repair: stripping old paint, preparing the surface for puttying, matting the gloss.
• In the production and repair of furniture and in many other industries.

How to choose?

When choosing, you should pay attention not only to the cost, but also to the characteristics of the product.

• Grain size of the material. The choice of fraction is made based on the purpose of the purchase: P22...P60 sandpaper is suitable for the primary preparation of wood. To prepare a wood or metal surface for painting, choose P240 or finer.

• Material is the basis. For long-term work, it is worth buying an abrasive on a fabric or combined basis. If manual leveling of surfaces is expected, paper will do.
• For manual labor, you can take a product of any format. For grinding machines and machines, it is more convenient to choose special wheels or strips that do not need to be cut and glued.

Devices for work

For high-quality grinding of the top layer of putty, one sandpaper or grouting mesh is not enough. It is necessary to have an arsenal of additional devices that will make the process easier and faster. The mandatory list includes:

Grinders or graters, which are a block on which abrasive material is fixed using a manual or automatic clamp. Correctly attaching the mesh or paper to such a device is not difficult.

Leveling process

To ensure high quality grinding, you must adhere to some rules for carrying out work:

• You can start grouting only after the finish coating has completely hardened. It is recommended to wait at least 24 hours after applying the last layer of putty;
• before starting work, you need to protect furniture and floors from dust with a covering film;
• First you need to mark the most obvious surface defects. You can determine their location using a lamp;
• It is recommended to start cleaning from the corners. Do not put too much pressure on the grater, otherwise you can create a “bald spot”, which will then have to be putty again;
• It’s better to immediately decide which sandpaper to rub the putty on. It is not recommended to change the abrasive material during operation;
• If you find depressions in the coating, you should not try to smooth them out with grout. It is better to then carefully putty them and sand them again.

Processing walls with a sander takes less time, but requires some skill. You may not calculate the force of pressure and ruin the coating.

Important! Ultimately, walls after mechanical grouting of putty require modification, because after it, as a rule, a lot of small defects remain.

How to choose sanding paper grit

Specialists from the technological department of the Belgorod Abrasive Department have developed recommendations for selecting grinding tools, depending on what material needs to be processed and what operation is being performed. Recommendations can be found in Table 2.

Table 2.

Table 2 shows the most common applications for sandpaper.

Flexible grinding tools are actively used in more than 50 segments. In addition to wood and metal, the materials processed can be stone, rubber, leather, glass, and plastic.

When selecting a tool, you can independently refer to our recommended tables, or contact the sales department specialists of BAZ OJSC and receive detailed information on the products.

Recommended articles:

Composition and scope of application of sanding paper.

Grinding grain: types, properties and applications.

Grinding quality control

They check the quality of grinding in the same way as identifying coating defects before starting work. A beam of light is directed at the wall at an acute angle. A shadow will appear in places where unevenness remains.

It’s more difficult to sand the ceiling, but if you want, you can handle this job without any problems

If everything is done efficiently, then even without painting the surfaces will look great.