Sandpaper and abrasive cloth products have a variety of applications around the home for the DIYer or dry applications. Sandpaper is available in a variety of sizes (lengths and widths), abrasive types, and grits to cover all of your home improvement needs.
Coat Type and Abrasive Material
Sandpaper is available in open coat (i.e. there are spaces between the particles) formats. You'll want to consider whether or not the surface you're sanding has a tendency to load, or clog the sandpaper. If so, choose an open coat sandpaper, as it resists clogging. The particles on the sand paper may consist of:
* Aluminum oxide: Widely available and useful for a variety of applications.
* Garnet: Primarily used for wood sanding.
* Silicon carbide: Great for wet/dry use.
* Zirconium oxide: Papers designed to be used with grinding machines usually use this material.
* Chromium oxide: Used for very fine sanding.
Paper Shapes
* Sheets: Great for hand sanding and comes in a variety of sizes.
* Belts: Made to be used with portable and bench sanders.
*velcro.
*sanding blocks.
Grit Sizes
Perhaps the most important factor to consider when shopping for sandpaper is the grit size, or the size of the particles that are stuck to the sandpaper backing. Different grits are suited for different applications. In general, a smaller grit number means a coarser sandpaper, and the grits range from P3000 for most household needs. Consult the sandpaper packaging and your project instructions to find the perfect grit size for your application.
