#Sandpaper grit pro

Pro Tip: If you’re sanding by hand, make sure to use a sanding block. Therefore, if you’re wondering what grit sandpaper to use for a car, the answer in most cases would be somewhere above this grit range. All that said, auto-sanding projects of this intensity are not the norm. Once the caked-on paint has been largely stripped with a 24 or 36-grit sandpaper, you’ll then need to smooth out those areas with a higher-grit, less intense sandpaper. This is when grits in the 30s range are most useful. Not only will the car be tough to sand down to its metal, but there will also be certain spots that will need more intense sanding than other spots. For example, if you have an older car that has been given numerous overcoats, to the point where some of the layers have worn in places over time, the overall surfaces can be an inconsistent, caked-on mess. Sandpaper in the 24 to 36-grit range is most appropriate for projects where the automobile has rough areas along the surface that need to be flattened out. Therefore, you should reserve the use of this grit on an automobile for extreme cases. However, sandpaper of this intensity could leave needlessly rough scratches on an even, smooth coat of paint. Typically, you’d use a grit of this intensity in projects where rough edges have formed along a panel.įor instance, if a car has been grazed along the side by a tree, a 24-grit piece of sandpaper could help even out the roughness. Here, we’ll explain which grit is right for each stage of a paint job and why.Īside from grinding discs, sandpapers in the 24 to 36 range are the roughest of all grits. Lower numbers indicate a coarser grit, while higher numbers indicate finer grits. You can tell the coarseness of a sandpaper’s grit by checking its number. In most situations, you’ll start with a rough grit and work your way up to increasingly smoother grits as you move on to the next stage of the project, depending on the sanding application. Grit Breakdown: Which Sandpaper Is Right for Your Project?īefore beginning work on a car, it’s essential to know which grit size you need to get each task done. The chart below breaks down each grit of flap disc available from National Abrasives, Inc.: Exceptional results: Flap discs provide a better overall finish with less gouging than other mechanical abrasive tools.įlap discs come in several different materials:.Lower vibration: Because they vibrate less than grinding wheels, flap discs generate less noise and allow for more comfortable operation.Cooler functioning temperature: They produce less heat than other abrasive tools, which reduces the risk of leaving behind scorch marks.Versatile: Flap discs can perform well even on bumpy or uneven surfaces.Here are a few of the benefits of using flap discs for your project: Visually, the difference is obvious - the flaps on flap discs face downwards while those on a flap wheel face directly outward. They’re different from flap wheels, which are meant for harder-to-access areas like the insides of pipes or tubes. They’re great tools for removing rust and polishing and shaping metal.

Shop Flap Discs Now Flap Disc Sandpaper Grit Chart For Auto Body Workįlap discs are grinding wheels that use layered flaps of coated abrasive to sand down surfaces. Whether you plan on doing it yourself or bringing your vehicle to a professional, knowing what goes into auto body work can help you to determine exactly what your car needs. Therefore, any car owner considering a new paint job should at least understand the grit intensities on the automotive sandpaper grit chart. In most cases, it’s best to remove the paint currently on the vehicle and start from square one. When the time comes to repaint a car, the task is more complex than just applying a new coat above the older paint job. Velcro & Heavy Duty Surface Conditioning Discs.Quick-Change Surface Conditioning Discs.Mirka Pneumatic Orbital Finishing Sanders.

Sandpaper grit