Every Sandpaper Grit Explained — Which One to Use and When

Every Sandpaper Grit Explained — Which One to Use and When "Every sandpaper grit explained in plain English — from 40 grit to 3000, every abrasive material, and exactly which one to use for wood, metal, and automotive work. No fluff. Just what you need to know. The wrong sandpaper grit does not just slow you down. It leaves scratches that show through your finish, closes wood grain so stain absorbs unevenly, and ruins surfaces that took hours to prepare. This video covers every grit level, every abrasive material, and gives you the exact sequences used by professional woodworkers, painters, and automotive finishers. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN How the grit numbering system actually works and why low numbers always come before high. Why you should never skip more than one grit level and what happens when you do. The 40 to 60 grit range and when aggressive material removal is the right call. The 80 grit starting point for furniture, cabinets, and automotive bodywork. Why 120 grit is one of the two most important grits in woodworking and what it reveals about your surface. Why 150 and 180 are the standard final sanding grits for hardwood furniture before any finish goes on. How 220 through 320 refines surfaces and knocks down dust nibs between coats. What 400 grit and above is actually for and why it belongs in automotive and finish polishing work. The four abrasive materials including aluminium oxide, silicon carbide, ceramic alumina, and garnet and exactly when each one wins. THE THREE SANDING SEQUENCES THAT MATTER Hardwood furniture from rough stock: start at 80, move to 120, move to 180, finish at 220. Between coats use 220 to 320. Softwood painted project: start at 120, move to 150, prime, sand primer at 180 to 220, topcoat and sand between coats at 220 to 320. Automotive paint repair: body filler at 80 to 180, primer at 280 to 320, colour coat correction at 600 wet up to 2000 before machine polish. THE ONE MISTAKE THAT RUINS EVERYTHING Worn sandpaper does not sand. It burnishes. It glazes the surface, closes the grain, and prevents finish from absorbing. If your sandpaper is not cutting, replace it. A fresh sheet costs less than fifty cents. A burnished surface costs hours of rework. MORE VIDEOS IN THIS SERIES: (Link of Previous Video) Subscribe for every hand tool and workshop essential explained exactly like this. One topic at a time. No padding. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Why the wrong grit ruins everything 0:35 How grit numbers work 1:00 40 and 60 grit 1:30 80 grit 2:00 100 and 120 grit 2:45 150 and 180 grit 3:30 220 and 280 grit 4:00 320 grit 4:25 400 grit and above 5:00 Aluminium oxide 5:30 Silicon carbide 6:00 Ceramic alumina 6:25 Garnet 6:55 The three sanding sequences 8:00 The one mistake that ruins everything #sandpaper #woodworking #sandpapergrits #automotivefinishing #DIY"