🪵 Sandpaper & Abrasive Grit Chart
Grit numbers count abrasive particles per inch of mesh — higher numbers mean finer particles and a smoother result. The same grit numbering applies across sandpaper, emery cloth, garnet paper, and sanding discs. The standard workflow moves through the grits in order, never skipping more than one step (80 → 120 → 180, not 80 → 220).
Which Grit for Which Job
| Grit (CAMI) | Grade | Typical Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| 24–36 | Extra coarse | Paint stripping, floor sanding first pass, shaping |
| 40–60 | Coarse | Heavy material removal, rounding edges, old finish removal |
| 80 | Medium-coarse | First pass on rough bare wood, leveling deep scratches |
| 100–120 | Medium | General wood smoothing, plywood prep |
| 150–180 | Fine | Final pass on bare wood before stain or paint |
| 220 | Very fine | Light sanding between primer/finish coats |
| 320–400 | Extra fine | Sanding between topcoats, smoothing drywall patches |
| 600–800 | Super fine | Initial metal polishing, lacquer wet sanding |
| 1000–2000 | Ultra fine | Automotive clear-coat wet sanding |
| 3000+ | Polishing | Final wet sand before buffing compounds |
CAMI (US) vs FEPA (P-Grade) Grade Comparison
Approximate equivalents by average particle size. The scales agree closely up to ~220, then FEPA numbers climb faster.
| CAMI (US) | FEPA (Europe) | Avg. Particle Size |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | P120 | ≈115 µm |
| 180 | P180 | ≈80 µm |
| 220 | P220 | ≈68 µm |
| 240 | P280 | ≈52 µm |
| 320 | P400 | ≈35 µm |
| 400 | P800 | ≈22 µm |
| 600 | P1200 | ≈15 µm |
| 800 | P1500 | ≈12 µm |
| 1000 | P2000 | ≈10 µm |
Abrasive Materials & Grades
Most abrasives share the grit scale above, but the grain material decides how fast it cuts and how fine a finish it leaves.
| Abrasive | Common Grit Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum oxide | 40–400+ | All-purpose wood and metal; the most common sandpaper grit |
| Garnet | 80–220 | Hand-sanding bare wood — softer grain, leaves a finer finish |
| Silicon carbide | 60–2000+ | Wet sanding, metal, glass, and finishes |
| Ceramic | 24–120 | Aggressive stock removal on power sanders |
| Emery (cloth) | coarse–fine | Deburring and polishing metal; older 0–3 grade scale |
| Crocus cloth | ≈400–600 | Final polishing of metal |
Traditional grades (coarse / medium / fine, or the older 0–3 emery scale) are approximate and vary by maker — match the grit number when one is printed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grit sandpaper should I use for bare wood?
Start around 80 grit to level the surface, step up to 120, then finish at 150–180 before staining or painting. Move through the grits in order without skipping more than one step (80 → 120 → 180, not 80 → 220) so each pass removes the scratches left by the last.
What does the P in P220 mean?
The P marks the FEPA (European) grading scale; a number without the P is the CAMI (US) scale. Up to about 220 the two scales roughly match, so P180 ≈ 180 grit. Above 220 they diverge and the FEPA number climbs faster — P400 is closer to US 320 than to US 400.
Is FEPA P-grade the same as US (CAMI) grit?
Below ~220 grit they are close enough to swap freely. Above 220 they separate: for the same fineness the FEPA P-number is higher than the CAMI number. Use the crosswalk table above when matching fine grits across the two systems.
What grit is considered coarse versus fine?
As a rule of thumb: coarse 40–60, medium 80–120, fine 150–180, very fine 220, and extra fine 320–400. Anything 600 and above is super-fine, used for polishing rather than shaping.
What grit is emery paper or crocus cloth?
Emery cloth uses the same grit numbering as sandpaper (older stock is sometimes graded simply coarse, medium, or fine, or on a 0–3 scale) and is aimed at metal. Crocus cloth is an ultra-fine abrasive — roughly 400–600 grit equivalent — used for the final polish on metal.