![]() If you are going to prime the metal after sanding, a few passes of 600-grit should be more than sufficient. Then for finer polishing, you will want to move up to 1000-grit or higher. Most people start with a 320-grit aluminum oxide sandpaper, but it depends on how bad the rust is on the surface of the metal. This compound of aluminum works well with sanding discs and belts in the quick removal of rust, but it is more expensive than silicon carbide. Sandpaper for Metal RustĪluminum oxide is the best sandpaper for rust since you can be more aggressive on the rust without ruining the sandpaper. ![]() ![]() Silicon carbide is better for hand sanding as it will wear down too quickly on sanding discs and belts. The friable coating of silicon carbide means that its grain will stay more consistent than aluminum oxide while sanding. Silicon carbide is ideal for finishing off sanding and making it ready for painting. The crystals that form the grit break down with each pass and create a sharper new layer for sanding. Brown aluminum oxide sandpapers are the toughest and the most suitable for metalwork. Aluminum and silicon sandpapers work best on harder metals, like steel and iron, and during the final stages of polishing the metal.Īluminum oxide works well on grinding discs and electric sanders. The most popular sandpapers for metalwork are aluminum oxide (Al 2O 3) and silicon carbide (SiC). Aluminum Oxide vs Silicon Carbide Sandpaper It is less common to use a grit level higher than 1000 unless you want to clear coat the surface. Larger grits with grades lower than 100 can leave deep scratches, though this does make a good surface for primer adhesion.Ī finer grit of 1000 will leave you with a smoother surface for painting, but it will take more passes to remove any imperfections. Sandpaper with coarse 220-grit particles works better on rust and for preparing the surface for priming. You need several grit sizes for sanding metal, so it’s best to purchase an assorted pack of sandpaper. The lower the value of the grit, the rougher the sandpaper, and the more material it will take off with each pass. You can choose from a range of sandpaper grits, from aggressive to gradual smoothing. For polishing metal, it’s best to use fine-grit sandpaper to obtain a smooth finish.įor your ease, I’ve included links throughout this post to the different types of sandpapers that I recommend to get the best results.ĭid you know Amazon has a wide selection of free goods in their DIY & Home Improvement section? What Is the Best Sandpaper for Metal?īefore painting metals, you need to remove dirt, rust, and old paints from the surface with sandpaper. In order to prepare metal for priming and to remove rust, it’s best to use sandpaper with a coarser grit. It’s recommended to use aluminum oxide or silicon carbide sandpaper with a 320-grit or higher to sand metal. So what sandpaper should you use on metal? The maximum step you should make is to either P600 or ANSI 400.Selecting the right type of sandpaper and grit size is essential when sanding metal as it’s all too easy to make mistakes if you’re not careful. P400 grit is equivalent to ANSI 320 grit.The following chart shows how the scales compare, and the biggest step you can make between common grits. A mistake here could ruin your paint job. When choosing sandpaper above P600 or its equivalent, it’s very important to know which scale it is. In finer grits, a P-scale sandpaper will be coarser compared to an ANSI sandpaper with the same grit number. The differences between the two scales is minimal in the coarser grits. ANSI scale, sometimes called the US Standard or CAMI scale.P-scale, sometimes called the European or FEPA scale.There are two scales commonly used to rate sandpaper coarseness: This rule of thumb only works if you stick to sandpapers in the same rating scale. For P400 and finer, step-up 1.5 times your current grit number.For P24-P320, choose a grit that is 2 times your current grit number.While making smaller steps is fine, consider the following guidelines for the biggest steps: How big of a step between grits is too big? If not, you will see sand scratches in your finished paint job. Those deep scratches need to be removed completely by “stepping-up” with gradually finer grits before painting. As the grit numbers get smaller, the sandpaper gets coarser.Ĭoarse sandpaper makes deep scratches. Sandpaper coarseness is indicated by numbered grits.
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