Common Types of Sandpapers
Sandpaper is indispensable material if you need to smoothen surfaces of different materials such as wood, metal, and fiberglass. In most cases, sandpaper is used by carpenters to prepare wooden surfaces for varnishing. If you love DIY tasks, you should ensure that you have perfect sandpaper for your needs. Most people assume that using sandpaper is easy but you need certain skills. How do you use sandpaper? There are two ways in which you can use sandpaper; manually or in power tools. The use of sandpaper in power tools is encouraged as it is less tiring. However, getting power tools is usually a challenge because of high pricing and maintenance costs. Manual use of sandpaper is encouraged as it allows more maneuverability to reach hidden surfaces that you cannot access with power tools. Ensure that you choose the right sandpaper so that you can get the best results. Read on to learn the common types of sandpapers available in the market today.
The nitty-gritty is the most commonly used type of sandpaper. The quality of sandpaper is usually defined by the coarseness and fineness by the grit number. A sandpaper with a higher grit number is usually considered to be good for making surfaces smooth. If you opt for coarse sandpaper, you will get to remove the materials faster but you are likely to have deep scratches on the surfaces. It, therefore, means that you need a smooth surface, you should opt for fine sandpaper. Establish the grit number before spending on sandpaper so that you can get the best results.
Aluminum oxide is the other material that is used in making sandpapers. It is a synthetic type of sandpaper that comes in sheet and ideal for use by hand or machines. Aluminum oxide sandpaper is recommended for sanding wood and metal. For excellent results, you should use aluminum oxide sandpaper on power tools. Also, you should consider ceramic sandpapers. The use of ceramic sandpapers is encouraged because of durability and strength. For ceramic sandpaper, you will have to spend more but it’s worth the outcome of sanding.
Next, you should consider silicon carbide sandpapers. A unique feature about silicon carbide sandpaper is the waterproof backing making it ideal for use on both wet and dry surfaces. In the market, you will find silicon carbide sandpaper in either blue-gray or black color. As compared to the other types of sandpapers, it is less likely to clog hence higher chances of getting better results in different surfaces such as plastic, metal, and fiberglass. Wet-sanding is becoming increasingly popular as it is advantageous in several ways. For instance, it is a suitable means of protecting the abrasive on the sandpaper.
In the market, you will realize that sandpapers are categorized as either industrial or commercial grade. Research on the two categories of sandpapers so that you can make an informed decision regarding the right one that suits your needs. Choosing perfect sandpaper is the key to getting smooth surfaces through sanding.