Sanding is a vital part of keeping surfaces smooth and clean. It helps to coat your favorite paint on interior drywalls. Now sanding needs tools like sandpaper that come in different qualities. People use power or wet sanding depending on budget and surface type.
Now there are different drywall types available in the market. Some include wood pulp, plywood, cement board, and gypsum. Depending on your drywall type, select the best grit sandpaper. Experts say 220-grit sandpapers are best suited for most drywalls. It gives the wallboard the clean, smooth, and shining finish you desire.
You might be confused how to select the ideal grit for drywall? Don’t worry. This guide explains every detail related to grit, sandpaper quality, and the best option for different drywalls. So read the guide and understand which grit sandpaper best suits your wallboards.
What is Grit in Sandpaper?
Sanding is an essential part of woodworking projects. It contrasts sandpapers widely used for these tasks. The process helps to smoothen wood pieces and make painting and staining easier. So selecting the best sandpaper for drywall or other projects is essential.
Here comes grit that determines the quality of sandpaper. Grit is a number or rating of abrasive material that ensures a smoother finish of wood or other pieces. The higher the number, the higher it benefits your work. So Lower number of grit on sandpaper causes a rough finish to a material.
That’s why experts categorized six different sandpaper grits for woodworking.
- 40 grit: Coarse
- 80 grit: Medium
- 100 grit: Medium
- 120 grit: Fine
- 220 grit: Fine
- 440 grit: Extra Fine
Your selection of grit on sandpaper depends on your application. Below are the details and their benefits.
Coarse sandpaper is used to make rough surfaces on materials or wood pieces. Workers mostly used these types to remove previous paint finishes.
Medium sandpaper used to remove leftover marks on pieces.
Fine sandpaper is mainly used in workshops to give fine finishes and complete the final sanding.
Extra fine sandpaper is also used for fine finishes between coats of paint.
But the question is, how should you choose the right sandpaper for drywall? Discuss below.
How to Choose the Right Grit Sandpaper for Drywall?
Before Selecting the right grit sandpaper for drywall, you should understand the basics of these abrasive materials. Sandpaper includes various rates of grit on them. A high number determines the quality finish of your wood pieces. Sandpaper grit can start between 40 spirit to 400.
Additionally, different types of sandpaper grits are available to conduct various tasks. It means only some grit sandpaper is suited for drywall, power sanding, wet sanding, and other tasks. So below are the points to ensure when selecting the right grit sandpaper for drywall projects
Types of Sandpaper With Grits Number in the Market
There are six common type sandpapers available in the market. Each type is used in different projects.
Garnet Sandpaper
This sandpaper is mainly used in hand sanding for hardwood. Workers apply the tool to remove minor scratches and dings to wear out faster from the wood pieces. There are multiple grit options available for garnet sandpaper. Type A is popular, where the grit number is 180. Type D garnet sandpaper is the lowest, available grit is 50.
Emery Sandpaper
This sandpaper is widely used in power sanding and hand sanding. The grit of this sandpaper varies between 80-120. That’s why most workers use this abrasive material for roughing and chamfering plastic pipe. This material is also used to remove paint and rust from pieces. Users can expect curved and delicate surfaces using emery sandpaper.
Aluminum Oxide
Workers widely used aluminum oxide sandpaper on drywall, plastic, and metal pieces. Higher durability and low price make these abrasive materials prevalent in the market. Aluminum oxide sandpaper has a grit between 80-120, making it practical for power sanding. This sandpaper ensures fine finishing without much concern.
Silicon Carbide
This sandpaper is used in rough drywall compounds and joints. Wet sanding became easier with silicon carbide due to its waterproof backing. These sandpaper remove materials faster than aluminum oxide but wear out faster also. Most Silicon carbide sandpaper has a grit number of 180.
Zirconia Alumina
This type of snapper is widely used on the disc sander and belt sander. Zirconia Alumina sandpaper is well suited for aluminum castings, mild steel, stainless steel finishing, and titanium alloys. You can also use them on metal, wood, and fiberglass surfaces. Depending on your preference, Zirconia Alumina sandpaper grit starts from 80-220.
Ceramic Alumina
This type of sandpaper is used for aggressive finishes on metal, stainless steel, and other hard surfaces. Ceramic Alumina sandpaper is commonly available with a 120 grit rating. Long-lasting finish and micro grain structure work best with disc sanding and belt sanding.
Appropriate Grits of Sandpaper for Drywall
Experts suggest using above 100 grit sandpapers for your drywall projects. Below 100 grit is considered coarse sandpaper that leaves visible surface scratches. Indeed, most drywall sanding needs 150-220 grit sandpaper for a perfect finish. Selecting the correct grit of sandpaper also depends on your sanding method.
First-time users often remove joint compounds when selecting too fine sandpaper grits. Indeed, drywall boards are lightweight and have paper-based joint compounds. Additionally, these boards also release more dust than others. That’s why experts suggest using open-type sandpaper that is less densely packed with grains. These abrasive materials better work on softer materials like plastic, aluminum, gypsum, pine, etc boards. In this case, you can use aluminum oxide sandpaper with grit between 150-220.
Appropriate Grit for Manual or Power Sanding
Manual sanding is best for small projects like sanding grills, boards, woodblocks, etc. Here you need coarser sandpapers with a grit of 100-120. Manual sanding with fine sandpaper can take too much time. Workers used slightly coarse abrasive material to remove excess paint and rough edges. Later they used fine sandpaper to refine the surfaces for the best finishes.
Power sanding is best suited for large projects like patch jobs. Here you can use higher grit sandpaper, around 150 or above. Using this abrasive material with disc sanding works best for delicate finishes. Later, refine the surface with extra fine grit sandpaper like 180-220.
Experts say 120-150 grit sandpaper works best in manual sanding for drywall. On the other hand, 180-220 grit sandpaper is suited for power sanding for drywall.
Appropriate Grit for Dry or Wet Sanding
Sponge sandpapers are the first choice for most dry and wet sanding projects. Sponges come with different faces and different grit. However, these abrasive materials don’t have similarly rated grit as sandpaper.
Still, the working principle is the same. You should start sanding the material from the medium grit side and later apply a delicate area to polish.
That’s how you can remove most of the rough edges and materials from the dry or wet drywall boards. Sponge sandpaper is used in wet sanding to apply to tight spaces and drywall corners.
Tips to Use Grit Sandpaper For Drywalls
Until you understand what sandpaper and grit rating best suits most drywalls. Now we go through tips to use sandpaper on these interior boards.
- Drywall boards tend to throw dust and minerals over time. These are harmful to your eyes and health. So always wear gloves and glasses to protect your body parts.
- Cover your room while sanding drywall with sandpapers.
- Try to use a sanding block for these projects.
- Always start with lighter grit sandpaper like 120-150, and later use higher abrasive material of 180-220 grit.
- Seal the room with plastic to avoid throwing dust around the residence.
- Always use dust-collecting tools while saddening drywalls.
FAQs Related to Grit Sandpaper for Drywall?
What Grit Sandpaper is Best for Drywall Mud?
Experts suggest using medium to fine grit sandpaper between 150-180. Indeed, these interior boards include dust and other materials which need to be removed effectively. Using higher grit sandpaper gives you desired fish every time. Some drywall sanders also come with vacuum attachments to collect excessive dust. Try to carry this tool for the best results.
What Grit Sandpaper is Best for Drywall Joint Compound?
Wet sanding is best suited for drywall joint compounds. Indeed this area develops water particles and doesn’t throw as much dust as other spaces. Here you can start sanding with 100 or 120-grit sandpaper. Later you should use a fine sanding sponge to smooth the outer edge.
What Grit Sandpaper is Right for Drywall Spackle?
For drywall spackle, 220 grit sandpaper works best. Users should start with a light and easy touch for sanding. Avoid using coarse abrasive material for these drywall boards.
Is Hand Sanding Better Than Power Sanding Drywall?
Both power sanding and hand sanding have specific benefits. Power sanding works faster and more effectively to smoothen large areas. On the other hand, hand sanding is used on minor projects or small blocks. You should select your sanding type according to your need.
Conclusion – What is Ideal Grit for Drywall?
Remember, above 100-120 grit sandpaper is recommended for most drywall sanding. It is vital to always start with medium grit abrasive material to remove most of the rough edges. Later you can use fine grits to refine the surfaces. Indeed, selecting sandpaper and grit types depends on your working style or project. Still, higher-grit sandpaper is best for drywall sanding. So always understand your project type and style of sanding.
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