Technical Library

Introduction to Abrasive Grits for Metal Fabricators

Choosing the right abrasive grit is crucial for efficient metalworking, weld removal, and surface finishing. Using the wrong grit can cause:

• Excessive wear on abrasives
• Deep scratches on metal
• Slow production and poor finishes

In this guide, we provide a complete abrasive grit chart for metal, explain the uses of each grit, and recommend the best abrasives for different metals and applications.

Tip: Bookmark this page — it’s designed to be your quick reference for abrasive grits.

What Is Abrasive Grit?

Abrasive

Sandpaper is available for sanding by hand and for use with power tools.

Hand-sanding products allows for better control and gives you the ability to reach areas that a power tool cannot. Hand sand wood as final preparation for finishes and between finish coats. Sandpaper for hand sanding comes in various sizes including the widely popular 9 x 11 sanding sheet. You can use some sandpaper for both hand sanding and power sanding.

Power-sanding products remove material quickly and efficiently. They are a good choice for getting rid of blemishes and for shaping and leveling wood. Power sanding is an effective method of preparing metal surfaces for paint. Sandpaper for power tools comes in sheets, discs and belts designed to fit specific power tools.

One way to determine which sandpaper will work best for a particular job is to know the abrasive materials and their properties.

Commonly used manmade abrasives:

• Aluminum oxide is