What Grit Sandpaper for Wood? Chart by Task + FEPA vs CAMI (2026)

What grit sandpaper for wood depends on the job: start at 80 grit on hardwood or 120 on softwood, step up to 180 or 220, and stop there before stain. Skip more than one grit and the finish shows the scratches you left. This is the grit-number reference: FEPA versus CAMI numbers, grit by job, abrasive types, and species hardness, with figures from maker pages.

Sandpaper Grit

Sandpaper grit is a number for abrasive particle size: the lower the number, the larger and coarser the particle, and the more wood it removes per pass. Every grit leaves scratches, and the next grit exists to remove them. That is why the rule from Uneeda is to never skip more than one grit.

Grit Chart by Task

This is the quick reference. The ranges come from the Whitby, Uneeda, Empire Abrasives and Woodworker Express pages cited in each row, and details follow below.

Task	Grit sequence	Where it comes from
Rough stock, shaping, heavy stripping	40 to 80	Woodworker Express lists 40 to 60 as coarse; Empire lists #60 to #80 for rough edges
Bare hardwood (oak, maple, walnut)	80, 120, 180, 220	Whitby standard sequence; Uneeda starts hardwood at P80
Bare softwood (pine, cedar)	120 or 150, then 180, 220	Whitby starts at 120 to 150; Uneeda starts softwoods at P120
Plywood and veneer	120 or 150, final no finer than 220 to 240	Whitby and Uneeda; Uneeda says remove only 0.15 to 0.2 mm
Last pass before stain	180 to 220, never finer than 220	Whitby and Popular Woodworking
Last pass before clear coat on hardwood	P320 to P400 (the exception)	Whitby
Between finish coats	180 to 220 (Empire); finer for dust nibs	Empire; the finer-grit part is our judgment
Polishing a cured finish	320 and up	Empire
Hardwood floors, drum sander	40, 60, 80, finish at 100	Wikipedia floor sanding

Grit Scales: FEPA P-Grade vs CAMI (US)

Two numbering systems share the same word “grit.” The European FEPA scale writes a P before the number (P180), the US CAMI scale does not. Uneeda sells in FEPA P-grades, and Klingspor’s conversion chart lists the pairs below. They match near 220 but drift apart on either side, and above 220 a P number runs higher than the CAMI number for a similar particle.

FEPA (P)	CAMI (US)	Average particle (microns)
P80	n/a on chart	197
P120	100	127
P150	120	116
P180	150	93
P220	220	65
P320	n/a on chart	46.2
P400	320	35
P600	n/a on chart	25.75
P800	400	21.8

The practical catch: a US pack marked just “120” pairs with P150 on that chart (116 microns), while a European P120 is coarser (127 microns). When a guide says 150 and you hold a P180 sheet, you are about one step finer than the author meant.

Sandpaper For Wood

Grit gets the attention, but the abrasive grain decides how fast the paper cuts, how long it lasts, and what scratch pattern it leaves. Four grains cover nearly all wood sanding.

Sandpaper Types

Abrasive	What the sources say	Use it for
Aluminum oxide	Woodsmith calls it the most common mineral for woodworking; grains fracture to keep cutting but leave an uneven scratch pattern. Whitby calls it the workhorse grain.	General bare-wood sanding, hardwoods, hard lacquers (Uneeda)
Silicon carbide	Woodsmith: the sharpest of the four, great at cutting dried finish and for sanding between coats, and it can be used with water or oil.	Between finish coats, old finish, MDF before paint (Uneeda finishes MDF at P240 or P280)
Ceramic / zirconia	Empire: ceramic is heavy-duty, more durable and runs cooler; zirconia is aggressive and lasts longer than aluminum oxide but costs more.	Heavy stock removal
Garnet	Woodsmith: grains do not break, so it rounds over quickly; best for final hand sanding to a smooth, satiny surface; the cheapest of the four.	Last hand pass on bare wood

Coating density matters too: Woodsmith says open-coat paper has gaps that let dust fall away, like the gullets on a saw blade, so it clogs less. For the head-to-head between the two most common grains, read our aluminum oxide vs silicon carbide comparison.

Paint Removal and Lead Safety

For old paint or varnish, Woodworker Express lists coarse paper (40 to 60) for the first pass, while eQualle suggests 80 for thick paint, then 100, 150 and 220, and warns that 60 can damage thin wood surfaces. Before you sand any painted piece, check its age. The EPA says a home built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, recommends a certified lead inspector, and says to assume lead if you cannot tell. Its DIY page also lists wet-dry paper or a sanding sponge and a spray mister to keep dust down.

Highest Grit Sandpaper

Highest-grit paper is for polishing, not for preparing bare wood. Empire puts polishing at 320 and up, and on the FEPA chart P600 averages about 26 microns and P1000 about 18. Because stain pigment lodges in sanding scratches, a surface sanded too fine takes less color.

What Is the Finest Grit Sandpaper for Wood?

For finishing work grits of 400 and above are polishing grits. On bare wood, going finer than 220 before stain lightens the color; stop at 180 to 220 instead. For lacquer, see the best grit sandpaper for lacquer finishes.

Lowest Grit Sandpaper

Low Grit Sandpaper For Wood

Coarse paper, 40 to 80 grit, removes material fast and cuts deep scratches. Use it for rough lumber, shaping, stripping paint, and floors, and plan to climb back up. Climb back up one grit at a time, for example 60, 80, 120, 180.

Grit Of Sandpaper For Wood

Understanding The Grit Of Sandpaper For Wood

Whitby explains why skipping hurts: a fine abrasive cannot reach the bottom of a coarse grit’s valleys, so it only polishes the peaks, leaving buried scratches that show up as blotchy stain and poor finish adhesion. Whitby’s guideline is that each grit should be no more than about 50 percent higher than the last. These jumps pass or fail that rule:

Step	Increase	Within the 50% rule?
80 to 120	+50%	Yes
120 to 180	+50%	Yes
180 to 220	+22%	Yes
220 to 320	+45%	Yes
120 to 220	+83%	No, skips 150 and 180
80 to 150	+88%	No, skips 120
100 to 220	+120%	No

Starting Grit by Species Hardness

Hard woods can take a coarser first grit, and soft woods tear. The Wood Database lists eastern white pine at 380 lbf Janka, red oak at 1,220 lbf and hard maple at 1,450 lbf. Whitby starts hardwood at about 80 grit and softwood at 120 to 150, noting that coarse grit tears soft fiber. Uneeda agrees: P80 for hardwoods, P120 for softwoods.

Species	Janka hardness (lbf)	Start at	Watch for
Eastern white pine	380	120 to 150	Coarse grit tears the soft fiber
Red oak	1,220	80	Iron fasteners can stain it when wet
Hard maple	1,450	80	Blotching under stain; a conditioner, gel stain or toner may be needed

Hardness figures and finishing notes come from the Wood Database pages for eastern white pine, red oak and hard maple.

Grit Sandpaper For Wood

Choosing The Right Grit Sandpaper For Wood

Pick the grit from what you are about to do next. Stripping or leveling means 60 to 80. Smoothing means 120 to 150. Anything that will be stained ends at 180 to 220, painted pieces can stop at 150 to 180 (our judgment), and a clear film on hardwood is the one case for P320 to P400.

Grit Sandpaper For Wood: Sanding Furniture

Furniture often has an old finish, veneer and end grain in the same piece, so one grit will not do it. Start at 80 to 100 to lift the finish, but on veneer start at 120 or 150 and remove only a hair, since veneer is thin. Our grit guide for wood furniture breaks it down by piece and finish.

Selecting The Right Grit Sandpaper For Wood Furniture

• Old finish to bare wood: 80 to 100, then 120.
• Smoothing before stain: 150, then 180 to 220.
• Before paint: stop at 150 to 180 after the old finish is scuffed off.
• End grain: finish finer than the face, for example 320 against 180 (see below).

Grit Sandpaper For Wood: Sanding Wood For Stain

Stain pigment lodges in sanding scratches, so the last grit steers color. Popular Woodworking notes many stain makers say to finish at 220 at most, and to stop lower for a darker color. Whitby gives 180 to 220 as the stopping range. In a hands-on test on pine with Special Walnut stain, Pine and Poplar found 80 grit made the darkest result, 120 and 220 looked much alike, and unsanded boards were the most blotchy. For the full prep sequence, see our guide to sanding wood before staining.

End Grain Needs a Finer Grit

End grain is harder than face grain, so scratches are tougher to remove, and it holds more pigment and stains darker. Popular Woodworking’s example sands end grain to 320 while the face stops at 180, and Pine and Poplar saw end grain get progressively lighter at 220, 320 and 400.

What Grit Sandpaper For Hardwood Floors

For floors, Wikipedia gives the usual hardwood sequence as a 40 grit first cut, then 60, 80, and a finish at 100, which is at least three to four passes, with more if boards are cupped or warped. Floors start much coarser than furniture because the job is removing a worn finish and leveling boards across a big area. Our best sander for wood roundup covers the tools.

Sanding Wood Filler

Our judgment, not a maker spec: sand dried filler with the grit you are using on the surrounding wood, and step up together so the patch does not end up a grit behind. Filler also takes stain differently from wood; see how to hide wood filler after staining.

Between Coats of Finish

Makers disagree here. Empire lists #180 to #220 for sanding between coats, and Woodsmith says silicon carbide suits it. Finer papers around 320 are often used just to level dust nibs, but that is our judgment, not a maker spec, so check the finish can. Our guides on sanding between coats of stain and sanding between coats of paint cover the finishes in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions For What Grit Sandpaper For Wood

What Grit Do I Need To Sand Wood?

Start at 80 grit on hardwood or 120 on softwood, then step up through 120, 150 and 180 to a final 180 to 220 before stain or a first finish coat. Hardwood floors start much coarser, at 40 grit on a drum sander. Never jump more than one grit at a time.

What Grit Sandpaper Is Best For Woodworking?

No single grit is best, but 120 to 150 is the workhorse for general smoothing and 180 to 220 is the standard last grit on bare wood. Whitby Abrasives names 80, 120, 180, 220 as its standard hardwood sequence. Use 60 to 80 only for rough stock and shaping.

What Sandpaper Is Best For Rough Wood?

For rough or old wood, start at 60 to 80 grit aluminum oxide, then move to 120 and 180. Ceramic lasts longer and runs cooler if you remove a lot of stock with a power sander, but costs more. Sand with the grain and clean off dust between grits.

How Do I Know What Grit Sandpaper To Use?

Match the grit to the job: 60 to 80 for heavy removal, 120 to 150 for smoothing, 180 to 220 for the last bare-wood pass, and 320 or finer for polishing or, in our judgment, leveling dust nibs between finish coats. Check the scratches from the last grit are gone before stepping up.

What Grit Sandpaper Should I Use for Wood Furniture?

For furniture, start at 80 to 100 grit to remove an old finish, smooth at 120 to 150, and finish at 180 to 220 before stain. For painted pieces we stop at 150 to 180 (our judgment, not a maker spec). Sand with the grain, and treat old paint on pre-1978 pieces as possible lead paint.

What Is the Finest Grit Sandpaper for Wood?

Grits above 320 are polishing territory; Empire puts polishing at 320 and up, and P1000 particles average about 18 microns. On bare wood, going finer than 220 before stain lightens the color, so stop at 180 to 220 unless you want a pale stain.

Is It Better to Sand to 180 or 220 Before Staining?

Use 180 on open-grain hardwoods and when you want deeper color, and 220 at most on tight-grain wood or for a lighter tone. Popular Woodworking notes many stain makers say to finish at 220 at most, and to stop lower for darker color.

Should I Sand End Grain to a Finer Grit?

Yes, if you stain. End grain is harder and takes up pigment faster, so it turns darker. The Popular Woodworking example sands end grain to 320 while the face stops at 180, so the color matches.

Conclusion

Pick the grit from the job, climb one grit at a time, and stop at 180 to 220 before stain. Check whether your paper is FEPA or CAMI, start coarser on hardwood than on softwood, and sand end grain finer. For the technique itself, hand versus orbital and dust control, see our guide on how to sand wood. For more projects, see our woodworking projects and tips guide.