
Things You Should Know
- If the old paint on your car is solid and uncracked, you don't need to sand before repainting. ...
- If you do need to sand your car, use a power sander.
- Go over your car once with 180-grit sandpaper, then again with 300-grit sandpaper.
- Finally, wet sand your car with 1200-2000 grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.
What can I use instead of sandpaper?
What Can I Use Instead of Sandpaper on Wood?
- Sanding blocks: Also known as sanding sponges, they have a similar construction to a standard kitchen dish sponge but have a rough texture. ...
- Emery cloth: Most commonly used on metal, emery cloths are far more durable than sandpaper. ...
- Sand and leather: Start by sprinkling dry sand over the area that needs sanding. ...
What grit sandpaper do you use before painting a car?
- Sand old paint and primer off of a car using a dual-action sander and 80-grit sandpaper.
- Use 120-grit sandpaper to sand down any body filler used on the car's surface.
- Cover the sanding block in 220-grit sandpaper to sand the primer coat after it has dried.
How to sand a car properly?
The Right Way to Sand a Car Properly
- Use the right sand paper. Sand paper can either remove scratches, or make scratches. ...
- Do not use your hands directly. Not using your hands does not mean use your feet. ...
- Use a long sanding block. ...
- Get the technique right. ...
- Wet sand after painting. ...
- Have the right gear. ...
How to pick the right sandpaper?
This guide will run you through:
- It’s crucial to choose the proper grit of sandpaper.
- Choosing the proper coarseness for a project
- Considering the ideal sort of grit to pick

What grit sandpaper is best for cars?
Sanding Your Car's Paint 1,500 grit is a good starting point, though you'll need to be cautious about sanding it off too much. It's better if you have 2,000 grit, at least, as you can then move up and up to 2,500 grit, and the final 3,000 grit for an ultra-fine finishing touch.
What kind of sand paper do I need for car paint?
600 to 800 Grit – This sandpaper grit range is perfect for sanding surface imperfections in the primer, prior to paint application. It is recommended to start at the low grit end and work your way up to 800 grit. 1000 to 1200 Grit – When you need to remove base coat imperfections, this grit range will do the job.
Can you use regular sandpaper on a car?
If it's a minor scratch you're looking to repair or wet sanding a new car, use 2000 or 3000 grit sandpaper. To resolve deep scratches, use the 1200 or 15000 grit sandpaper.
Can you sand a car with 220 grit sandpaper?
Sanding your car surface with 150 – 220-grit paper sets the surface as a primer or a guide coat. Afterward, the paint will stick to the areas better. If you want to paint directly on a primer base, you will need to do this step. That is using sandpaper with 320 – 360 grits to finish the surface.
What is 800 grit sandpaper used for?
Ultra-fine (800-, 1,000-grit and beyond): Use this grade for ultra-smooth polishing of wood and metal finishes and bare metal.
What is 2000 grit sandpaper used for?
Polish Clear Coat And Paint And Restore Shine - 2000 Grit Is Perfect For Polishing Light Paint Texture In Clear Coat And Removing Light Scratches In Clear Coat.
What is 220 grit sandpaper used for?
180 - 220 Grit: Fine. 180 – 220 grit is primarily used for the sanding finish or to sand in-between coats. It is also great for distressing! There are instances where you can use 180 to 220-grit to rough up a piece in preparation for paint, but you do not typically use these grits until after your first coat.
What would you use 3000 grit sandpaper for?
Description. Our 3000 grit extra fine sand paper works for wet or dry sanding.
What grit removes clear coat?
What grit sandpaper you use to remove clear coat is reliant on whether you're starting wet or dry. If you're starting dry, use 800-grit first. Once you start wet sanding, use 1,000-grit, then finish off with 1,200-grit. If you need to blend sanded areas, use 2,000-grit.
Does paint stick to 800 grit?
Honestly, in my opinion, I like 400-grit but 400-600 is a great range to put your base coat and clear coat over. Anything smoother and finer than that like 800, 1000, 1200,1500-grit…is NOT good because your paint is just not going to stick.
What is 2500 grit sandpaper used for?
The 2500 grit sandpaper needs only to be soaked in water to use in wet sanding situations. The pad is designed to remove minor scratches out of your automobile. Includes: This versatile sandpaper is designed to work on wet sand final color or clear coats.
Do you need to sand before clear coat?
Correct prior sanding, polishing or cleaning of the surface is essential for an excellent final finish when applying clearcoat to a car. In any of these processes, make sure that the surface is clean and free of dirt and impurities before applying the clearcoat.
What is 220 grit sandpaper used for?
180 - 220 Grit: Fine. 180 – 220 grit is primarily used for the sanding finish or to sand in-between coats. It is also great for distressing! There are instances where you can use 180 to 220-grit to rough up a piece in preparation for paint, but you do not typically use these grits until after your first coat.
How do you sand a car for painting?
Just add a coat of primer before applying the new paint. If you do need to sand your car, use a power sander. Go over your car once with 180-grit sandpaper, then again with 300-grit sandpaper. Finally, wet sand your car with 1200-2000 grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.
What would you use 3000 grit sandpaper for?
Description. Our 3000 grit extra fine sand paper works for wet or dry sanding.
What grit sandpaper should I use between coats of paint?
180 to 220 Grit Sandpaper180 to 220 Grit Sandpaper: Finer grit sandpaper is great for removing the scratches left by coarser grits on unfinished wood and for lightly sanding between coats of paint. 320 to 400 Grit Sandpaper: Very fine grit sandpaper is used for light sanding between coats of finish and to sand metal and other hard surfaces.
What is grit in sandpaper?
Sandpaper grit refers to the number of abrasive particles per square inch of a sheet of sandpaper . The lower the number, the fewer abrasives present, making it courser sandpaper. The higher the number, the more abrasives present, making sandpaper finer.
How to contact Sandpaper America?
Call Sandpaper America at 1-800-860-7263 (SAND) to purchase high-quality, in-house manufactured sandpaper sheets and various other sanding abrasives and products, today. You can also place orders online! #Sandpaper. #sanding. #abrasives.
What grit sandpaper should I use for basecoat?
In the end. You want to finish your final sanding when prepping for basecoat clearcoat with a 400 grit sandpaper. This is the BEST grit to paint over. Don’t listen to what others are saying all over the internet. Follow those who are doing it and getting professional results. I have been painting for over 18 years and have a lot of knowledge when it comes to auto body. John Kosmoski and I don’t agree on every method when it comes to auto body, but when it comes to final paint grits, we agree that 400 is the best grit. Why? It gives you enough paint TOOTH for your paint to grab on to. If you sand any finer, look forward to some paint peeling in a few years. 600 grit is on the fence and at the border. If you feel that you just NEED to sand finer, I would absolutely not sand any finer than a 600 grit paper. We paint pros recommend 400.
How much grit paper should I use for a DA?
Simply slap a 280 grit paper on your DA (dual action sander), and you’re off to the races. As I said, you can safely paint over a 240-280 grit paper when painting single stage. But personally, I like to get it a little smother. If I’m painting a single stage job, I get the paint prep down to at least a 320 grit finish.
What grits are used for body filler?
These sandpapers are used for the main body work process when cutting body filler (Bondo) shaping, feathering and final sanding when prepping for paint. Finer grits like 1200, 1500, 2000, and 3000 is used for finishing. A term that is called, color sanding and buffing, or cut and buff.
How to refinish clear coat?
If you see paint jobs that simply look like glass, know that the clear coat was refinished through a process called color sanding and buffing. By sanding your clear coat down flat with a very fine sandpaper, normally a 1500-2000 girt paper, it removes imperfections and cut’s out any textured area in your paint. 1200 grit can used for your initial cut. You want to be careful when sanding with 1200 because you can sand too deep if you don’t know what you’re doing and looking for. If you’re new to this use 1500 for your sanding, then move to 2000. You can even start with a 2000 if you wish and just sand your clear flat until the paint starts to look smooth and dries to a matte look.
What is grit used for?
This grit is mostly used for final finishing before laying the paint on. It’s true, a lot of your paint results will come from your prepping. If you do a good prep job and get your panels ready for paint and sanded correctly, your paint will flow on nice and will come out good.
How long does a synthetic enamel paint job last?
A wham bam, thank you mam style fast paint job that is fairly inexpensive with a life expectancy of 1-3 years depending on how you care for your vehicle.
What is the most common grit?
Most common grits are: 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000.
