Sandpaper Selection

Great Paint Repairs Start With Sandpaper

Paint doesn't hide defects - it exaggerates them! No matter how glossy a new paint repair is, if the surface isn't perfectly smooth underneath the paint, it will show every defect. The best way to eliminate defects is to smooth the surface with sandpaper.

Sandpaper comes in dozens of textures, or grits, to do required job. Coarse, rough grits (40-100 grit) remove a lot of excess material like body filler quickly and easily. Progressively finer grits (180-600 grit) refine the surface and help to hide the repair by seamlessly blending it into the surrounding body work. Extra fine grits (1000-2000 grit) on waterproof paper allow the grit to clean itself when used with water. This gives the grit more bite on each pass, and allows for very fine surface polishing and removal of blemishes in primer, the color coat and even the clear coat.

AutomotiveTouchup Sandpaper is made of the finest quality materials for long life and good abrasion, far better than what you'll find at the big box hardware store. We offer a full range of right wet and dry grits you'll need to make every step of your project a success.

Grit How It's Used
Dry Grits Dry Sanding only. Non-waterproof sheets.
File with holder Used for rough shaping body filler as it cures.
40 grit The roughest grit we carry. It is used for very rough sanding/grinding before bodywork.
80 grit Used to strip paint from metal. Also used to rough sanding of body filler.
Wet or Dry Grits For wet or dry sanding. Available in waterproof and non-waterproof sheets.
180 grit A finer grit used to final sanding and feather edging body filler.
320 grit For final polishing sanding before the primer coat. It also works good on spot putty.
400 grit Used for rough sanding primer. Also used for fine sanding spot putty.
600 grit Used for final sanding primer before applying the basecoat color.
Wet Grits Designed for wet sanding, it can also be used dry.
1000 grit Used to sand down existing paint to be repainted.
1200 grit A fine cleaning grit to wet sand a panel before repainting it.
1500 grit An extra fine grit used for wet sanding the clear coat to remove defects before paint polishing. Can substitute for 1000 or 1200 grit for sanding before repainting.
2000 grit Ultra-fine grit used wet that pre-polishes the surface before buffing and polishing with polishing compound.