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Grit profile

220 grit sandpaper

Fine

Pre-finish. Between coats of stain or polyurethane.

What 220 grit is for

220-grit is the standard pre-finish grit for hardwood. It removes 150–180 scratches cleanly and leaves a surface that takes stain and finish evenly. Furniture-grade work almost always ends here before the first coat goes on.

Projects at 220 grit

  • · Pre-stain on oak, maple, walnut, cherry
  • · Between coats of polyurethane or lacquer
  • · Final sanding on guitar bodies and turned pieces
  • · Smoothing primer on auto-body work
  • · Final hand-sanding on drywall mud

Abrasive materials

  • · aluminum oxide (standard)
  • · ceramic (premium, longer life)
  • · silicon carbide (wet/dry)

Common mistake

Going above 220 on most softwood is wasted effort — stain stops absorbing past this grit and the surface starts to polish closed.

← 180 grit (the step before) 320 grit (the step after) →

Top pick at 220

3M Pro Grade Precision Assorted Pack

Five grits. One box. Everything you need to finish what you started.

Check price Review

Catalog fit

21

Current SKU matches in this grit lane.

Common forms

4

Forms represented here, led by discs.

Head to head

4

Comparison pages currently touching this stage of the sanding climb.

Use this grit when

The surface still needs this stage.

  • · Pre-finish. Between coats of stain or polyurethane.
  • · This is the working middle of most sanding progressions: enough bite to matter, refined enough not to leave the job stranded.
  • · On this site, 220 grit shows up most around fine furniture, between coats, auto-body, and dust-free sanding.

Skip this grit when

The job is earlier or later than this.

  • · Skip this grit if you still need heavy stock removal or if the surface is already ready for polish-level refinement.
  • · Skip the urge to jump straight here from a very coarse grit; the scratch pattern underneath will usually survive the shortcut.

Recommended at this grit.

Head to head

Comparisons in this lane.

Norton 3X Sheet Sandpaper — 220 Grit (20-pack) vs. 3M Pro Grade Precision Assorted Pack

One grit done right, or five grits done well.

Read the breakdown →

Mirka Gold 5-inch Hook & Loop Disc Assortment vs. Diablo 5-inch ROS Discs — 120 Grit (50-pack)

Finnish precision or American volume.

Read the breakdown →

3M Pro Grade Precision Assorted Pack vs. Gator Finishing Multi-Grit 9x11 Sandpaper Pack

Both cover the range. One holds up longer.

Read the breakdown →

Norton 3X Sheet Sandpaper — 220 Grit (20-pack) vs. Indasa Plusline 220-Grit 9×11 Sheets (50-pack)

Same grit. Different relationship to the pack.

Read the breakdown →

Questions people ask

The practical part.

What is 220 grit actually for?

220 grit is for pre-finish. between coats of stain or polyurethane. This is the working middle of most sanding progressions: enough bite to matter, refined enough not to leave the job stranded.

What should come before and after 220 grit?

The safe lane is usually 180 -> 220 -> 320. You can stretch that a little on easy material, but large jumps usually leave scratches behind.

Which forms make the most sense at 220 grit?

On UltraRough, this grit shows up most in discs, sheets, and sponges. That reflects where shoppers usually need this cut level in the real world.

Keep moving

Follow the climb.

180 grit The step before 220 grit. 320 grit The next step after 220 grit. Discs See discs that commonly show up in this lane. Sheets See sheets that commonly show up in this lane. Sponges See sponges that commonly show up in this lane. Use the grit selector Start from the project instead of the number.
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