--- title: "Which sandpaper grit for bare wood before finishing?" description: "80 to 120 to 150 on softwood, finishing at 180 or 220 on hardwood — and stop there, because over-sanding ruins stain. The ranked options, the technique that changes " url: https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-bare-wood/ site: "At One Place" --- # Which sandpaper grit for bare wood before finishing? **Which sandpaper grit for bare wood before finishing?: 80 to 120 to 150 on softwood, finishing at 180 or 220 on hardwood — and stop there, because over-sanding ruins stain.** Sanding is a sequence, not a grit: each grade exists to remove the scratches left by the one before, so skipping from 80 straight to 180 leaves deep marks that only appear once a finish goes on and reflects light. The counterintuitive part is the upper limit. Sanding past about 220 closes the wood's surface, and a burnished surface accepts less stain — which is what produces blotchy, uneven colour on softwoods and on cherry and maple. Water-based finishes raise the grain, since water swells the cut fibre ends, so wiping the surface with a damp cloth, letting it dry and cutting back lightly gets that out of the way before the first coat. ## The options, ranked *Ranked best-first for the stated job. The third column is why the others exist.* | Option | Good at | Bad at | | --- | --- | --- | | 80 grit | Levels machine marks, glue residue and mild damage quickly. | Leaves scratches that show through a clear finish if you stop here. | | 120-150 grit | The workhorse for softwood being painted; removes the previous grit's scratches and leaves a good key. | Not fine enough under a clear finish on hardwood. | | 180-220 grit | The right stopping point for hardwood under an oil, varnish or lacquer. | Going beyond it burnishes the surface, and stain then goes on patchy. | | Sanding sealer or a raised-grain pass | Wetting the wood, letting it dry and cutting back with 220 stops the first coat raising the fibres. | An extra step, and it must be done before staining, not after. | ## Technique that changes the outcome 1. Work up through the grits without skipping more than one step 2. Sand along the grain; cross-grain scratches show under any clear finish 3. Wipe with white spirit or water to reveal scratches before finishing 4. Raise the grain deliberately with a damp cloth before a water-based finish, then cut back at 220 ## What goes wrong - Sanding past 220 on anything to be stained - Using an orbital sander for the last pass on a piece to be stained — swirl marks show as dark rings - Leaving dust in the grain; it becomes part of the finish > Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here. ## Other sandpaper grit questions | For | Use | | --- | --- | | Stripping paint | 40 to 80 grit open-coat aluminium oxide or ceramic — but test for lead paint before sanding anything painted before the 1990s. | | Rusty metal | 60 to 80 grit to strip scale, 120 to 180 to blend — then prime the same day, because bare steel flash rusts within hours. | | Between coats | 220 to 320 grit with almost no pressure — you are knocking off dust nibs, not removing the coat. | | Plasterboard filler | 120 to 150 grit to level joint compound and 220 for the final pass, ideally on a mesh with a vacuum attached. | | Plastic | Start at 320-600 wet for scratches, work up to 2000, then finish with a plastic polish — and keep it cool. | | Car body filler | 80 grit to shape, 180 to refine, 320 before primer and 400-600 on the primer before paint. | | Final finish | 400 to 600 dry, or 800 to 2000 wet on a fully cured film, followed by a polishing compound. | | Wet sanding | Silicon carbide wet-or-dry paper, water with a drop of detergent, a rigid block, and 800 grit upwards. | ## Common questions ### Which sandpaper grit for bare wood before finishing? 80 to 120 to 150 on softwood, finishing at 180 or 220 on hardwood — and stop there, because over-sanding ruins stain. ### What should I avoid? Sanding past 220 on anything to be stained Using an orbital sander for the last pass on a piece to be stained — swirl marks show as dark rings Leaving dust in the grain; it becomes part of the finish ## Related pages - [Which sandpaper grit removes paint?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-stripping-paint/) - [Which sandpaper grit removes rust?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-metal-rust/) - [Which sandpaper grit between coats of paint or varnish?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-between-coats/) - [Which sandpaper grit for plasterboard and filler?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-drywall/) - [Which sandpaper grit for plastic?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-plastic/) - [Which sandpaper grit for car body filler?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-body-filler/) - [Which sandpaper grit for a final finish?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-final-finish/) - [Which sandpaper should I use for wet sanding?](https://atoneplace.net/which/sandpaper-wet-sanding/) - [Which paint should I use on bare wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-bare-wood/) ## Sources - Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)