Flap Wheel Grit Guide: Which Grit for Which Job
Grit numbers tell you how coarse the abrasive is: lower number, bigger scratch, faster cut. Here is how that plays out on real projects, and where to find each grit in our catalog.
40 and 60 grit: strip and shape
A 40 or 60 grit flap wheel removes material fast. Use it for stripping paint from shaped parts, knocking down rough-sawn stock, and heavy distressing. Expect visible scratch that you will refine with finer grits. Shop P60 replacement flaps.
80 grit: the workhorse
80 grit is the do-most-things grit for raw wood: it levels, removes mill marks and still leaves a surface you can jump to 150 from. Shop P80 replacement flaps.
100 to 150 grit: smooth
This range is where wood starts feeling finished. 120 is the classic pre-stain grit; 150 preps for clear coats. Shop P100, P120 and P150.
180 to 320 grit: between coats and final touch
Fine grits are for denibbing between finish coats and final smoothing. 180 to 220 after sealer, 320 for the last pass on a film finish. Because the flaps are flexible they will not cut through edges the way a hard block does. Shop P180, P240 and P320.
Cheat sheet
| Job | Grit |
|---|---|
| Strip paint or heavy stock removal | 40 to 60 |
| Rough sanding raw wood | 60 to 80 |
| Smoothing before stain | 100 to 120 |
| Before clear coat | 150 |
| Between finish coats (denibbing) | 180 to 220 |
| Final pass on film finish | 320 |
One hub, every grit
QuickWood hubs take replacement flap strips in any grit, so you buy the wheel once and swap grits by swapping strips. New to flap wheels? Start with what a flap wheel is used for.