Abrasives for Hardwood Floor Sanding
Starting your next floor sanding project?
Panel Town & Floors offers a full selection of professional grade abrasives for your next hardwood floor sanding project.
Shop our premium sanding belts, discs, and screens. Our products are trusted by flooring pros to reduce swirl marks, speed up the sanding process and deliver a clean professional result.
What you get when you order from Panel Town:
- Pro‑Grade Quality: Used by flooring contractors nationwide.
- Huge Selection: Every grit, every stage, every tool.
- Expert Support & Customer Care: Flooring pros ready to help you choose the right abrasives and ensure you get the job done right.
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Sanding Sequence for Hardwood Floors
1.) Initial Rough Sanding
Grit: 36 or 40 (use 24 for heavily worn or uneven floors)
Tool: Drum or belt sander
Purpose:
-
- Remove old finish, wax, or paint
- Flatten uneven boards and remove cupping
- Eliminate deep scratches or stains
This aggressive first step creates a clean, level surface to build on.
2.) Medium Sanding
Grit: 50 or 60
Tool: Drum or belt sander
Purpose:
- Smooth out coarse sanding marks
- Refine the surface texture
Critical for transitioning the floor from rough to smooth without leaving visible scratches.
3.) Fine Sanding
Grit: 80
Tool: Drum or belt sander
Purpose:
- Remove remaining imperfections
- Prepare wood for stain or finish
This stage ensures even absorption and eliminates blotchiness in the final result.
4.) Final Sanding
Grit: 100 or 120
Tool: Orbital or buffer sander (preferred for final smoothing)
Purpose:
- Final surface prep before staining or coating
- Remove any remaining swirls or grit lines
Produces a clean, uniform texture that’s ready for finishing.
Edger Sequence (Hard to Reach Areas and Blending)
Grits: 36 → 60 → 80 → 100
Tool: 7″ or 8″ edger
Purpose:
- Match field sanding quality around walls, corners, and tight areas
Use the same or finer grit than the main floor to ensure blending.
Screen Buffing (Recommended but Optional)
Grit: 100–120 before finish; 150–180 between coats
Tool: Buffer or orbital sander + mesh screen
Purpose:
- Blend edge and field sanding
- Eliminate ultra-fine scratches
- Prep surface for stain or polyurethane
Helps create a seamless, professional-grade finish.
Grit Progression By Tool
Common Sandpaper Types
Aluminum Oxide
- Most common for hardwood floor sanding.
- Very durable and long lasting.
- Good for removing old finishes and leveling.
- Excellent for oak, maple, hickory, and other hardwoods.
Silicon Carbide
- Sharper and cuts faster than aluminum oxide.
- Wears out quicker, but gives a very fine, smooth finish.
- Often used for final sanding or screen buffing.
Zirconia Alumina (Zirconium Oxide)
- Extremely hard and long lasting.
- Self-sharpening (fractures to expose new cutting edges).
- Great for heavy removal (e.g. old finish, paint, glue).
- Ideal for drum/belt sanding on tough hardwoods.
Ceramic Alumina (Less Common)
- Very aggressive and durable.
- Mostly used in industrial or commercial applications.
- Overkill for most residential floor sanding jobs.
Common Sandpaper Types
Aluminum Oxide
- Most common for hardwood floor sanding.
- Very durable and long lasting.
- Good for removing old finishes and leveling.
- Excellent for oak, maple, hickory, and other hardwoods.
Silicon Carbide
- Sharper and cuts faster than aluminum oxide.
- Wears out quicker, but gives a very fine, smooth finish.
- Often used for final sanding or screen buffing.
Zirconia Alumina (Zirconium Oxide)
- Extremely hard and long lasting.
- Self-sharpening (fractures to expose new cutting edges).
- Great for heavy removal (e.g. old finish, paint, glue).
- Ideal for drum/belt sanding on tough hardwoods.
Ceramic Alumina (Less Common)
- Very aggressive and durable.
- Mostly used in industrial or commercial applications.
- Overkill for most residential floor sanding jobs.
Sandpaper Backing Types
Paper
- Lightweight and cost-effective, making it ideal for general-purpose sanding.
- Standard backing for most floor sanding belts and discs.
- Best suited for flat sanding applications where flexibility and heavy pressure aren’t required.
Cloth
- Durable and tear-resistant, ideal for heavy-duty sanding under high pressure.
- More flexible than paper, making it suitable for contoured surfaces and curved edges.
- Commonly used in edger discs and wide belts where strength and longevity are important.
Mesh
- Open-weave design allows for excellent dust extraction and cleaner sanding.
- Commonly used in screening or buffing steps to achieve a smooth, swirl-free finish.
- Minimizes clogging and can be reused multiple times when paired with dust containment systems.
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