Sandpaper Comparison
| Type of Paper | Color | Properties | Best Uses |
| Aluminum Oxide | Light Brown / Tan | Very durable,self-sharpens, inexpensive | Excellent for raw wood or hard painted surfaces |
| . | |||
| Ceramic | Reddish Brown / Ox Blood | Really hard, not self-sharpening | Best for use with power belt and pad sanders |
| . | |||
| Garnet | Orange to light red | Fairly soft grit, dulls rapidly | Final sanding of wood to create a mirror like finish |
| . | |||
| Silicone Carbide | Black | Sharp grit, self sharpening, extremely durable | Perfect for metal, plastics, fiberglass, & other synthetic materials |
Companion Articles: Sandpaper Selection, Foam Pads for Sanding, Abrasives & Specialty Sandpaper, Sandpaper Facts
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Tim built custom homes and did ultra-custom remodeling for 20+ years before launching his Ask the Builder media presence. He was selected as one of the Big 50 by Remodeling magazine in 1993. This award gave birth to Ask the Builder in October 1993. Tim also operates https://DrawPlumbingPlans.com. His @askthebuilder YouTube channel was the first home improvement channel on YouTube.
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