Pro tip: I was sanding a quarter panel for way too long because I didn't know about the right grit jump

I was blocking out a repair on a Honda Civic's fender last week, starting at 180 grit. I kept going up to 320, then straight to 600 before primer, thinking it was smooth enough. The painter, Mike, came over, ran his hand over it, and just said 'you're leaving scratches, man.' He showed me his method: 180, 220, 320, then 400 before the 600 step. The 400 step made all the difference. Anyone else have a specific grit sequence they swear by for metal work?

3 comments

3 Comments

baker.sarah2mo ago

Honestly, the grit jump is key, but so is the sanding method itself. Like @brooker92 mentioned wet sanding, but even dry, you have to change your sanding direction with each new grit to really see the old scratches. If you don't, you're just polishing grooves you can't even see anymore.

brooker922mo ago

Ever try wet sanding between those grits?

joseph_dixon2mo ago

Used to skip straight from 320 to 600 myself, figured it saved time. Mike would have chewed me out for that. He's right, that 400 step is non-negotiable to really level it out. I see what @brooker92 is saying about wet sanding too, it helps keep the paper from loading up. Skipping grits just means you'll see every scratch after the paint goes on.