what grit of sandpaper for drywall

For most drywall work, use medium to fine sandpaper and move through a few grits rather than just one. A common, pro-style progression is:

• Initial leveling: 100–120 grit to knock down ridges and high spots in the joint compound while avoiding damage to the drywall paper.

• General smoothing: 150 grit (often the “workhorse” grit for drywall) to refine the surface after the first pass.

• Final finish before paint: 180–220 grit for a very smooth, paint‑ready surface with minimal scratch marks.

If your taping and mudding are already very smooth, you can often start at 150 grit and finish at 220 grit instead of using a coarser paper.