what grit sandpaper for car paint
For car paint , the grit depends on the job: rough removal usually starts around 40–80 grit , paint prep and sanding primer often use 320–600 grit , and wet sanding or finishing commonly uses 1,000–2,000 grit.
Best grit by job
| Task | Typical grit | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy paint removal / rust / body filler shaping | 40–80 grit | Fast material removal, but it leaves deep scratches and should be followed by finer grits. | [5][7][1]
| Feathering edges / smoothing filler | 180–320 grit | Helps blend repaired areas before primer. | [3][1][5]
| Primer sanding before base coat | 400–600 grit | Common prep range for a smooth primer surface. | [7][1]
| Wet sanding paint / final finish | 1,000–2,000 grit | Used to smooth the surface and remove minor imperfections before polishing. | [1][5][7]
Simple rule of thumb
Start coarser only if you must , then move up through finer grits to remove the scratches from the previous step. For most repaint jobs, 600 grit for primer prep and 1,000+ grit for wet sanding are the most common finishing ranges.
Practical example
If you are repainting a panel, a common sequence is 320 grit , then 400–600 grit , then 1,000–2,000 grit if you are wet sanding the final finish. If you are stripping old paint or leveling body filler, you may need 40–80 grit first.
Safety note
Avoid jumping straight to very coarse grit on visible paint unless you are removing damaged material, because it can leave deep scratches that are harder to fix later.