For most wood projects, you’ll move through several grits , not just one, depending on whether you’re stripping, shaping, or final-sanding before finish.

Quick Scoop: Core Grit Ranges for Wood

  • Heavy removal / old finish / rough lumber: 40–80 grit for fast stock removal, leveling very uneven boards, or stripping thick finishes (use carefully to avoid deep scratches).
  • General shaping & smoothing: 100–120 grit once the worst is done; this is often your first grit on reasonably smooth new wood.
  • Pre-finish sanding (most raw wood): 120–150–180 grit is the common progression for furniture and cabinetry before stain or clear coat.
  • Between coats of finish / topcoat prep: 180–220 grit for knocking down nibs and getting a smooth feel before the next coat.
  • Ultra-smooth / polishing existing finish: 320+ grit when you’re smoothing cured varnish or oil, not shaping bare wood.

By Project Type

  • Painting wood (furniture, trim): Sand raw wood to about 120 then 150 grit before primer; you don’t need it glass-smooth because primer and paint need a bit of tooth.
  • Staining raw wood (most furniture):
    • Closed‑grain woods (maple, cherry, birch, pine, alder): usually stop around 150–180 grit so stain still penetrates well.
* Open‑grain woods (oak, ash, mahogany): 120 → 150 → 180 is a common sequence for good color and smoothness.
  • Sanding previously finished wood to refinish: Start around 80–120 grit to remove old finish, move to 180–220 to refine scratches, then 320+ only if you’re polishing the new finish.
  • Between clear coats (varnish, poly, lacquer): Lightly sand with 220 (or a fine sanding sponge) just to knock down dust nibs and runs, then recoat.

Simple Grit Progression Example

New oak table, planning to stain and clear coat:

  1. 120 grit to flatten and remove mill marks,
  2. 150 grit to refine,
  3. 180 grit as a final pass before stain, sanding with the grain.

Handy HTML Table (Grit vs. Use)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Grit range</th>
      <th>Typical use on wood</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>40–60</td>
      <td>Very rough leveling, heavy stock removal, aggressive stripping of thick finishes.[web:6][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>80</td>
      <td>Removing old finish, shaping edges, starting point for rough boards.[web:1][web:5][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>100–120</td>
      <td>General sanding on new wood, first grit after rough work, prep for paint.[web:6][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>150</td>
      <td>“Sweet spot” for softwoods pre-finish, good stopping point before primer, early pre‑stain step.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>180</td>
      <td>Common final grit before stain/clear on many hardwoods, smooths without over‑polishing the surface.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>220</td>
      <td>Light sanding between finish coats, fine prep for topcoats, not for heavy shaping.[web:1][web:3][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>320+</td>
      <td>Polishing cured finishes, ultra‑fine smoothing, final rub‑out rather than shaping bare wood.[web:5][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Quick takeaway

If you just need a fast rule of thumb for what grit sandpaper for wood :

  • Start as fine as you can get away with (often 120).
  • Work up through 150–180, and rarely past 220 on bare wood before stain or paint so the finish still adheres and colors properly.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.