ABRASIVES 101 EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ABRASIVES AND THEN SOME

UNDERSTANDING ABRASIVES & HOW THEY WORK Types of Abrasives:

Rolls, Discs, Sheets, Pads, Wheels and Screens

Types of Minerals: Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide, Zirconium and Ceramic

Grits Available: 12 – 3000

Backing: Cloth or Paper Hard or Soft

Abrasive Bond: Resin, Glue, Glue/Resin or Paper/Resin

Belt Splices:

Pro-Lap, Bi-Directional or Sine (Minimal or No Chatter)

Open or Closed Coat: Open Coat has 60% Less Grit

Operating Conditions:

Wet or Dry

Care of Abrasives: Proper Temperature, Humidity, Storage, Hinging & Cupping

Type of Back-Up: Hard Rubber, Soft Rubber, Felt Pad or Cloth

Abrasive Speed:

Diameter of the Contact Wheel X Rotation Speed of Machine Pressure:

Force Pushing on Back of Paper (weight) to the Surface

Hardness of Workpiece: Wood, Marble or Metal

Wood Grain Direction:

Straight, 6°, 20°, 30°, 45° or Perpendicular (90°)

Machine Type: Drum Belt / Edger or Buffer / Random Orbital

PRODUCTION PROCESS

1. Unrolling the Backing Material 2. Applying “Maker” Bond 3. Electrostatic Application of Grit 4. Oven Treating the “Maker” Bond 5. Applying the “Sizer” Bond 6. Oven Treating the “Sizer” Bond 7. Creating a Jumbo Roll

1. Backing Material 2. Maker Bond 3. Grit Material 4. Sizer Bond

• Electrostatic coating guarantees than more than 95% of the grit being applied will attach to the backing flat side down leaving the sharp edges pointing out. This allows the abrasive to be as aggressive as possible.

After the jumbo rolls are cooled and flexed they are ready for finished by punching and cutting into discs, belts and smaller rolls. The product is then packaged and ready for the distributor and contractor. VARIATIONS IN ABRASIVE SANDING

Direction of Wood:

With Grain 6° Grain 45° Grain Perpendicular (90°)

Problem Areas:

Floor 10% Operator 25% Conditions 7% Machines 30% Abrasive-Care & Storage 3% Abrasive Quality 15% Construction 10%

• Machine Speed – RPM

• Type of Wood

• Hardness of Wood

• Abrasive Direction

• Pressure Applied (Weight)

• Splices (Butt, Lap or Sine)

• Grinding Temperature

• Speed – Actual Abrasive Speed Not Shaft Speed

• Flexibility of Backing

• Type of Abrasive Bond

• Type of Back-Up

• Grinding Aids

• Contact Wheel Design HARDNESS The Ability to Make Scratches on Other Kinds of Materials Diamond 100% Silicon Carbide 99.5% Zirconium 98.5% Brown Aluminum Oxide 98% TOUGHNESS The Mechanical Force a Grit Particle Can Resist Before Being Crushed. The Easier a

Grit Can Be Crushed, Then the Lower the Mechanical Force Can Be Applied During Grinding.

1. Zirconium 2. Brown Aluminum Oxide 3. White Aluminum Oxide 4. Silicon Carbide

5. Emery 6. Flint

SHAPE A coated abrasive grit always needs a pointed or pyramidal shape. This means the point at the top is sharp for fast and efficient sanding performance. It also creates the largest bonding surface for the resin. MINERAL MIXTURES Percentage of Premium vs. Other

There are several ways to fool the customer when selling abrasives. We all know that premium materials like Zirconium and Ceramic mean great performance and durability. What we don’t know is what percentage of the premium material is actually on the belt and what they are using for the remaining percentage. Many manufacturers use 5-10% of the premium material but the remaining may be filler with almost no abrasive value or an inexpensive mineral to make up the difference. MINERALS How They Stack Up

Best Fine Finish

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Ceramic Zirconium Aluminum

Oxide

Silicon

Carbide

Durablilty

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Ceramic Zirconium Aluminum

Oxide

Silicon

Carbide

Sharpness of Cut

10

0 F

ee

t

10

0 F

ee

t

10

0 F

ee

t

10

0 F

ee

t

30

0 F

ee

t

30

0 F

ee

t

30

0 F

ee

t

50

0 F

ee

t

50

0 F

ee

t

50

0 F

ee

t

50

0 F

ee

t

30

0 F

ee

t

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Ceramic Zirconium Aluminum Oxide Silicon Carbide

Silicon Carbide (SIC) (BLACK COLOR): Most commonly used abrasive on wood floors and throughout the furniture industry. Very sharp for belts, rolls paper, edgers and screens. Silicon Carbide is most used in coarse grits (36 or lower) on old refinish of gummy floors. As Silicon Carbide loads, it fractures and a new sharp edge arises. This fast cut product finishes well but has a reduced life compared to Aluminum Oxide, Ceramic and DiamondBack Zirconium. This mineral is perfect for the 500-600 sq. ft. jobs. Aluminum Oxide (AOS) (RED COLOR): Over the past years, Aluminum Oxide has grown fast with contractors due to its tough abrasive quality and will last approximately 20% longer than Silicon Carbide. Aluminum Oxide mineral is not as sharp and doesn’t fracture like the Silicon Carbide but is harder and will maintain a steady cut throughout the job giving a long life and a good cut making it great for most jobs, especially for a natural finish. This mineral is great for production work and is widely used in all wood industries. Aluminum Oxide is also the most economical mineral.

DiamondBack Zirconium (DBZ) (BLUE COLOR): The synthetic abrasive Zirconium has a very long life and cuts fast with a smooth finish. The material is very consistent, stays sharp and out lasts any competitive priced mineral. Zirconium cuts 900-1000 sq. ft. per belt, will last 2-3 times longer than other minerals and are tough enough to sand through nail stick ups making it the lowest cost sandpaper to use per square foot. Zirconium has the sharpness of Silicon Carbide and is more durable than Aluminum Oxide.

Ceramic (CER) (REDDISH COLOR): Designed to remove ceramic and aluminum oxide finishes. Excellent choice for production work and surface preparation on almost any surface. Ceramic is highly durable, resistant to loading and works well for cutting over wood, cupping and crowning wood floors.

BACKING MATERIAL Paper Dry Sanding

• -A- Weight Manual Sanding 35-40#

• -B- Weight Manual Sanding, Flexible 50-60#

• -C- Weight manual & Orbital Sanding, Flexible 70-80#

• -D- Weight Manual , Orbital & Disc Sanding 85-90#

• -E- Weight Heavy Belt or Disc Sanding 120-140#

• -F- Weight Heavy Belt or Disc Sanding 160-175# Wet Sanding

• -A- Weight Manual Sanding, Very Flexible 60#

• -C- Weight Manual Sanding, Flexible 90#

• -D- Weight Manual or Disc Sanding 105# Cloth

• J-Cloth: Very Flexible Light Cotton Twill

• F-Cloth: Highly Flexible but Higher Tensile Strength

• X-Cloth: Heavy & Strong Cotton Twill with High Mechanical & Thermal Stability

• Y-Cloth: Polyester, Very Heavy and Strong with Extremely High Mechanical & Thermal Stability

Combination

• Special Backing Made From an -E- Weight Paper Laminated with a Cotton Screen Giving a Good Combination of the Strength of Cloth and the Smoothness of Paper

• Extra Durability

• More Tear Resistant than Standard Paper

• Excellent High Speed Use FLEXES No Flex

• No mechanical flex. Stiff construction. Standard in sheets in fine grade sandpaper for hand or machine use where flexibility is not necessary

Single Flex

• Flex lines that run from edge to edge giving the paper flexibility to run on rollers or pulleys

Double, Full or L Flex

• Flex lines that crisscross providing a softer control of the abrasive being used

Oversized grit creates deep scratches that are hard to remove. Undersized grit does not come in contact with the floor until the belt is worn and ready to replace.

BONDS Glue

• Sharp and flexible

• Finish product is inexpensive

• Heat and moisture sensitive

• Weak backing to mineral bond

• Water soluble Resin Urea-Resin

• Superior flexibility

Phenolic Resin

• Strong and durable

• Extends belt life

• Waterproof

• Excellent mineral bond

• Rigid cure makes mineral more aggressive

• More expensive than Urea-Resin ABRASIVE GRADING

Several years ago the automotive industry in Europe made the change from lacquer (enamel) finishes to Water Base/Clear Coat finishes. The clear coat magnified all the imperfections (sanding scratches) and caused immediate problems with the selling of automobiles. A standard was then developed to insure quality to the end user. FEPA grading guarantees constant grit and smooth sanding. FEPA “P” grading is the most stringent grading system in the world for abrasives insuring that 95% of the grit is the specified size, compared with other grading systems that allow only 60%.

Note: A “P” will precede the grit number on all FEPA grades. Ex: P-100.

US CAMI SYMBOL

EUROPEAN

FEPA "P"

180 P180

150 4/0 P150 FINAL SANDING OF CERTAIN CONIFERS WHERE A SMOOTH SURFACE IS DESIRED

120 3/0 P120 FINAL SANDING OF CERTAIN CONIFERS

100 2/0 P100 SANDING OF CERTAIN HARDWOODS WHERE A SMOOTH SURFACE IS DESIRED'

80 1/0 P80 FINAL SANDING OF CERTAIN HARDWOODS & INITIAL CLEAN-UP OF 50GRIT CUTS

60 1/2 P60 CLEAN-UP FROM INITIAL 36-40 GRIT CUT

50 1 P50 FIRST SANDING OF NEW FLOOR (CEDAR, PINE, FIR). CLEAN-UP OF 16 GRIT

40 1 1/2 P40 FIRST SANDING OF NEW FLOOR (OAK, WALNUT). MINOR IMPERFECTIONS ON OLD FLOORS

36 2 P36 FIRST SANDING WHERE OVERWOOD & SERIOUS IMPERFECTIONS OCCUR

30 2 1/2 P30 FAST LEVELING OF UNEVEN FLOORS

24 3 P24

20 3 1/2 P20 REMOVING IMPERFECTIONS

16 4 P16 RESTORING UNEVENNESS ON OLD FLOORING

12 4 1/2 P12 REMOVE BUILD-UP OF PAINT & VARNISH

[1] OPEN COAT MINERAL GRAINS COVER ROUGHLY 40%-70% OF THE BACKING AND IS BEST USED WHERE LOADING CONCERNS WOULD BE AN ISSUE

GENERIC

NAME

ULTRA FINE

OPEN COAT [1]

COURSE

MEDIUM

FINE

US CAMI

EUROPEAN

FEPA "P" MICRON US CAMI

EUROPEAN

FEPA "P" MICRON

12 80

P12 1764 180 P180 78

1575 74

16 P16 1322 P220 65

1118 220 60

P20 984 P240 58

940 240 P280 53

20 905 50

686 P320 46

P24 740 45

24 715 280 43

30 638 P360 40

P30 622 36

556 320 P400 35

36 535 32

P36 524 P500 30

40 428 360 29

P40 412 P600 25.8

50 351 25

P50 326 400 23

60 268 P800 22

P60 260 20

P80 195 P1000 18

80 192 17

P100 156 600 16

100 141 P1200 15

P120 127 14

120 116 P1500 12.6

100 800 12

P150 97 11

150 93 P2000 10.3

APPLICATION FOR DIFFERENT GRITS

The following table is a general guide to the proper uses, although this may vary from wood species to species.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ABRASIVE FOR THE JOB As a floor man you have very little control over most of the variables on a job, i.e. Old or new floor, pre-finished, ceramic finish, stain, water or oil finish, varieties of wood species or job cost per area. Where you do have control is your selection on abrasives. Correctly selecting your abrasives can affect the finished quality, customer satisfaction and your bottom line. DiamondBack™ Abrasives are the only abrasives manufactured specifically for the wood floor industry. Many components go into making our quality flooring abrasives including special heavy weight cotton or polyester cloth backing for strength and durability and two resin bonding procedures to maximize mineral adhesion with the cloth backing guaranteeing less grain fall out.

Grit Common

Name Uses

40-60 Coarse Heavy sanding and stripping, roughing up the surface.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Silicon Carbide

80-

120 Medium Smoothing of the surface, removing smaller imperfections and marks.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide or Zirconium

150-

180 Fine Final sanding pass before finishing the wood.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Silicon Carbide or Zirconium

220-

240 Very Fine Sanding between coats of stain or sealer.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Silicon Carbide

280-

320 Extra Fine Removing dust spots or marks between finish coats.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Silicon Carbide

360-

600 Super Fine Fine sanding of the finish to remove some luster or surface blemishes and

scratches.

Suggest DiamondBack™ Silicon Carbide

SELECTING THE PROPER GRIT SEQUENCE First, determine the customers environmental and job expectations. Example: If the job is dark stain or wood, has multiple can lights, floor to ceiling windows or one very picky customer, then you may choose to extend the final grit sequence one additional step. For instance, instead of finishing with 80 or 100 grit you would finish with 120-150 grit. Second, determine the minimum grit necessary for the first cut to flatten the floor, remove old varnish, etc. and test small areas. Use the least aggressive grit that will get the job done effectively and efficiently. This test will save you time, money and sanding steps. Example 1: You have a new floor with minimum over wood, no stain and a satin finish. Your sequence should be 40-60-100. Example 2: You have an old wax floor, dark stain and a semi-gloss finish. Your sequence should be 30-40-60-100. The extra step will insure customer satisfaction. PROPER SANDING SEQUENCE Using the proper sanding sequence, the sealer completely covers the wood resulting in a strong bond and a total seal which allows the two coats of finish to rest above the sealer. This offers a much greater mil thickness of finish increasing the wear 300-400%.

IMPROPER SANDING SEQUENCE Course sanding grits create large peaks and valleys in the floor surface. If you skip the second step grit and go directly to a fine grit, then you will leave the deep scratches in the floor. The end result of skipping a grit in the sanding sequence will be the sealer filling the deep scratches but leaving course peaks above the sealer and intruding into the finish coats. This adversely affects the appearance and the life of the finish coat. The life expectance of the finish may be reduced by as much as 70% just by using improper sanding techniques. CHOOSING THE RIGHT ABRASIVE

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD

36* - 40

50 - 60

80 - 100

BEST ECONOMY

UNFINISHED FLOORS(NEW FLOORS)

*OVER WOOD GREATER THAN 1/32" OR A BUSINESS

CARD MAY REQUIRE 36 GRIT

GRIT

D

S

S

S

A S

D

CUT

1ST

1ST*

2ND

3RD

4TH

D A

A

ECONOMY

DARK WOOD / DARK STAINS

(SERIOUS PROFESSIONALS)

*MAY BE REQUIRED

GRIT

40

40

BEST

D

S

S

A

80

100

S

S

60 D

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD 100

BEST

S

S

D

SOFT WOODPINE / WALNUT

GRIT

60

80

A

A

S

ECONOMY

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD S

ECONOMY

DRUM MACHINESRESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL / LG GYMS

GRIT

OPT

OPT

D

S

OPT

BEST PER SQ

FT

D

S

D

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD

D

A S

A D

ECONOMY

REFINISH OLD FLOORSTHICK OR GUMMY FLOORS MAY REQUIRE A MORE AGGRESSIVE

ABRASIVE

GRIT

36* - 40

50 - 60

80 - 100

BEST

D

S

S

BELT & DRUM SANDING 1st Cut

• Eliminate Over Wood / Flatten Floor

• If Over Wood is ≤ Business Card Use 40 Grit

• If Over Wood is > Business Card Use 36 Grit

• Old Varnish Use 24-36 Grit & Sand Backwards Only

• Always Cut Left to Right

• Drum Pressure Should Be 90-95%

• Walking Speed Should Be Slow

• Fill Floor With Wood Filler After 1st Cut 2nd Cut

• Over Wood Should Be Gone

• Old Varnish Should Be Gone

• Use 60 Grit On This Cut

• Maintain Drum Pressure and Increase Walking Speed

• The Objective is to Remove Scratches From 1st Cut

• Observe the Floor Closely For Bad Boards, Wood Rot, Insects, Nails and Stains

• This is the Best Time To Replace a Board if Necessary

• There Should Be No Over Wood or Bad Joints 3rd Cut

• Final Sanding With Big Machine

• Floor Should Be Near Perfect

• Use 80-100 Grit For This Cut

• Final Cut Should Be Made With 10-15% Reduction in Drum Pressure

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD S

S

100 S

80 S

S D

ECONOMY

VERY HARD WOOD

*BEGINNING WITH A HIGHER GRIT SANDPAPER CREATES FEWER

AND SHALLOWER SCRATCH PATTERNS. FOLLOWING WITH SILICON

CARBIDE OFFERS THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE SCRATCHES. FOR

EXCESSIVE OVER WOOD CUT TWICE WITH 50 GRIT.

GRIT

50*

BEST

CUT

1ST

2ND

3RD S

ECONOMY

DRUM MACHINESRESIDENTIAL / LIGHT COMMERCIAL

GRIT

36 - 40

50 - 60

D

D

80 - 100

BEST

S

S

S

CUT

1ST 80

1ST* 80

2ND 100

3RD

CERAMIC / ALUMINA FINISHZIRCONIUM BEST FOR HARD FINISHES

*MAY BE REQUIRED

GRIT

60

60

D

S

SOLID

STRIP

D

D

S

ENGINEERED

100

D S

S

80

S SILICON CARBIDE (SIC)

A ALUMINUM OXIDE (AOS)

D ZIRCONIUM (DBZ)

• Walking Speed Should Be Fast

• You Are Now Ready For The Finish Step EDGING 1ST Cut

• Trim in Outside Borders

• Use 50-60 Grit on New Floors

• Use 36 Grit on Old Varnish Floors

• Move Fast to Keep Your Disc From Getting Gummy

• 1 Zirconium Disc Outlasts 10 Silicon Carbide Discs 2nd Cut

• Over Wood Should Be Gone

• Old Varnish Should Be Gone

• The Objective is to Remove Scratches From 1st Edger Cut

• Use 80-100 Grit If 1st Cut Was 50-60 Grit

• Use 50-60 Grit If 1st Cut Was 36 Grit � Will Require a 3rd Cut With 80-100 Grit

EDGER DISCS Silicon Carbide Paper (black) is the sharpest and fastest cut. Heavyweight paper backing is the standard throughout the industry with its tear and load resistance. Silicon Carbide cuts fast, leaves a good finish and has the best pricing of all minerals.

DiamondBack™ Zirconium (blue) is a single side, cloth backed disc used for heavy concrete preparation and taking the cup out of wood floors prior to sanding. It can also be used wet with adhesive removers.

BUFFERS

• Blend Scratch Patterns From Edger and Big Sander

• Flattens Floor Much Better Than Screens

• Minimizes Scratch Patterns on Soft Wood

• Makes Floor Flat

• Doesn’t Cut Out Summer Wood Like Screens Pad Driver / Sandpaper Driver

• Sandpaper From 150-240 Grit

• Double Side Disc is 4 Times Stronger

• Minimum Loading With Finger Cut Outs Multi Head Sander

• 3-6 Rotating Heads

• Machines Use 4”, 6” or 8” Rotating Discs

• 150-240 Grit

• Velcro Backed Discs for Easy Removal and Replacement Satellite System

• Velcro Waffle Sandpaper Disc � Innovative Design Rides Over Imperfections Without

Distressing the Wood or Tearing the Sandpaper

• Waffle Pads and Screens Also Available

• 24Z – 36Z Grits for Paint and Glue Removal

• 60 – 100 Grit To Flatten Floor

• 120 – 180 Grit for Fine Finishing

• 240 – 320 Grit for Ultra Fine Finish PADS

• White � Perfect to drive screen, clean or polish

floors. White pads follow the natural flow of the floor.

• Red � Best to drive screen or use with Finish Rite

Strips to remove edger marks, blend to field or for waxing.

• Maroon � Use between coats with minimum abrasion,

with double sided disc or with screens. The pad’s characteristics make screens more aggressive with less dish out. Reduces swirl marks and helps eliminate “picture framing”. Removable 7” center section can be used on an edger or as a hand pad.

See “Finish Rite System™”- Uses Finish Abrasive Strips

� Sizes Available: 7”, 8”, 12”, 15”, 16”, 17”, 19”, 20” or 12”x18”

SANDING SCREENS

• Remove All Visible Scratches

• Sharp Silicon Carbide Material for Fast Cuts

• Very Close Grading to Produce Fine Sanding

• Removes Scratches and Swirl Marks

DiamondBack™ Sanding Screens

• The best you can buy because Silicon Carbide fractures with minimum pressure and heat which produces the most consistent scratch proof floor.

• Stay sharp until the entire mineral is completely utilized.

• Minerals are graded closely and bonded to both sides of the mesh to ensure consistency and no clogged screen holes.

• Can be used wet or dry from 178 – 300 RPM.

• Screens cut flatter and more aggressively when on thin pads. Thick pads cut less aggressively and follow the contour of the floor sometimes removing soft grain leaving an uneven appearance.

• 80-100 grit screens are used on raw wood before staining to blend the edges to the field.

• 120-150-180 grits are used between finish coats and when the finest scratches must be removed.

• 150-220 grits may also be used between coats on oil or solvent based poly. 220 grit may also be used on water based finishes.

• Grits available: 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180 and 220

• Sizes available: 4”, 5” 6” 7”, 8”, 12”, 15”, 16”, 17”, 19”, 20” and 12”x18”

DOUBLE SIDE DISC DiamondBack™ Double Side Disc is the best product for flattening a floor and resists slipping unlike a single side disc. Use the Double Side Disc with a standard buffer and either a pad driver or hard plate.

• Made with special Silicon Carbide that continues to sharpen during the sanding process leaving a finely sanded floor.

• Manufactured with “clean out cuts” which are finger cuts in the disc designed to eliminate loading thereby reducing swirl marks and scratches in the floor.

• 12, 16 and 24 grits are used to remove glue, mastic, abrade paint, smooth concrete and for sub floor preparation.

• 24, 30, and 36 grits will cut heavy finishes or waxes before belt or drum sanding.

• 36, 40 and 60 grits flatten floors that are cupped or crowned before using a belt or drum sander and will reduce the possibility of a wave in the floor.

• 80, 100, 120 and 150 grits are stiffer than single discs or screens and perform better to remove chatter, edger and

AP FLEX FILLER

FINISHRITE PAD

FINISHRITE STRIP

120-150 GRIT

drum scratches, and will not dish out soft grain. These grits are perfect for parquet inlays, multi species, adjacent hard and soft species, all metals and most stone (additional grits 220, 280, 340, 400 and 500).

FINISHRITE SYSTEM DiamondBack™ FinishRite System can be used for fine sanding or between coats utilizing a maroon pad and a standard buffer and PSA FinishRite Roll abrasives than can be applied in many configurations.

• Removes grain raise.

• Reduces swirl marks and picture framing.

• Variety of grits 150, 180, 240, 320 & 400

• Finishrite Strips reduce loading 90%.

• Provides better finish appearance and depth.

• Less finish removal and swirl marks than screens.

• 60, 80 and 100 grits are used to remove scratches, swirl marks and picture framing from raw wood.

• 120-150 grits create a fine finish on raw wood.

• 150-180 grits are used between coats of oil or poly for abrading or after the first seal coat.

• 240 grit is used to cut down grain raises prior to the final coat.

• 320-360 grits are used for ultra fine finish with water based finish. FINISHRITE / AP FLEX FILLER SYSTEM After sanding with 80 grit the floor is now ready for filling. Micro scratches from the sanding are present.

AP Flex Filler is an elastic gel mixed with sanding dust (the finer the better) to match the floor color, change color with the floor as it ages and accepts stain proportionally with the floor. AP Flex Filler will hold even the finest of cracks or scratches with it’s special Micro Fibers that work like steel reinforcement in concrete allowing the product to expand and contract without breaking apart or crumbling. AP Flex Filler may be spot filled or troweled on. A soft FinishRite Pad and 120-150 grit abrasive gives a soft re-sanding of the filler and leaves a perfectly smooth and extra fine finish. Your floor is now ready to receive the first coat of finish.

A small amount of grain will rise through the sealer. Water based sealers will have slightly more grain raise than oil based sealers. AFTER THE SEAL OR FINISH COAT – 1ST SANDING To remove the grain raise from your first seal/finish coat, use a FinishRite Pad with 180 grit for oil based finish and 240 grit for water based finish. This eliminates all grain raise and leaves a perfectly smooth floor to receive the next coat of finish. After the finish coat is applied you may notice imperfections in the floor such as dist, dirt and other impurities that contaminated the finish during the drying process. These imperfections can be easily removed using a FinishRite Pad and 240 grit FinishRite Strips.

ONE COAT SEAL & TWO COATS FINISH

You may choose to use a FinishRite Pad and Strips between the second and third coat. Usually 220 grit will smooth the floor perfectly and leave a deep luster.

WOOD REACTION LEVEL WOOD REACTION LEVEL

BALD CYPRESS S LOW OLEANDER DT VERY HIGH

BEECH S,C MEDIUM OLIVEWOOD I,S HIGH

BIRCH S MEDIUM OPEPE S LOW

BLACK LOCUST I HIGH PADAUK S LOW

BLACKWOOD S MEDIUM PAU FERRO S LOW

BOXWOOD S MEDIUM PEROBA ROSA I MEDIUM

CASHEW S LOW PURPLEHEART S MEDIUM

COCOBOLO I,S HIGH QUEBRACHO I,S,C,P MEDIUM

DAHOMA I MEDIUM REDWOOD S,P,C MEDIUM

EBONY I,S MEDIUM ROSEWOODS I,S VERY HIGH

ELM I LOW SATINWOOD I HIGH

GONCALO ALVES S MEDIUM SASSAFRAS S,C,DT LOW

GREENHEART S HIGH SEQUOIA I LOW

HEMLOCK C UNKNOWN SNAKEWOOD I MEDIUM

IROKO I,S,P HIGH WALNUT (BLACK) S MEDIUM

MAHOGANY S,P LOW WENGE S MEDIUM

MANSONIA I,S HIGH WILOW S LOW

MAPLE S,P HIGH W. RED CEDAR S HIGH

MYRTLE S MEDIUM TEAK S,P MEDIUM

OAK S,C MEDIUM YEW I,DT VERY HIGH

OBECHE I,S HIGH ZEBRAWOOD S MEDIUM

I = IRRITANT

S = SENSITIZER

C = CANCER

P = HYPER-SENSITIVE PNEUMONIA

DT = DIRECT TOXIN

STEP MACHINE TYPE PROCEDURES

CUPPED

CROWNING

UNFINISHED

FLOOR

DARK STAINS

DARK WOOD

SOFT WOOD

PINE, CEDAR, FIR

PAINT, VARNISH,

GUMMY FLOOR

VERY HARD WOOD

MAPLE, SANTOS

OPT DISCSURFACE PREP, HARD

PLATE OR MULTI DISC24-30 [1A] D 24 [1B] D

1 BELT/DRUM FIRST SANDING [6] 36 [4] 40 [2] 40 [4] 40 [4] 50 [4] 36 [4] S 50-60 S

2 EDGER FIRST SANDING 40 60 60 80 36 D 80 S

3 BELT/DRUM SECOND SANDING 60 60-80 60-80 80 50 80 S

4 EDGER SECOND SANDING 80 80-100 100 120 60/80 100 S

5 BELT/DRUM THIRD SANDING 80-100 100 100 100-120 80-100 100 S

OPT DISCFLATTENING, HARD PLATE

OR MULTI DISC [3] [5]120-150 [8] OPT 150 [8] OPT 150 [8] OPT 180 [8] OPT 150 [8] STD 150/180 [8]

6 DISCFINE SANDING, SCREEN /

FINISHRITE [7] [9]120/180 100-120/120 120/120 120/150 100/120-150 120-150

OPT DISCVERY FINE SANDING,

SCREEN / FINISHRITE [9]150/180 150/180 180/180 150/180 150/180 180/180-240

7 DISCBETWEEN COAT, ABRASIVE

SCREEN / FINISHRITE [5]180 [O] 220 [W] 180 [O] 220 [W] 180 [O] 220 [W] 180 [O] 220 [W] 180 [O] 220 [W] 180 [O] 220 [W]

CONDITION OF FLOOR

WOOD TOXICITY SANDING STEPS AND GRIT PROGRESSION

MINERAL PRODUCT GRADE % BEST USE

SILICON CARBIDE BELT,DISC,SCREEN P* 100** OLD FLOOR

ALUMINUM OXIDE BELT,DISC P* 100** MID-GRADE

ZIRCONIUM BELT,DISC P* 100** HIGH QUALITY

** REFERS TO "FEPA" GRADING STANDARDS TO INSURE CONSISTANCY

*** COMPARE OTHER COMPANIES MIXED GRADES AND MINERALS

ABRASIVE TESTING PROGRAM

1. Compare the diagonal cut for accuracy. 2. In the sunlight, compare the consistency of grit. How tight is its grading?

For example, is the 80 grit 99% 80 grit or 60% 80 grit and 40% other grit? 3. Compare the “skive¹”, does it vary in depth? Is the line jagged and rough? 4. Compare the splice; do you prefer lap, butt or sine joints? Personally I

prefer sine for the better alignment, less movement, no hinging or creases, more surface contact and the belt will run in either direction.

5. Look hard at the splice, will it cause chatter?

¹ Skive is the etching of the backing before the glue and splice is applied.

How Does Sandpaper Work? Sandpaper works a lot like a saw, chisel, or any other cutting tool in your shop. The particles on sandpaper are made up from a number of sharp edges that cut the wood the same way a saw blade does. The only real difference is that sandpaper, unlike your saw, can’t be sharpened.

Sandpaper is Sandpaper, Right?

Not exactly. There are two different grades of sandpaper on the market; Commercial and Industrial. The commercial grade is commonly available at hardware stores and home project centers. The industrial grade is usually available only through industrial supply stores. It’s made from higher quality materials and is designed to be used in the rigors of the production line.

[1A] = USE BEFORE BELT OR DRUM TO REDUCE CUP/CROWNING & TO PREVENT A WAVE IN THE FLOOR. USING A BELT SANDER, ALWAYS

WORK FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. EXTREME DUTY [D] DISCS OR DSD DISCS (ALWAYS USE FINEST GRIT NECESSARY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM). 4/0 P150

[1B] = GUMMY FLOORS TO CUT, WAX OR SHELLAC 24 GRIT CAN BE CLEANED WITH A WIRE BRUSH. ALSO 36 [D] GRIT EDGER DISCS. 3/0 P120

[2] = DIAGONAL 3 CUT - CUPPING/CROWNING. 2/0 P10

[3] = USED TO MAKE FLATTEST POSSIBLE FLOOR. 1/0 P80

[4] = WHEN OVER WOOD EXCEEDS 1/32" (ONE BUSINESS CARD), THEN DROP ONE GRIT. 1/2 P60

[5] = FOR DARK STAINS, CLEAR FINISHES, CEILING LIGHTS AND/OR DARK WOODS. 1 1/2 P40

[6] = FIRST CUT WITH BELT OR DRUM SHOULD BE MADE AT A 6 DEGREE ANGLE TO REDUCE OVERWOOD ON BUTT AND END JOINTS. 2 P36

[7] = USE THIN PAD TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND FLAT. USE 1" PAD FOR LESS AGGRESSIVE TO FOLLOW FLOOR CONTOUR. 2 1/2 P30

[8] = AFTER HARD PLATING SCREEN WITH SAME GRIT OR FINER (EX: HARD PLATE WITH 100 GRIT OR SCREEN WITH 100-120 GRIT). 3 P24

[9] = FINISHRITE STRIPS ARE THE BEST FOR VERY FINE SANDING. STRIPS DO NOT LOAD UP OR CREATE EXCESSIVE SCRATCHES. 3 1/2 P20

[O] = OIL BASED FINISH 4 P16

[W] = WATER BASED FINISH 4 1/2 P120

S = SILICON CARBIDE

A = ALUMINUM OXIDE

D = DIAMONDBACK ZIRCONIUM

GRIT SIZE

So what’s the difference between Commercial and Industrial grades?

There are three main components to sandpaper; the abrasive grit, the backing material, and the bonding agents. Industrial grade sandpaper uses higher quality components as well as tighter manufacturing tolerances.

When Can I stop Sanding?

In most cases you can stop sanding at 150 or 180 grit. If you plan to use a water-based stain it’s best to sand up to 200 grit sandpaper. This is because water based stains can tend to pickup and magnify a scratch. It can also be a waste of time to sand with very fine sandpaper. Sanding maple with 400 grit sandpaper, for example, will tend to seal off the grain and prevent finishes from penetrating.