Hardwood Floors April/May 2026

RESOURCES TECHNICAL T ips PUBLICATION GRIT SEQUENCE

TYPICAL GRIT SEQUENCE

The image below is what happens when more than one grit of abrasive is skipped in the sanding sequence. The first cut uses a coarse-grit abrasive, which creates deep scratches. If the second cut skips more than one grit from the abrasive used in the first cut, the abrasive used in the second cut will not effectively remove the scratches created by the first cut, removing only the peaks left by the first cut. The deeper scratch marks will remain, resulting in a rough surface. IMPROPER GRIT SEQUENCE

The image below is a graphic representation of what happens when a wood floor is sanded. Each subsequent cut with a finer grit of abrasive removes the scratch marks left by the previous cut. Therefore, it is recommended that no more than one grit of abrasive be skipped in each sanding sequence. Start with the finest grit paper that will remove existing coatings and flatten the floor.

Finished surface with skipped grit sequence.

For additional information, check out the NWFA's Technical Publications at NWFA.ORG/TECHNICAL- GUIDELINES/. N

Finished surface with correctly selected grit sequence.

Source: NWFA Wood Flooring Sand and Finish Guidelines (revised 2016)

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