Sanding discs, abrasive discs or abrasive sanding discs, are essentially durable, high-grade pieces of sandpaper intended for electric hand sanders, air sanders and other rotary sanders and grinders. The backings to which the grains adhere may be made of paper, cloth, various fibers, or even film or other materials. There are even metal sanding discs, both solid and screen, a unique variety. Additionally, some heavy grinding discs are actually more lasting wheels.

Be sure to match the mounting type of your device and the sanding discs you're buying. Common types are adhesive, hook and loop (like Velcro), and central or bore-mount. Many sanding disc sources carry multiple mounting types for comparable or otherwise identical products. The various types of backings can also make a performance difference, which is explored more later in this guide.

Also, notice the type of abrasive grains applied to the disk. After all, these grains do the actual work:

1. Alumina-zirconia sanding disc

2. Aluminum oxide/ceramic sanding disc

3. Carbon boron nitride sanding disc

4. Diamond mixed paste sanding disc

5. Garnet sanding disc

6. Silicon carbide sanding disc

7. Tungsten carbine sanding disc

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Shop around for sanding discs at reasonable prices

There are a lot of online sources for sanding discs. Two ways to take advantage of this are to price shop, and, secondly, to get specific in your search.

I recommend: Online Industrial Supply has multiple brands and types of sanding discs. Its stock includes brands like Mirka and Indasa, and it carries cloth, paper, quick-change and many other disc styles. Its sanding discs list has lower prices of many other sources. If you're just looking for sanding discs appropriate for dual action (DA) air sanders, head to Gofer Auto.

Find sanding discs with appropriate backings

Cloth discs are great for tough jobs like abrasive planing. Fiber discs may also work well for such jobs, but sometimes loose their shape due to air moisture. Metal discs are another breed, in that they attach differently than flexible types. Common metal compositions are aluminum and brass. Other disc backings are listed above; most of these work for a diverse range of applications.

I recommend: Abrasive Resource carries both fiber and cloth sanding discs with multiple mounting types. AbrasiveSales.com is another place to look for good prices on multiple types of sanding disks.

Locate a sanding discs provider that sells the grain and grit you need

Various types of grains act a little differently and sometimes affect cost. For instance, diamond paste and carbon boron nitride (CBN) both work well for various types of steel. However, it would be a waste of money to purchase them for applications involving softer materials. For smooth finishes, grains made from a combination of aluminum oxide and other materials, like emery, work well. Grit, defined as the size and surface density of grains, is also important. Many applications require sanding in stages, first using course grit, then fine grit sanding discs.

I recommend: Diamond and CBN sanding discs are quite different from the rest. Check out the wheels available from Georgia Grinding Wheel. Hechinger is one of many sources for the much more common aluminum oxide sanding discs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Sanding discs sometimes have holes that correspond with dust vacuum passages in particular brands and models of electric sanders, so pay close attention to sanding discs information when buying online.