P220 sandpaper
68 µm grain
P220 (FEPA) · about 220 grit (CAMI) · 0.068 mm average particle
What P220 is for
The last grit most woodwork needs before paint or stain, and the point where the two scales still agree closely enough to substitute one for the other without noticing. Standard practice on softwood stops here.
The two scales
| FEPA (European) | P220 |
| CAMI (American) | about 220 |
| Average grain | 68 µm |
| Scales agree here? | Yes, near enough to substitute |
Nearby grits
| FEPA | CAMI | Grain | Typically |
|---|---|---|---|
| P120 | 120 | 125 µm | The workhorse grit for wood before finishing |
| P150 | 150 | 100 µm | Between the shaping grits and the finishing ones |
| P180 | 180 | 82 µm | The last grit where P and CAMI still mean nearly the same thing |
| P220 | 220 | 68 µm | The last grit most woodwork needs before paint or stain, and the point where the two scales still agree closely enough to substitute one for the other without noticing |
| P240 | 220 | 58.5 µm | The first grit of the finishing range rather than the preparation range, and the first where the two scales visibly part company: P240 falls between CAMI 220 and 240 and matches neither |
| P280 | 240 | 52.2 µm | Fine finishing on hardwood, and between coats of varnish |
| P320 | 280 | 46.2 µm | De-nibbing between coats |
| P400 | 320 | 35 µm | The clearest case of the mismatch |
Frequently asked questions
Is P220 the same as 220 grit?
Close enough to treat as the same. Below about P180 the European and American scales agree; the divergence starts above it.
What grain size is P220?
An average grain of 68 µm — 0.068 mm. That figure is what the P number is defined by, which is why it is the reliable way to compare across scales.
What is P220 used for?
The last grit most woodwork needs before paint or stain, and the point where the two scales still agree closely enough to substitute one for the other without noticing. Standard practice on softwood stops here.
What comes before and after P220?
Coming up from coarse, P180 (82 µm) and then this; the next step finer is P240 at 58.5 µm. Skipping more than one step leaves scratches the finer paper cannot remove — the usual cause of a surface that looks fine dry and terrible once finish goes on.