P240 sandpaper
58.5 µm grain
P240 (FEPA) · about 220 grit (CAMI) · 0.059 mm average particle
What P240 is for
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. On hardwood it is often the last grit before oil; on softwood it is already fine enough to close the grain and make stain patchy.
The two scales
| FEPA (European) | P240 |
| CAMI (American) | about 220 |
| Average grain | 58.5 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 |
| P500 | 360 | 30.2 µm | Fine finishing and light wet sanding |
Frequently asked questions
Is P240 the same as 240 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 P240?
An average grain of 58.5 µm — 0.059 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 P240 used for?
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. On hardwood it is often the last grit before oil; on softwood it is already fine enough to close the grain and make stain patchy.
What comes before and after P240?
Coming up from coarse, P220 (68 µm) and then this; the next step finer is P280 at 52.2 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.