P280 sandpaper
52.2 µm grain
P280 (FEPA) · about 240 grit (CAMI) · 0.052 mm average particle
What P280 is for
Fine finishing on hardwood, and between coats of varnish. P280 is about CAMI 240 — already most of a step apart.
The two scales
| FEPA (European) | P280 |
| CAMI (American) | about 240 |
| Average grain | 52.2 µm |
| Scales agree here? | No — P280 is about 17% coarser than a CAMI 280 |
A packet marked 280 in the United States is finer than one marked P280 in Europe. The P prefix is the tell, and it is easy to miss on a label — which is why a finishing schedule copied from an American source and followed with European paper comes out coarser than intended at every step.
Nearby grits
| FEPA | CAMI | Grain | Typically |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 P280 the same as 280 grit?
No. P280 is roughly CAMI 240 — the American 280 grit is finer than the European P280. The two scales agree up to about 180 and separate above it, so at this end a packet marked 280 and a packet marked P280 are genuinely different papers.
What grain size is P280?
An average grain of 52.2 µm — 0.052 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 P280 used for?
Fine finishing on hardwood, and between coats of varnish. P280 is about CAMI 240 — already most of a step apart.
What comes before and after P280?
Coming up from coarse, P240 (58.5 µm) and then this; the next step finer is P320 at 46.2 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.