P80 sandpaper
201 µm grain
P80 (FEPA) · about 80 grit (CAMI) · 0.201 mm average particle
What P80 is for
The usual first grit on bare timber. Flattens saw marks and planer ripple without cutting so deep that the next grit cannot catch up.
The two scales
| FEPA (European) | P80 |
| CAMI (American) | about 80 |
| Average grain | 201 µm |
| Scales agree here? | Yes, near enough to substitute |
Nearby grits
| FEPA | CAMI | Grain | Typically |
|---|---|---|---|
| P40 | 36 | 425 µm | Stripping paint and levelling rough timber |
| P60 | 60 | 269 µm | Heavy shaping and taking off old finish |
| P80 | 80 | 201 µm | The usual first grit on bare timber |
| P100 | 100 | 162 µm | General sanding on softwood, and the point at which the surface starts to look intentional rather than attacked |
| P120 | 120 | 125 µm | The workhorse grit for wood before finishing |
| P150 | 150 | 100 µm | Between the shaping grits and the finishing ones |
Frequently asked questions
Is P80 the same as 80 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 P80?
An average grain of 201 µm — 0.201 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 P80 used for?
The usual first grit on bare timber. Flattens saw marks and planer ripple without cutting so deep that the next grit cannot catch up.
What comes before and after P80?
Coming up from coarse, P60 (269 µm) and then this; the next step finer is P100 at 162 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.