Non-Woven Abrasive Discs

Non-woven abrasive pads offer several advantages over steel wool, especially when you use water-based finish. They don't contain oil, which would adversely affect the bonding of the finish, and they don't leave behind bits of steel fiber that can rust, ruining the appearance of a finish. Even when you're using a solvent-based finish, these pads work well for leveling and smoothing between coats.

Compared with sandpaper, non-woven pads do a better job of conforming to tight curves and narrow grooves. They are better for smooth moldings and carvings. The difference among them relates to the coarseness of grit that's impregnated in the plastic strands, not the thickness of those strands.

Industry Standard Non-Woven Abrasives color-coding:

• White pads - extra fine, approximately 600-grit
• Gray pads - 220-grit (SurfPrep - 800-grit)
• Maroon pads - 150-grit (SurfPrep - 320-grit)
• Green pads - 100-grit