6 Best Sandpapers for Your Next Upcycling Project! (2021 Review)

3M SandBlaster Coarse Sandpaper Sheets Review

The US company 3M are a familiar sight to almost every tradesperson and most DIYers as well for their extensive range of PPE and workwear accessories. It turns out they also make some of the best sandpaper types available as well.

The 80 grit SandBlaster Coarse Sandpaper we tried out is of great quality, especially compared to cheap papers that gum up quickly and lose their sand coating as soon as you start working with it. The coarse grit is tough, and the plastic backing is strong enough to withstand the hardest scrubbing.

Once you’ve filled the sandpaper up with dust or paint, simply tap it against something and it’ll shed whatever you’ve sanded off. We think this sandpaper will last for ages, it’s great. The standard sandpaper size sheets mean you can fit it to most palm sanders and blocks as well.

3M SandBlaster Sandpaper Roll for Bare Surfaces Review

Another sandpaper type from the 3M SandBlaster range showcases just how much difference the best sandpaper will make to your work. The superior quality of the abrasive itself and the durable backing make the sandpaper last for much longer than basic versions, and the grit is evenly spaced for an even sanding action.

We like the 120-grit version of 3M’s SandBlaster range, it’s heavy enough to cut through well, but can be used for finer sanding jobs if you only press lightly. It’s one of the more versatile grits in our eyes, and with two and a half metres to play with on a roll, it will last for ages.

MatMax Sandpaper Roll Set Review

Wimbledon based MatMax have teamed up with abrasive experts Klingspor to create a one-stop solution to every woodworker’s problem when it comes to sanding.

With a whopping 40 metres of quality sandpaper running from a super-coarse 60 grit to an extra-fine 220 finishing grit, it’s the best sandpaper for wood when you need more than one grit for a great finish.

The big difference that we noticed is the grit material itself. Rather than using silicon, or sand, MatMax use aluminium oxide which is optimum for use on bare wood, painted surfaces, and metal. It’s probably the last set of sandpaper you’ll have to buy for a long time.

Bosch 3-Piece Abrasive Sponge Set Review

We got our hands on their handy set of abrasive sponges in three grits from Bosch, to see if they work as well as traditional sandpaper.

With three useful grits from coarse to fine, you can complete a whole sanding job without having to fiddle with sanding blocks as the sponge works as a flexible block for even sanding. You can get into corners, follow the curved edges of surfaces like skirting boards with ease, and not tire yourself out quickly.

The blocks are robust and don’t clog easily, they’re a clever innovation and one of the best wet and dry sandpaper options out there.

Kinbom 4-Piece Wet and Dry Sanding Sponge Block Review

Art and decorating supplier KINBOM have created a clever set of no-frills sanding blocks that contain coarse to extremely fine grits of sandpaper on sponge blocks for ease of use. We got hold of them for a fraction of the price of a premium sandpaper brand and were blown away by the quality.

We think they’re the best sandpaper for plaster, but they also do the job on metal and wood as well. The best feature is that you can wash them after use, keeping them clean for further jobs rather than throwing away sandpaper after use.

Plai Wet and Dry Sandpaper & Sanding Block Kit Review

Plai have created a set of wet and dry sandpapers for absolutely every application. You get a massive 45 sheets of the best sandpaper from 120 grit up until the ultra-fine 5000 grit used for preparing painted surfaces.

The quality of each sheet isn’t quite as impressive as the premium brands, but 45 sheets in this range of grits is always going to be a useful set to own, whatever the task is in front of you. They even throw in a fairly good sanding block as well.