WIDE BELT SANDING METAL SUCH AS ALUMINUM, STAINLESS STEEL, MILD STEEL OR REGULAR STEEL

Finishing as it pertains to metals is a process that changes the surface of a manufactured piece to achieve a certain property. There are many designated finishes that are achieved using a specific process. Below we will mention each finish along with the process that is used to get them. 

How do you get a #0 finish? 

A #0 finish is defined as hot rolled & Annealed with scale on the surface. 

What is a #1 finish? 

A #1 finish is a hot rolled Annealed piece of metal without scale on the surface. Scale can typically be removed using one of our common 37 x 60, 37 x 75 or 52 x 75 sanding belts (many other sizes possible) using a 40 grit or 60 grit sanding belt. If you are doing aluminum, stainless steel or steel we highly recommend you go with a zirconia sanding belt! 

What is a #2 Finish? 

A #2 finish is a bright annealed piece of steel 

What is a 2B finish? 

A 2B finish is a cold rolled Annealed without scale that is lightly polished. This is brighter than 2D Cold Rolled Annealed without scale which is a Uniform Matte finish. 

What is a #3 Finish? 

This is finish is typically characterized by a shallow, relatively coarse line grain finish. The typical grit sequents would be to start with a 36 grit, 60 grit, 80 grit then finishing with a 120 grit. for steel and stainless steel we typically recommend using zirconia. If you are sanding aluminum however, we recommend using aluminum oxide belts! 

A #3 finish is a ground uniform (unidirectional) finishing using coarse abrasives from 36 to 120 grit. 

What is a #4 finish and how do you get it? 

A #4 finish is one of the most popular finishes for stainless steel or aluminum. This is commonly referred to as an architectural finish or a brushed / satin finish. You achieve this finish with a multiple step abrasive process. Typically first you will use a 120 grit zirconia sanding belt, then a 180 grit aluminum oxide belt, then finish with a BLUE Very Fine Surface conditioning belt. We sell these in common sizes such as 25" x 60", 37" x 60", 37" x 75", 52" x 75" etc.