Overheard a guy at Home Depot say buying store brand sandpaper is a waste of money

I was grabbing some 80 grit for a refinishing project last Saturday when this old timer told a newbie that the cheap stuff clogs up after three passes. I've used both and honestly I think the generic works fine for rough sanding, just not for finishing work. What's your take on saving 5 bucks a pack versus getting the name brand stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_phoenix14d ago

Read an article from a woodworking magazine that tested both and they found the cheap stuff sheds grit way faster on harder woods. For rough stuff like stripping paint or shaping curves it gets the job done, but you end up spending more on the extra sheets you burn through. That five bucks you saved just goes back into buying another pack anyway.

theawest14d ago

2 packs of 3M sandpaper from Home Depot cost me about $8 and last through an entire weekend project. The cheap stuff from the dollar store gave out halfway through sanding a pine shelf I was refinishing. So yeah, you do save money upfront but you pay for it in frustration and extra trips to the store.