3M Flexible Foam Sanding Sponge, Aluminum Oxide, 4-1/2" Width x 5-1/2" Length x 3/16" Thick, FIN Grade (Pack of 20)

I have been using sanding sponges for several years to sand between coats of finish. I like them much better than sandpaper. they last for several projects

A very handy product. Has a shorter life than 3M's more premium papers and these cost a premium price. Would buy again.

இ Fuzzy Wuzzy's Summary:ѾѾѾ Somewhat recommended, with reservations and only lukewarm fuzzies.փ Positives:փ The super-fine sanding surface gives a uniform silky smooth finish to wood.ჯ Negatives:ჯ The foam backing is prone to tearing long before the abrasive side has worn out.ჯ While the foam backing is comfortable for pressing the fingers against, I wish that it was a tacky rubberized backing to provide more grip.I have frequently used 3M's 1"-thick sanding sponge blocks while staining or painting cabinetry, furniture, doors, and other wood items and I like them a lot. I was hoping that these 3/16"-thick sanding sponges offered similar performance to the thicker sponges since both the 1" and 3/16" sanding sponges can be used in dry or wet applications, both can be washed and reused, and both use aluminum oxide as the abrasive mineral coating. These thin sanding sponge sheets are available in four grades: Medium for 120-180 grit size, Fine for 320-400 grit size, Super Fine for 500-600 grit size, and Ultra Fine for 800-1000 grit size.The sanding performance of these thinner sanding sponge sheets matches the 3M 1"-thick sanding sponge blocks. My main use of these Super Fine sheets has been for final finishes and scuff sanding. The advantage of using these thin sponge sheets instead of the thicker sanding sponge blocks is that these can be cut to different shapes and sizes, and bent, folded, or twisted to work them into tight corners and curves, narrow furrows, and complex shapes. The advantage of using a sanding sponge instead of regular wet/dry sandpaper is that the foam backing distributes the pressure of your fingers pressing against the surface so you apply a more uniform sanding action onto the surface, which is important if you are using the Super Fine or Ultra Fine grades to perform final sanding or scuff sanding of final finishes.Even though these sanding sponges start off working well, the foam backing frequently tears. Overall, this is slightly more tear-resistant than using regular wet/dry sandpaper... but not by much. The Amazon product description for these sanding sponges mentions that the "durable construction lasts for the life of the abrasive". This is true for 3M's 1"-thick sanding sponges. With the 1"-thick sanding sponges, I usually do not even have any corner of the sponge torn off by the time that the abrasive has worn out. But for these 3/16"-thick sponges, I frequently tear the sponge if I am sanding across corners, edges, or uneven surfaces. If I always sand across flat surfaces, the sponge lasts considerably longer. But that negates one of the prime advantages of being able to bend and shape these sanding sponges to fit around non-flat surfaces.The foam backing has a crosshatched texture that gives a comfortable feel to my fingers. However, I wish that the backing was even more textured and/or coated with a tacky rubberized compound. On some woodwork, I cut a smaller rectangle out of the sanding sponge sheet and I work the sanding sponge into a tight area using just one or two fingers. Under these conditions, my fingers can slip and lose grip of the sanding sponge, which would not happen if my one or two fingers could get more traction from a backing that was more textured or tackier in feel.Because the foam backing on these sanding sponges tear so easily, I think that these are best used in tight curves and corners where you cannot completely reach those areas using a 1"-thick sanding sponge or regular sanding block. But in those applications, a hand/scouring pad or steel wool could work just as well. The flexible 3M Scotch-Brite hand scouring pads work well for scuff sanding and final sanding. For final sanding of flat surfaces, and more exposed edges and corners, I am going to continue using the thicker 1"-thick sanding sponges. Always wear a respirator or dust mask when sanding!

I found these 3M Flexible Foam Sanding Sponges to give perfect results after using them on wood, paint, metal, plastic and drywall. I have always done my own home repairs, besides doing many craft projects in my line of craft work with miniatures, ornaments and dolls. With regular sandpaper, I have to cut it to fit the sander or sanding block, which then gets quickly chewed up due to it's thinness, being a sheet of easily torn sandpaper. With these 3/16th of an inch thick sponges, this is not the case. These last way longer being so much thicker than paper.I can cut these sponges to any size I want, as no blocks are needed. For my large sanding of plaster walls or dry wall, I used the full sponge. For wood- I can sand a board or a hand rail, as these sponges bend, fold and twist to any corner or curve of the wood. These sponges never wrinkle! For my miniatures, I can cut a piece a half inch wide and buff to perfection. I had to shorten a screw with a hacksaw, and in seconds these sponges smoothed the jagged screw bottom, so these sponges are great on metal. I also used these sanding sponges on attic flooring that needed the stain sanded in between coats and these sponges scuffed the layers perfect in between coats of the varnish.The most important trait I wanted from these sanding sponges was being able to sand plastic and lucite without overheating. In my craft work, I use plastic for miniatures as well as lucite tubing. I cut the lucite tubes and sanded the edges as smooth as glass with no overheating at all! I found these sanding sponges are made of aluminum oxide and titanium oxide- which are the best choice for sanding materials among industrial professionals- not just because of it's cut rate and long life, but because of it's low heat retention. With these 3M Flexible Foam Sanding Sponges, I can sand any wood, paint, drywall, metal and plastic, cut them to any size, bend, fold, twist and fit them in any crevass- no matter how tiny, and they last unbelievably long- and for these reasons they deserve a solid 5 STARS!