Which sequence of grits is commonly used when finishing cabinet doors to prepare for the final coat?

• A. 80, 120, 180
• B. 120, 180, 220
• C. 220, 180, 120
• D. 100, 160, 210

Answer: (D)

Starting with a coarser grit and moving to finer grits in stages is how you prepare cabinet doors for a final coat. Beginning with 100 grit efficiently removes major blemishes and any roughness. Then moving to 160 grit smooths the surface and erases the scratches from the previous step. Finishing with 210 grit leaves the surface very smooth, with only fine scratch patterns, which helps the final coat lay down evenly and minimizes visible sanding marks.

If you start with a finer grit or skip the intermediate step, you may not remove enough imperfections, leaving scratches that show through the final coat. Starting too coarse and not finishing with a very fine grit like 210 can also leave noticeable sanding marks or reduce adhesion conditions for the final finish. The sequence of 100, then 160, then 210 provides a balanced progression that yields a smooth, ready-for-coat surface.