Abrasives are coated materials usually with either paper or cloth backing, used to rub down surfaces in the workshop. They can be used to remove imperfections, clean (metal) surfaces of corrosion or provide a high finish on shellac and lacquered surfaces. Coarse abrasives can also be used for shaping timber in the process known as “sanding”. Although many abrasives are still described as "sandpaper", sand is seldom used in their manufacture nowadays. The correct term is coated abrasives. (See Abrasive Chart).

The backing papers are classified by alphabetical letters, depending on the anticipated use of the material. For example "A" weight paper is the lightest grade for fine finishing, while "E" weight is normally used with power sanders.
The abrasive coating is also classified as either “open” or “closed" depending on how much of the backing is covered with the abrasive granules. Open coated abrasives are less prone to clogging and are used for coarse initial sanding on large areas. Close-coated types are more often used for fine work.

With most abrasives, the higher the identifying number, the finer the particle size used to coat the backing. The number actually refers to the size of mesh used to grade the particles. The particles may then be bonded to the backing using either resin or glue, resin being generally stronger.

What we usually refer to as sandpaper generally glass paper, a cheaper grade of flexible abrasive with particles glued to a paper backing. Glass paper is coded the opposite way to other abrasives, with 00 being very fine and size 3 being coarse.

As well as the abrasives listed below, there are a few others which are useful to have in the workshop. Steel wool is excellent for cleaning metal, smoothing masonry and many other uses. Pumice stone is a very fine powder, useful for rubbing back finished furniture surfaces. It is used “wet” with salad oil or water.

Lastly, there is “liquid sandpaper", a liquid used to remove the gloss from paint. Although it is not truly an abrasive, it performs one of the main functions of one.