Gator

Gator sandpaper and abrasives help you smooth patched drywall, sand wood and strip old paint. For wall repairs and furniture refinishing, you can choose abrasives for heavy removal through surface refinement. Start with what you need to remove, then choose the grit.

Gator is an abrasives brand in Rust-Oleum’s consumer-brand lineup. It also goes by Gator Finishing and Gator Abrasives. Its products cover sanding, surface preparation, cutting and grinding.

Sandpaper for removal and finish preparation

Sheets and discs cover hand sanding and power sanding. For replacement discs, match the diameter, attachment and dust-hole pattern to your sander. For sheets, match the size and fastening method to your sanding block.

80 grit belongs in the heavy sanding and stripping stage, along with 60 and 100 grit. It’s for taking material off. Once the old finish or rough surface is worked down, move into the preparation stage so you can remove the coarse scratches.

The preparation step uses 120, 150 and 180 grit; the finish step uses 220, 320 and 400 grit. On wood, follow the stain or finish instructions for the final sanding grit.

Drywall tools for patched walls

Gator makes drywall sanding tools that smooth spackling and joint compound to prepare walls for paint. That’s the part of the line for your patched wall.

Let the compound dry before sanding, then work down the ridges and feather the patch edges into the surrounding wall. Use light pressure near exposed drywall paper, and check the patch with light shining across it.

Cutting, grinding and hand tools

Gator cutting and grinding products cover metal, masonry, drywall, wood and fiberglass. Choose the individual blade or wheel for the material you’re working, then match its dimensions and speed rating to the tool.

Flap discs are among the abrasive options. Use a cutting wheel for the cut and a flap disc for grinding and blending the surface, such as smoothing a weld afterward.

The hand-tool options include a combination-grit sharpening stone and a rubbing brick with a handle.

Grit guide

Choose the stage by the work left on the surface. Before moving finer, work out the scratches from the previous grit.

Sanding stage	Grits	Purpose
Remove	60, 80, 100	Heavy sanding and stripping
Prepare	120, 150, 180	General-purpose sanding and surface refinement
Finish	220, 320, 400	Surface refinement before staining, painting or sealing
Polish	600, 1000, 2,000	Smoothing and bringing out shine

Frequently Asked Questions

What grit of Gator sandpaper should I use?

Choose Gator sandpaper by what needs to come off the surface. For heavy sanding and stripping, 80 grit belongs in the removal stage; it isn’t your final pass before finishing. Start with the least aggressive grit that gets the work done, because every coarse scratch has to come out before the finish goes on.

Can you use Gator sandpaper on drywall?

Gator has drywall sanding tools for smoothing spackling and joint compound before paint. Let the compound dry and use light pressure, especially at the patch edges. Stop when the repair is flush with the wall; sanding a hollow into it means another round of filling.

Is Gator sandpaper any good?

Gator has useful features for hand sanding: its sanding sponges use sandpaper fused to a foam core, and its multi-use sanding block handle has a quick clamp for changing paper. That clamp is handy when you’re working through several grits. Getting a clean result still depends on removing the previous grit’s scratches before moving finer.

What is a Gator blade?

In the abrasives line, a Gator blade is a cutting accessory, with diamond blades among the options. You need a blade suited to the material and the tool you’re using. Diameter alone doesn’t establish a fit; the arbor and speed rating have to match the tool’s requirements too.