Filler sanding - what grade paper?

[kevseymour]

Hi

I'm intending to cover my A pillar builds in faux suede, they're pretty rough right now so will be filled with P38 first but what grade sand paper do i need to get to get the surface smooth enough for covering? The material has no backing so it's pretty thin.

Photo's of the build so far are HERE for reference.

Cheers
Kev

[mulletboy2]

60 or 80 will be fine for a faux suede.

[kevseymour]

That was quick, cheers!

[mulletboy2]

No problem The biggest issue when covering in fabric is ensuring that there are no big pits or high spots. Light scratches are only really detrimental to finishes you want to paint, in which case you have to go much finer.

A good trick to ensure it's all going to look good is to use a "guide coat" - black spray paint or something. Put on a dusting of your guide coat, then sand back. You'll often find that large areas aren't level with the rest of the build and need building up a bit or sanding back a bit more.

[kevseymour]

American Hotrod taught me about guide coats, so that's already in the plan, but thanks for the advice.