We love Mirka stuff. I never thought I could love an abrasive, but the company’s Abranet abrasives have become the only ones I like to use.
So when I wore out some old sanding sponges (no, I don’t just throw them away after each use), I decided to try Mirka’s. We use sanding sponges for leveling film finishes between coats.
In the shape shown above, we could only get them in #220-grit. (They offer a thinner sponge in #400 grit that I want to try.) The #220 is a firm – very firm – sponge. Much firmer than the sponges from the home center.
The firmness makes it ideal for flat surfaces, but not great for curves (that’s what the thinner sponges are for). The abrasive on the Mirka sponge is distributed evenly on the sponge’s edges, so it’s more predictable than a home center sponge.
The #220 is too aggressive for finishes such as shellac and lacquer, but it is great for paint. Once the sponge clogs, clean it in water and it will be (almost) as good as new.
Next year we hope to review the finer-grit Mirka sponges.
— Christopher Schwarz
To read previous entries in the gift guide, click here.
I’ve used home center sponges on drywall a lot, but would never have imagined using them on furniture. I’ll have to sample the Mirka some time and see how it does.
how are these compared with the sandflex blocks?
The only Sandflex blocks I know are for removing rust; these are for sanding raised grain on wood. So a different purpose altogether.
Totally agree. Mirka stuff is the best. The thin 400 grit sponges are really fantastic. Don’t know where you get yours, but I have always found both at my local cabinet makers supply where I also get General Finishes.
I like the Mirka Goldflex foam backed sheet on a roll – very compliant for sanding curves.
I use sanding sponges to clean off the slurry after my antique tools sit in a citric acid bath. They work great.