Did you know that improper storage of coated abrasive products can have damaging effects on your sanding supplies? It is a fact that abrasives will warp, weaken, or break under inadequate storage conditions. Not only does this render your sanding products useless, it wastes your hard-earned money. But if you simply learn how to store your bulk abrasives properly, you can spare yourself the anguish of throwing them all away when they are ruined. So continue reading to learn exactly what you need to know in order to properly store your abrasives.

Climate and Humidity Levels

Be sure to store your sandpaper sheets, rolls, belts, discs, and all other coated abrasives in a room with controlled temperature and humidity levels. Ideally, these levels should remain between 40% to 50% humidity and 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you fail to do this, you risk several unwanted hassles, such as cupping, belt tracking issues, creasing, broken tape joint, and more.

Placement

Not only should you always keep your abrasives in their original packaging when not in use, it is important to place them in the right places; or better yet, not place them in the wrong places. For instance, never store coated abrasive products near cold or damp walls and floors. Moisture exposure will quickly destroy them. And the list of places and things to avoid goes on, including direct sunlight, steam pipes, radiators, furnaces, exhaust systems, as well as, open windows and doors. If you must store abrasives near one of these conditions, be sure they are at least 4 feet away.

Belts

Always precondition your abrasive belts before using them. Simply remove them from the carton so they can have time to adjust to the surrounding air. To store them, find a clean shelf, roll them up, and place them on their edge-side. If you do not have shelf space, you can throw them over a cylinder. But never hang them from a nail or peg. This will cause creasing and can crack the belt.

And of course: Always rotate your stock!

Call Sandpaper America for Quality Abrasives

Contact Sandpaper America at 1-800-860-SAND for quality coated abrasives at affordable prices. We manufacture and sell a wide range of abrasives and sanding products, and offer bulk orders, online ordering, custom orders, and more! From sanding belts and sheet rolls, to wolf heads, sanding discs, and more, our inventory has everything you need to make your project stand out! Call 1-800-860-7263 to learn more, today.