Abrasive Sanding Discs

If it's round, spins and sands, you'll find it here! The sanding discs offered on Empire Abrasives run the gamut from your basic, economical fiber disc to your more advanced and multi-purposed flap discs. We are constantly adding products to this section so please continue to check back for the new and exciting sanding disc varieties in the very near future.

There are certainly a lot of different types of sanding discs to choose from, that work with different tools and perform different tasks. Below is a short buyer’s guide of our sanding discs to help decide the right one for your job. If you have any questions, we are available to answer them via phone, chat, or email to help you find the best sanding discs for your project.

Types of Sanding Discs

Resin Fiber Discs

Resin fiber discs are an affordable abrasive disc made with a heavy-duty fiber backing. The abrasive grains are embedded in the resin bonding agent which coats the fiber back. Please note, a compatible sized backing pad (sold separately) is required to attach the fiber disc to your grinder.

Compatible tools: Angle grinder

Common uses: General purpose grinding or metals plastics and wood, blending surfaces, deburring, heavy stock removal, rust removal, metal finishing, and removing burrs

Sizes: 4 ½”, 5”, 7”, 9”

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Ceramic, Silicon Carbide, Zirconia (zirc)

Flap Discs

A flap disc in an incredibly versatile abrasive disc that is long lasting, affordable, and available in multiple styles to fit different tools. Abrasive flaps are installed, overlapping one another, to a center hub. As the flap disc is used to grind a surface down, the flaps will tear away to expose fresh flaps of abrasive material. This allows for a cooler cut and less time wasted swapping out discs that would have become dull or clogged with use.

Compatible tools: Angle grinder, die grinder

Common uses: Smoothing welds, removal of mill scale, removal of rust, heavy stock removal, blending surfaces, finishing metal surfaces, deburring metal, general grinding and sanding of multiple surfaces

Sizes: 2”, 3”, 4 ½”, 

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Ceramic, Zirconia (zirc), Surface conditioning, Felt (polishing discs)

Hook & Loop Discs

These are made up of circular sandpaper sheets with either a paper or cloth backing. Attached to the backing is a hook and loop system, similar to how 3M VELCRO® works, which attaches to a backing pad on your sander. This makes swapping hook and loop sandpaper discs quick and easy, to avoid downtime. Please note, if your sander does not have a compatible hook & loop backing, a backing pad is needed for use, which we sell separately.

Compatible tools: Orbital sander, 

Common uses: Sanding wood, fiberglass, metal, and plastic surfaces

Sizes: 5”, 6”, 7”

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide with gold searate, Surface conditioning

Quick Change Discs

These are smaller (2-3 inches) abrasive discs that quickly attach and detach from the backing pad (sold separately). The attachment has a type 4 roll-on / roll-off fastening feature. These smaller sanding discs come in multiple options including mini flap discs.

Compatible tools: Die grinders, power drills, and air grinders

Common uses: General purpose grinding, stock removal, deburring, cleaning welds, removing scale oxidation, paints, and protective waxes, surface leveling, mold, and cavity grinding

Sizes: 2”, 3”

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Ceramic, Silicon Carbide, Zirconia (zirc) with grinding aid

Specialty discs: Mini flap discs, unitized discs, quick polish discs, easy strip & clean diss

PSA Discs

PSA stands for Pressure Sensitive Adhesive. These are self-adhesive sanding discs that quickly and easily attach to a sanding machine. Available in either cloth backing or paper backing with cloth being used for heavy duty grinding and paper being a more affordable and lightweight option for lighter sanding/finishing. Please note, PSA sanding discs require a special backing pad, which we sell separately.

Compatible tools: Bench sander, orbital sander, stationary disc sander, platen disc sander

Common uses: Grinding, sanding and finishing of wood, fiberglass, and metal surfaces

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Ceramic, Zirconia (zirc) 

Semi-Flexible Discs

Designed for aggressive grinding and prolonged use. Semi flex discs are made with a vulcanized fiber backing that attaches to a backing pad that we sell separately. The spiral design of the abrasive grains allows better airflow and prevents loading while grinding.

Compatible tools: Angle grinder

Common uses: surface grinding, weld blending, adhesive removal, sanding, leveling/reducing surface imperfections, paint removal, rust removal, eliminating dirt, scratching off scale, weld slag removal, leveling/reducing surface imperfections, floor coating removal, mill scale removal

Sizes:  4 ½”, 7:

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Silicon carbide

Surface Conditioning Discs

There is a variety of uses for each different type of surface conditioning disc. In general, they are all made up of an open nylon webbing, impregnated with abrasive grains. 

Compatible tools: Angle grinder, die grinder, orbital sander, power drill, air grinder

Common uses: Deburring and surface prep, gasket removal, coatings removal, cleaning weld splatter, removing heat discoloration, blending and finishing, rust removal

Abrasive Types: Aluminum oxide, Silicon carbide, felt (for polishing)

Specialty discs: Easy strip and clean discs, unitized discs

Need Help Choosing an Abrasive Sanding Disc?

We understand that the many different types of sanding discs available can be a bit overwhelming. Our abrasive specialists are available during regular office hours to answer any of your questions. We can be reached by email, phone, or the chat function below.