I need fine-grit sandpaper.
ve-TRA-ta — stress the second syllable; the final 'a' is clear and open.
Use this when you need sandpaper for smoothing wood, metal, or painted surfaces before refinishing. Knowing the grain terminology saves confusion in the shop.
Carta vetrata (sandpaper, literally 'glass paper') comes in different grains (grane): grana grossa (coarse — 40-80, for shaping), grana media (medium — 100-150, for general sanding), grana fine (fine — 180-240, for finishing), and grana finissima (very fine — 280-400+, for between-coat sanding). Italian shops often use the numerical grade — ask for the number.
Carta vetrata grana 120.
120-grit sandpaper.
Using the number is clearer and avoids ambiguity between brands.
Spugna abrasiva per i bordi.
Sanding sponge for edges.
Spugna abrasiva (sanding sponge) is flexible and ideal for curved or detailed surfaces.
Disco abrasivo per il ponceuse.
Sanding disc for the orbital sander.
Disco abrasivo is the circular pad for a random orbital sander; size must match the machine.
Italy's restored parquet (wooden floor) industry is centred in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto, which produce some of Europe's finest engineered wood flooring. As a result, Italian ferramenta in these regions stock an especially comprehensive range of floor finishing products — abrasives, oils, lacquers, and waxes — that are harder to find in other countries.