12 Inch Sanding Discs

Premium Quality 12 Inch Sanding Discs From Red Label Abrasives

Whether you need to quickly and accurately sand outside curves or fine-tune crosscuts and miters on your workpieces, 12” disc sanders have you covered. When paired with the right abrasive, it can accomplish all of your sanding needs, from stripping waste to final-touch polishing.

If you’re running low on 12” sanding discs, Red Label Abrasives can help you replenish your stock with premium-quality industrial grade abrasives. If you’re ready for results that will exceed your expectations, give our 12” sanding discs a try! If you are not satisfied with our discs, we offer a 90-day money back guarantee.

Types of 12 Inch Sanding Discs We Sell

Red Label Abrasives sells 12” sanding discs with an adhesive backing. Pressure-sensitive adhesive discs, also known as PSA discs, stick to your orbital sander, making them easy to apply. Simply peel off the backing, press into place, and you’re ready to start sanding!

In comparison to hook and loop discs, adhesive discs are less expensive, but they cannot be reused. As soon as the disc is removed from the sander, the adhesive will lose its ability to stick and cannot be reapplied. PSA discs are a great option, however, if you only need one grit, and buying a package with multiple discs can cut down on any costs associated with routine replacement.

How To Replace a PSA Disc

Pressure-sensitive adhesive discs bond form a stronger bond with the sander's platen over time, so replacing one that has been in place for months (or years) requires some finesse. These simple tasks, however, can take the hassle out of swapping out your old PSA disc for a new one.

1. Using a heat gun or blow dryer, soften the adhesive through the abrasive. While still applying heat, peel the disc away from the platen with a putty knife or your fingers.
2. After you have removed the disc, soften the remaining adhesive with lacquer thinner and scrape it off with a putty knife. Use more solvent to clean the platen.
3. After the platen is clean and the solvent has been dried off, peel back half of the backing of a new disc and fold it over the other half. Place the disc between the table and platen and press the top half into place.
4. Press the disc firmly to the platen after rotating the platen a half-turn and removing the remaining backer. Press the disc firmly into place after rotating it.

Be sure to note what type of disc sander you currently have. Depending on how it was designed, you can use either adhesive discs or hook-and-loop discs with your sander, but not both. If you want to use both, converter pads are available to allow hook and loop sanders to use adhesive discs and vice versa. 

What Abrasive Grain Should You Be Looking For? 

Red Label Abrasives offers 12” sanding discs with two different types of abrasive grains: aluminum oxide and zirconia.

12” Aluminum Oxide Sanding Discs

Aluminum oxide is one of the most frequently-used abrasives because it’s so versatile. You can use it on wood, metal, painted surfaces, and more. Furthermore, aluminum oxide is extremely durable. Compared to other types of sandpaper, aluminum oxide has a very good shelf life and is relatively inexpensive.

Compared to zirconia, aluminum oxide has a shorter life when sanding metals that are harder, such as titanium or stainless steel. When applied to hard metal surfaces, zirconia is more durable and runs cooler than aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide, on the other hand, is much cheaper and just as efficient as zirconia, which is why professionals across all industries tend to favor it when sanding other metals.

12” Zirconia Sanding Discs

Also known as zirconium, zirconia preceded ceramic as the original self-sharpening grain technology and is well suited to medium- to coarse-grit metalworking. 12-inch sanding discs made from zirconia are considered high-performance, like ceramics. Although its lifespan is shorter than microcrystalline ceramic, it lasts longer than aluminum oxide and silicon carbide.

The structure of zirconia makes it particularly tough, which is why it is well suited for medium- to high-pressure grinding and for aggressive applications. Available in grits ranging from 24 to 120, its high heat resistance makes it especially suitable for metalworking. Due to the sharpness of zirconia grain, it has an excellent cut rate, saving both time and labor.

How Do I Know If My Sander Uses 12” Sanding Discs?

To find out what size discs you need to buy for your orbital sander, measure a used disc if you have one lying around. You'll need to measure the diameter of the disc to determine whether it's 12". You can also measure the diameter of the disc pad on the sander itself if you don't have an old sanding disc available for comparison.

Why Choose Red Label For Your 12” Sanding Discs?

Red Label Abrasives is widely regarded as a market leader in the abrasive industry. We offer some of the longest-lasting and most effective 12" abrasives you will find anywhere. We manufacture all of our sanding discs at our facility in Belding, Michigan, and have been providing different industries with the abrasive products they need for over 35 years. Due to our position as the manufacturer, we’re able to offer our abrasives at an affordable price. 

With Red Label, you get more than just high-quality products with a highly competitive lifetime cost of ownership. As a family-owned company, we also offer unsurpassed support from our abrasive technicians, all of whom are dedicated to excellent customer service. We can help you find the right 12” sanding disc for your needs, assist you with placing a regular or custom order, and troubleshoot a sanding problem. 

Questions? Contact Our Abrasive Specialists