Sourcing abrasive floor sanding screens from China

Zero duty, with classification by backing

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6805 covers abrasive powder or grain on a backing, including material cut to shape. All supplied lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duties or suspensions listed. The table shows shape variants sharing the same backing-based codes.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For Chinese waste screens entering England under notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch country's competent authority; shipment awaits consent from the Environment Agency and the other authorities involved. For discarded or contaminated screens, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipping.

Establish the mesh material and whether it is woven textile fabric only before choosing the line. Do not select a code from the word 'screen' alone. Confirm the commodity code using the backing specification and a sample. See the wider abrasive mesh sanding sheets guide.

Specify the mesh, grit and floor machine

Specify abrasive mineral, grit and grading system, mesh material and construction, opening size, resin bond, shape and dimensions. State whether the screen is for sanding bare timber, removing a finish or abrading between coats. Approve samples on the intended floor material and finish, using the actual machine and support pad.

Record the permitted operating conditions and whether the screen can be reversed. For screens intended or likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain, the importer must ensure safety under normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Agree clear use information, and provide producer identification and product or batch references on the product or packaging where reasonable.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 1,500 woven-textile floor sanding screens under 6805 10 00 00, invoiced at £3,200 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,700. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,700, so it is £940. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: check diameter or side lengths, flatness and seating under the intended support pad; reject folded edges and distorted mesh.

Cut and finish: compare samples with the approved screen on the same timber and coating; check scratch pattern, loading and consistency between grits.

Bond and mesh: inspect grain shedding, resin flaking, blocked openings and tearing after a controlled sanding trial.

Packing and identification: check dry, flat packing, grit labels and batch references against the order. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A screen can fit the machine yet leave uneven scratches because its grading or coating differs from the approved sample. Weak bonding sheds abrasive, brittle mesh tears at the edge, and excess resin closes openings. Test production samples on the buyer's floor system before accepting the batch.

Screens packed while damp or compressed unevenly may arrive curled and load poorly under the pad. Keep an approved reference for each grit and backing, and compare arrival samples before releasing stock to customers.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.