Best Overall
Makita 4-Inch by 24-Inch Belt Sander
Best Bang for the Buck
Skil 3-Inch by 18-Inch Belt Sander
Most Versatile
DeWalt Cordless Orbital Sander Kit
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It ’s possible to practice just about any sander for hardwood floors , but some can call for a retentive , laborious , and uncomfortable process . As is usually the case , using the right pecker for the occupation will make spirit a whole lot easier . However , with so many dissimilar sander on the securities industry , it can be difficult to know which sort to choose .
There are a variety show of types of smoother , all with a specific purpose and each suit for different facial expression of sand hardwood flooring . The key to opt the best sander for hardwood story is understand how each cock performs .
Keep reading to feel out the physical and technical aspects of some of the best smoother for hardwood floors presently on the mart , retrieve out answer to a numeral of the flooring - sanding questions that often clip up , and learn about some sanding tips that will aid grow a more professional result .
Before You Buy a Sander for Hardwood Floors
DIY storey sanding can take several signifier . Those repairing a small orbit may already own a general - purpose smoother that will do the business . loosely speaking , though , whether one is laying a new floor orstripping and refinishing an existing one , the expanse can be quite large . Any machine to sand woodwind could be used to harness the job , but many will leave in the DIYer outlay all day on their hands and knees .
While our list of top sanders for hardwood floor extend a variety of tool to make the job quicker and easier , the fastest is undoubtedly anindustrial floor drum sander . Although profound , these industrial tools are used stand up and are much more easy to apply . unluckily , even the cheapest options cost K of dollar . The good newsworthiness is that these sanders can be lease , and many liberal - name home improvement retail merchant provide this rental service .
It ’s also authoritative to do the math before enthrone in ( or renting ) a floor sander . DIYers who ask to rend one for several twenty-four hours may find that the cost can soon add up to more than the price of buy a small flooring sander . Most of these small sanders will take longer to sand a floor , but all of our picks are multipurpose tools that can be used for other Job . Nevertheless , renting floor sand equipment is certainly an option worth considering .
How We Chose the Best Sanders for Hardwood Floors
I ’ve been a keen DIYer for many years . I ’ve done marginal - bones reconstruct on two of our homes , and for over a decade I owned my own woodshop . I have real - world experience with many different types of sander , and I know what to consider when working on hardwood floors .
In increase to my personal experience , the Bob Vila team search dozens of different tools , comparing price and performance to find oneself those that best meet the needs of distinctive DIY users . We also want to ensure that they offered live on economic value . farsighted - terminal figure reliability was important , but so was versatility . Not a individual one of these shaft is solely for sanding story ; they can all harness other tasks around the home .
Our Top Picks
The follow leaning offer a hardwood deck sander for most every motivation and budget . Each has been assigned a class so buyers can quickly find the right prick whether they are repairing a small section of story or working through an entire planetary house of hardwood floors .
The Makita belt out sander offer an idealistic residual of feature for most DIYers . It has a hefty 11 - amp motor to harness large floor areas , but it lack the astronomical monetary value of commercial story sanders . It can also be used to sand ray , decks , doors , tables , or any other substantial woodworking labor .
The 4 - inch - by-24 - inch swath and 1,640 feet - per - min speed cede remarkably speedy fabric removal . The substantial footprint draw for a unchanging platform so it ’s easy to keep floors even . The design is unresolved on the right hand side , appropriate sandpaper flush to the wall , and a exclusive lever makes for quick and easy belt ammunition changing . At 84 decibels , it ’s also quiet for a sander with this level of carrying into action .
The Makita 4 - column inch - by-24 - in bash drum sander is renowned for its reliability , and problems are almost unknown . However , while the chunky handles allow for proficient control , this herculean machine weigh 13 pounds and it does rive quite powerfully . For this reason , it can be tiring to habituate for long periods .
Get the Makita sander for hardwood level atAmazon , The Home Depot , orAcme Tools .
Belt sanders are the best tool for speedy material remotion , but the size of it and power of some can make them difficult to manage . With its 6 - amp motor , the 3 - in - by-18 - in Skil still delivers competitive performance , but its 6.4 pounds makes it light and more manoeuvrable than many .
Photo: amazon.com
Pressure is monitored for optimum performance with reddened , yellow , and green LEDs . keep it in the green bring home the bacon the best finale . It filters fine dust so it does n’t get into the airwave , and the clear-cut canister shot makes it easy to see when it need to be emptied . Auto trailing ensures the sand whack does n’t drift , and changing it involves a single lever process .
The Skil belt sander is a pop putz . Faults are n’t common , but some feel the filter clogs too easily , and there are a few theme of motor failures because of overheat .
Get the Skil sander for hardwood base atAmazonorThe Home Depot .
Photo: amazon.com
Random orbital action at law is used by many of the expert industrial flooring sanders because it withdraw material quickly while minimizing scratches . The DeWalt cordless sander use the same rule , but on a little graduated table . The 5 - in - diam sanding head means it can cope with large area , but it ’s compact and light enough for a host of other sand tasks such as stripping paint , sanding makeweight or putty , and doing ecumenical woodworking .
Cordless power makes the DeWalt electric sander portable , and the ergonomic rubber hold makes it easy to handle . A brushless motor maximizes battery efficiency and runtime . Additionally , the let in charger and utile impart bag make for a competitively priced kit .
The DeWalt orbital sander provides prominent reliableness , and it ’s difficult to fault . However , the 2Ah ( amp 60 minutes ) stamp battery will qualify working time somewhat unless a spare is tally , which increases the overall cost .
Photo: amazon.com
Get the DeWalt sander for hardwood trading floor atAmazon , The Home Depot , orAcme Tools .
Best Detail
Wen Cordless Palm Sander
Even dedicated - bound flooring electric sander sputter around doorway molding or around habitue like pot and bathing tub . That ’s when a little hand story sander like this cordless model from Wen comes into its own . The 3.75 - in - by-5 - column inch triangular pad can wield intricate point , and it ’s idealistic for refinishing modest areas of flooring . It can also follow in ready to hand for lots of DIY and carpentry labor .
The Wen palm electric sander might be small , but the 20V battery means it has plenty of power . There ’s a useful LED charge gauge built in , and an ergonomic dual - grip handle cater maximal control condition .
While it is not a pecker for sandpaper turgid field of hardwood floor , it would be a majuscule associate to a belt sander . The budget - friendly price makes it an low-priced summation to any tool kit .
Photo: amazon.com
Get the Wen sander for hardwood flooring atAmazonorThe Home Depot .
Best Upright
Zelcan Drywall Sander With Vacuum Attachment
The big advantage with commercial sanders for hardwood floor is that the substance abuser can stand upright . However , sum up consolation comes at a higher price . This Zelcan model offers an interesting and very competitively priced alternative . Although it ’s sold as a drywall sander , it can also be used for floors with the right sandpaper .
The telescopic handle has a reach of between 59 and 71 inch , so it can adapt to user of unlike peak . There are six speeds between 500 and 1,800 rotations per mo ( rpm ) , and low speeds are typically used for hardwood . The 9 - column inch - diameter psyche render effective sanding of large areas , and it has a removable section for edging . Additionally , a large vacuum grip provide efficient dust collection .
While the legal age of possessor seem to be happy with their purchase , there have been paper of drive failures where the motor ladder but the head does n’t turn out . Also , although rent are n’t common , a few sense the vacuum purse should be tougher .
Photo: homedepot.com
Get the Zelcan sander for hardwood floor atAmazon .
Best Professional
Powr-Flite Orbital Floor Machine
The Powr - Flite is a multifunction instrument with a powerful , fan - cooled 1.5 - horsepower motor that drives a 14 - inch - by-20 - inch orbital launch area . The choice of pad defines part . In addition to sanding , it can be used for cleanup , buffing , or round off . A pair of optional weight can be bring to increase sanding pressure if required . Wheels with safe tires make it easy to move the orbital floor sander around . With a noise grade of just 69 decibel , it ’s comparatively muted for tools in this family , too .
There is no build - in rubble aggregation , but a rubble port allow a workshop vac to be attached . Although the Powr - Flite costs less than most other industrial smoother for hardwood storey and provides enceinte versatility , it is likely too expensive for many beginners or for perfunctory usage .
Get the Powr - Flite smoother for hardwood floor atAmazon .
Photo: amazon.com
Jump to Our Top Picks
Types of Sanders for Hardwood Floors
Sanders for hardwood floors fare in a number of different configurations , including DIY to commercial base - drum sander options , and each has its pro and convict . While this section report each case , standardized principles apply to many of the smaller tools heel in our top picks . We ’ve made compare where relevant .
Drum
Drum sanders are heavy - duty motorcar that are popular with professionals and rental company . They habituate the same precept as a belt sander , but in a large and upright form . They usually have very effective vacuity with bombastic bags for dust collection .
These case of drum sander can remove a lot of material very quickly . As a result , they are great for sanding rustic floorboards or for removing thick varnish . In skilled hands , a barrel electric sander for floors can cover turgid areas more apace than any other character . However , since they can be aggressive , inexperienced substance abuser necessitate to be careful .
While using a membranophone smoother , It ’s important to keep it move . Too much prison term drop on the same spot will get depressions that are difficult to rectify .
Photo: amazon.com
Orbital Vibrating
The activeness of an orbital resonate trading floor sander is interchangeable to that of DIY handheld orbital creature , though the commercial-grade variant are unsloped . A motor produce both speedy quiver and a random orbital motility . Heads are either pear-shaped or square and have an abrasive material that ’s hold on either by clamps or by draw - and - loop fasteners .
Orbital vibrating flooring electric sander do n’t remove material quite as quick as drum sanders , but they are commonly easier to control . They may also be multifunction machine and are often recommended for sanding exterior decks that are made of softwood . A change of pad tolerate many orbital vibrating sanders to buff hardwood level or polish roofing tile and marble .
Edge
As the name suggest , a level edge sander is a instrument that can sand properly up to walls or baseboards . These are much more heavyset than either drum or orbital sanders , unremarkably measuring between 12 and 18 column inch tall with a sanding magnetic disc between 7 and 12 inches broad . In summation to a trading floor edge drum sander ’s power handle sharpness , the sizing of this type of smoother make it utilitarian for sanding hardwood floor in tight spaces such as bath and utility country .
Despite being small-scale than other professional tools , they can still matter around 50 pounds so they ’re much heavier than DIY alternatives . It is also necessary to bend over to use them , so user may require to take periodic break to forfend backache .
What to Consider When Choosing a Sander for Hardwood Floors
Brand reputation and cost can have major impacts on the pick of sander for hardwood level . While both of these issues are important in terms of expected reliability and overall value , it ’s perhaps more significant to concentre on the cardinal performance issues first , and then shop for tools that run into those requirements .
Power
story - drum sander power ordinarily reflects the eccentric of oeuvre the tool is gestate to do . Commercial models typically have motors between 1 and 1.5 horsepower , and they can sand unendingly for hours at a meter . Belt electric sander , the most hefty of the handheld models , have motors grade in amps , and a minimum of 6 amps would be idealistic for DIY work . Cordless tools are give away in V ( V ) , and 20V models are advocate rather than lightweight 12V models that might bog down down too often .
f number tends to motley with the size of the motorcar . Professional storey sanders might seem relatively dull , but they do n’t require to be quick to be in force . Confusingly , knock smoother will often be stag in feet per minute , whereas rpm is used to range item and orbital sanders . This makes comparing practically impossible .
complicate comparison further , some sanders have variable speeding and many are fixed . Variable - speed drum sander can be utile when change from hardwood to deal , but otherwise it ’s not peculiarly important . Most people tend to run their electric sander at full speed anyway , which is perfectly satisfactory .
Photo: amazon.com
Size
While it might seem obvious that a large floor drum sander will hide a particular area more quickly than a smaller modeling , take the bigger prick is n’t always expert . For illustration , large commercial sanders often weigh more than 100 pound , and it take in a level of physicality to muscle them around .
Big just machine are great for all-inclusive open spaces , but they can be impractical for small rooms . Even edge sanders are quite bulky . For those refinish a toilet , for example , and not wish to move existing fixture such as the can , a small item sander can be priceless .
Shopping for a Used or Refurbished Sander for Hardwood Floors
While many people may balk at the estimation of expend money on a secondhand tool , a refurbished smoother can be a win - win office . It cut down on waste and it give emptor the chance to acquire mathematical product that might otherwise be outside their budget .
Plus , today ’s renovate models are not the in question equipment often found at neighbourhood yard sale . Reputable manufacturers and retailer often bid high - quality refurbished sander alongside new mannikin .
Unlike tools that have been beat to death and then give on the Clarence Day the warrant expires , often refurbished sanders have been prove and then return within a relatively short time . They might also be tools that are in snap promotion or have only cosmetic harm .
So are refurbished blow out of the water sanders any good ? In our opinion , yes . There ’s every chance they could represent an attractive buy . However , care and rough-cut good sense is want when buy at .
While renovate , recondition , or renewed tools are often excellent , there ’s always a chance that a tool could be a dud . steal from a reputable author likeAmazon RenewedorWalmart Restored , and contain the floor sander as soon as it arrives so you may get your money back if there ’s a problem .
Tips for Using a Sander for Hardwood Floors
Whether the user is a initiate or moderately experienced , some tips forusing a floor sandercan prove quite utilitarian . Here are a few specifics deserving mention when it comes to using a drum sander for hardwood floors .
FAQs
There is a lot to get wind about the change of sandpaper power peter useable for hardwood flooring , and you may have a few lingering questions . Below are answers to some democratic questions about the best sanders for hardwood trading floor .
Q. How many times should I sand hardwood floors?
The issue of times a hardwood story needs to be sand will depend on what you ’re trying to accomplish . If an be finish is being remove , then at least one passport ( and peradventure two ) will be required . A third and fourth pass might be needed to make the surface smooth enough for complete .
With new bare - wood floors , it will depend on the condition of the hardwood . One pass may be sufficient for high - lineament flooring , but more may be required if rustic boards are used . Generally speaking , the design is to remove any rowdyism and machining mark or swirl that would spoil the last .
Q. How long does it take to sand a hardwood floor?
This is one of those “ how long is a slice of twine ” query . There are all kinds of variables that will feign how long it take to sand a hardwood storey . The initial status and the intended final appearance have a major impact , and so of course will the sizing of the area being sanded . Then there ’s the sizing and eccentric of sander being used . What ’s most important is to admit plenitude of time to prevent the risk of stroke .
Q. What is the best way to sand hardwood floors?
With any sanding process , it ’s always a good idea to work in the instruction of the Sir Henry Wood texture . This helps reduce visible scratch marks . In most cases , it is advocate to start with emery paper of around 35 grit , then move through a average 60 grit to perhaps 100 backbone .
However , when working with new wood that is fairly fluid already , the initial grit may not be required . Move the sander up and down the way in the direction of the boards . Overlap each passing game by a couple of inches so no patch are miss .
Q. Do I need to buff hardwood floors after sanding?
The key to a good finish when sanding hardwood floors is get rid of as much dust as potential before use wax , sealer , or varnish . A lot of detritus remains in the air immediately after sanding , and it will go down out over a 24 - hour menstruation . Therefore , vacuum-clean immediately after and then a day later is a good idea .
Buffing should n’t be required until after the concluding cultivation has been applied and allow to dry and cure for the menstruation specified by the manufacturing business . Buffing can then give a shine to the floor and bring out the natural warmth of the hardwood .
Woodworking expert and ware specialist Bob Beacham has been writing consumer advice article for internal publications for more than a decade . He covers a wide-eyed diversity of DIY , home base , and garden subject and is known for providing information that is thoroughgoing yet easy to understand .
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