Sander Buying Guide

Sander Buying Guide: Which Sander to Use

Sanders are brilliant at smoothing uneven surfaces, getting surfaces rougher and ready for painting, or removing existing paint and product from surfaces.

They can be used on a wide range of materials, such as wood, plaster, plastic and metal, commonly to sand down after filling in imperfections, cutting to size, or getting ready to paint. But with so many types of sander available, the right one for the job depends on what you’re doing, and the result you’re after.

 

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Types of Sander

Orbital Sander

Also known as a random orbital sander, or a finishing sander, these tools are best for smoothing rough surfaces. The base plate moves in a circular motion and with rapid speed, minimising the potential damage to wood and other sensitive surfaces.

The backing pad is usually quite flexible so they cope well with uneven surfaces or round corners. Orbital sanders are not good for complex tasks though, as they’re too powerful, and the round base can’t get into corners.

 

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Palm Sander

A palm sander, or a detail sander, is a small handheld sander which is perfect for delicate, small patches of smoothing, or finishing tasks. They are named as they are sized to fit comfortably in your hand and be adaptable.

They are designed for smaller surfaces than an orbital sander, so are great for wood edges and delicate items such as wooden furniture. There’s less risk of abrasive damage with a palm sander versus an orbital sander when working with more fragile items.

 

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Belt Sander

Electric belt sanders are for heavy-duty sanding, able to remove a large amount of material or surface area. They use sanding sheets so are flexible in their usage, and this means you can use really abrasive sheets with them for quick, professional results.

These are ideal for sanding doors, small areas of flooring, tabletops, and edging off large sections of wood. The sanding sheets are stretched over rollers, which work hard to rotate for maximum abrasiveness.

They can only be used in a backward and forward motion due to the design. An orbital sander will then be able to finish off any work.

 

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Sheet Sander

A sheet sander is similar to a belt sander, but rather than the sheets working over rollers, they’re more flexible in movement.

They come in three different sizes—1/4 sheet, ½ sheet, and full sheet—which relates to how much sandpaper they use. Unlike belt sanders, the corners are at 90-degree angles, so good for getting into corners.

 

Floor & Edging Sanders

A floor sander can sand back real wood floorboards on a large scale. This includes original floorboards and parquet flooring that is being revived. They can be used when you’re upright, so are easier to cover large areas at a time, and tackle entire rooms.

You will then need to use an edging sander to finish off around the edges of the room near the skirting boards.

An edging sander can be used after a floor sander to tackle the edge of a room, where the larger floor sander wouldn’t quite reach. It is also perfect for smaller areas such as below built-in shelving where the larger machine wouldn’t reach.

 

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Popular Sander Features

Corded or cordless

A corded machine will likely be cheaper to buy, but a cordless sander comes with so many advantages.

It makes working outside easier, which is important if you want to minimise dust inhalation. You’re also able to use the sander in tighter areas or difficult areas without being tethered to a plug socket or be careful of power cords.

A charged battery will likely hold enough charge for a full sanding task to be completed. Further spare batteries can be hired or bought if needed, however.

 

Dust collection

Sanding creates a large amount of dust and wood dust as a by-product. Most sanders now come with a collection point where a dust bag or a vacuum or dust collection device can be attached to.

This minimises the health risk to those nearby but also keeps your work area cleaner and visibility clearer for the work at hand.

 

Sanding sheet fitting

Most handheld sanders use a Velcro or hook-and-loop attachment style so sheets are easy to swap out between jobs, yet are also secure. Before purchasing a sander, bear in mind how expensive and readily available the sheets are.

Some brands may use a shape and style where only their own sheets will fit, which could make them more difficult to replace.

Belt sanders often use a clamp fitting to keep the sheet secure in place and minimise sheet movement. This makes it more effective but can wear the sheets away faster.

 

Sanding surfaces

Most sanders commonly are used with wood, or filler/plaster. For anything tougher, such as metals or plastics, a dedicated sanding pad will be needed as well as a heavy-duty model.

 

FAQs

Which sander do I need?

For large areas or really heavy material removal, use a belt sander. For general sanding tasks or to achieve a smooth finish, use an orbital sander. For delicate smoothing of surfaces or detailing, use a palm sander.

For flooring, a floor and then an edging sander will be able to remove the top layer of staining or wax to get you back to the bare wood. You can stand while using the latter, making it easier to cover a large area.

 

Which sanding sheets do I need for my sander?

This depends on the model of the sander and the task at hand. We have a full guide to the types of sandpaper and the grit levels.

Coarseness between 40 and 80 is best for really tough tasks, such as removing paint or smoothing really rough wood. 80 to 120 is medium coarseness for removing small imperfections. 120 to 220 is fine and will cause a slight scuff for smoothing surfaces, and anything above 220 is super fine for finishing really smooth surfaces.

Orbital and palm sanders will need dedicated sheets. Most of these will be Velcro sanding sheets, which are easy to attach and swap out when needed.

Floor sanders will require either discs or sheets, depending on the machine.

Tougher materials, such as metal, will require a dedicated metal sanding sheet.

 

How much material can I remove by sanding?

Using a coarse grit sanding paper with a powerful sander, such as a belt sander, can remove a few very thin layers of materials such as wood or plaster filler.

If you’re looking to remove quite a large amount of wood—say you need to trim a door after fitting new flooring—you may be best to use a planer, which can shave layers of wood as opposed to sand it.

To input shaping into wood, for example, decorative trimming or flooring, you’re best using a router or a jigsaw.

 

Hire Sanders from Speedy Hire

At Speedy Hire, we have a range of specialist sanders available to hire, for the toughest of jobs and one-off projects. Whether you’re restoring your original floorboards or a large antique dining table, we have a sander for your needs.

Hire online and collect in-store to start working straight away, or book delivery straight to your door in as little as 4 hours. Create an account today to gain access to our full range of power tools for hire, and exclusive pricing and discounts.