What kind of sander is best for refinishing furniture?

Category: hobbies and interests woodworking
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5 Best Sanders for Furniture Refinishing – Our Reviews:
  • Makita BO4556K (Sheet Palm Sander) – Top Pick.
  • Bosch GSS20-40 – The Runner Up.
  • BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 (Detail Sander) – Best for the Money.
  • PORTER-CABLE 382 (Random Orbital Sander)
  • SKIL 7302-02 (Detail Sander)



Consequently, is an orbital sander better than a palm sander?

Lower grit, higher power Bigger and more powerful, orbital sanders normally use sandpaper in the 80-160 grit range. Compared to some other power sanders, they are a delicate flower. Compared to the palm sander, however, they are big and brutish. Orbital sanders are a little more expensive than palm sanders.

Secondly, what is the best kind of Sander? Here are the best sanders you can buy:
  • Best random orbit sander: DeWalt DWE6423K Variable Speed Random Orbit Sander.
  • Best belt sander: Makita 9403 4 inches by 24 inches Belt Sander.
  • Best file sander: Milwaukee Bandfile with Paddle Switch.
  • Best detail sander: Black+Decker Mouse 1.2 Amp Detail Sander.

Hereof, can I use an orbital sander on wood?

Finish By Hand Hand-sanding after sanding with a random orbit sander is the best way to ensure that your wood won't be marred by stray swirl marks. You can even use one of your discs wrapped around a block. Use the same final grit you used on the sander. Check out 7 pro-approved hand sanding techniques.

What is the best sander to remove paint?

Makita 9903 Belt Sander With the 9903, Makita delivers a potent and beautifully well-made belt sander that is sure to dominate any paint removal task you throw at it. It runs the 3″ by 21″ belt at 1,440 Feet Per Minute, ensuring it can take on anything and the dust extraction is superb too.

30 Related Question Answers Found

Can you use an orbital sander on drywall?

Orbital Sander
Not only is this portable power tool suitable for sanding drywall, but it can also be used for a plethora of other home improvement tasks around the house, such as removing, rust and paint and compound removal.

What is a palm sander used for?

A sander is a power tool used to smooth surfaces by abrasion with sandpaper. Sanders have a means to attach the sandpaper and a mechanism to move it rapidly contained within a housing with means to hand-hold it or fix it to a workbench.

What should I look for in an orbital sander?

If you want to choose the best one for your project, here's what you should look for.
  1. Variable speed. When shopping for a random orbital sander, it is recommended that you get one with variable speed.
  2. Vibration control.
  3. Dust Collection.
  4. Weight.
  5. Changing sanding grit paper.
  6. Good grip.
  7. Long cord.

What kind of Sander Do I need to refinish a table?

A large piece of furniture can benefit from a belt sander or a palm sander. For the smaller parts of that job, you can certainly use a few pieces of sandpaper to clean up hard-to-reach areas by hand after removing most of the paint or stain. An orbital sander is often called a finishing sander.

Is it better to sand or strip furniture?


Don't Sand FurnitureStrip it. Stripping is Faster and Often Safer. Stripping a finish is faster than sanding to remove it. But more importantly, sanding cuts through stain and patina (the color changes in wood caused by light and oxidation), and it does so unevenly.

How can I make sanding easier?

Dampen the Wood for a Clean, Smooth Finish
After your final pass with the power sander, wipe a damp sponge over the wood. As the wood dries, any loose wood fibers will stand up. Let the wood dry completely. Then lightly sand the whole surface with 220 or higher grit paper to knock off the whiskers.

Do you have to remove old stain before restaining?

You don't need to remove all of the old stain to apply darker stain. But you do need to remove all of the lacquer, varnish or anything that will prevent new stain from absorbing into the wood. Your sanding block will initially glide over the old lacquer before it begins to cut into it and remove it.

Can pallet wood be sanded smooth?

It doesn't take a lot of sanding to get rid of the imperfections. Rough pallet wood can be turned into a smooth workable canvas. So if you're worried about splinters and the roughness of pallet wood, don't be. It's easily fixed.

How long does it take to sand a chair?

Sanding a piece of furniture shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. When you picture yourself sanding a furniture piece, you might envision yourself sanding away with a small piece of sander for hours in an effort to get every bit of old stain or paint.

How much should you sand before staining?


On most raw woods, start sanding in the direction of the grain using a #120-150 grit paper before staining and work up to #220 grit paper. Soft woods such as pine and alder: start with #120 and finish with no finer than #220 (for water base stains) and 180 grit for oil base stains.

Can I use an orbital sander to remove paint?

The orbital sander rotates and vibrates. This lessens the risk of leaving a circular pattern in the surface. Both sanders remove paint with or against the grain of wood. The small, portable size makes these sanders the right tool to remove paint from flat or curved surfaces.

Can an orbital sander be used as a polisher?

Turn your random orbit sander into a polishing tool – and make dull surfaces shine again! Procedure: The right way to polish with the random orbit sander. A polishing paste is usually used together with a polishing felt disc.

Why does my orbital sander leave swirl marks?

Random orbit or sheet sanders leave swirl marks. That is what they do and that is how they work. If you are talking about the occasional very noticeable swirl mark, most likely there was something that got stuck between the sandpaper and the wood. You have to move the sander slowly.

What is the difference between an orbital sander and a finishing sander?

The sander uses a motor that moves the sanding pad in a back-and-forth-circular motion at high speed. Sheet sander pads (and the sandpaper on them) are square, so the tool can get into corners. The motor on a Orbital sander moves the pad in a motion similar to the sheet sander, but in “random” is the operative term.

Can you sand walls with an electric sander?


Cheapest thing would be a sanding pole, any electric sander is aggressive for walls and ceilings and this will be a lot quicker. Whatever you choose wear a dust mask. Horrible things to use. Difficult to use well if you are not used to it and will have dust raining down onto your head.

How much is a sanding machine?

In Stock. In Stock. We needed a second palm sander for a kitchen renovation project. Our original dewalt palm sander used sticking paper, the new one uses clip on which we much prefer.

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