Refinishing Hardwood Floors

The quantity of wood (caused by stains and or burns) or surface varnish/wax/sealer you need to remove will actually determine the type of floor sanding machines that you will need. Unless of course your floor is perfect, you will not want to sand it with a hand sander; doing this will take too much time. There are 4 kinds of floor sanding machines used for different types of removal.

The 4 Types of Floor Sanding Machines

1. Drum Sander
This particular sanding machine is designed for specifically resurfacing hardwood flooring. The mechanism of this machine works by taking a rather large sand paper belt in a nonstop loop. You can rent a drum sander at many hardware rental stores at really great rates.

As great as this machines is, it also has it cons. This floor sanding machine will take a huge chunk of wood surface off with a short time. This is why it is a pretty risky tool to use – especially if you an inexperienced DIYer – you could easily leave unsightly groves in your hardwood floor.

This machine should never be used running at a complete standstill; it should always be motion when it is plugged in and running.

2. Large Orbital Sander
This sanding machine is simply an extra large model of a the regular orbital sander. The great thing about this floor sanding machine is that can help you level your hardwood floor without eating away a lot of wood. This machine will most definitely remove shallow stains, varnish and burn from your hardwood floor.

Please know that the drum sander will be perfect for burns and stains that run deeper.

3. Edge Sander
This equipment is ideal for sanding the edge of a wall. Both the drum sander and the large orbital sander are not designed to get to the junction of the floor and the wall. This is why the edge sander was invented.

Just like the orbital sander, you do not require any technique to use this equipment. But it is important that you stick to sanding in the direction of the wood grain and to keep the sander moving if it is plugged in and running.

4. Detail/Corner Sander
This tool is used in order to successfully get into the corner where 2 walls meet at a 900 angle. There is a strong chance that you may buy this sander instead of renting it. There are a lot of models available in home improvement stores all over the country.

What you Need to Know About Floor Sanding Machines

The sanding machines for rent (edger, drum and large orbital sanders) have a couple of particulars about them that the renter (you) should be well aware of.

• The weight of a drum sander is 110lbs. When hauling the machine upstairs, call someone to help you. You should clean the machine thoroughly prior to returning it. If you return a dirty machine, a large number of equipment rental stores will charge you a cleaning fee. This saner will sand a pretty large area before you need to replace the sandpaper.

• The same information applies to the large orbital sanding machine. The only difference is that the weight of the orbital sander is around 120lbs.

• The edger goes through sandpaper a little faster than the other two. The machine is also quite heavy but is barely 25lbs.

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