Correct power tools for floor sanding

In order to sand any floor, make sure that your local tradesman has all the best power tools to do the job to top specification. If a DIY job, please consider the information below when hiring the tools.

In my opinion, the first thing on the list is the Bona ten-inch belt sander. This machine is in a class of it’s own and if used in conjunction with the correct Bona abrasives can make a very difficult job much, much easier. The machine weighs around 80kg and is a monster to move around but can be broken down into more manageable pieces if working solo. Only experience will tell you which grade grit to use initially but generally, try to get away with the finest grade first to avoid extra work. This machine is capable of taming even the most challenging of floors and will also collect ‘virtually’ all of the dust it produces in its bag. Top tip. Always empty bag when a third full and try to transfer to sack outside if possible to avoid any secondary dust entering the workspace needlessly.

The Viking Edging sander is for, you guessed it, sanding the edges after the whole floor has been belt sanded. This tool is very ergonomic and with it L-shaped design, enables it to reach all the places other machines are unable to reach, such as underneath radiators and cupboards. Again, Bona abrasives are our preferred choice of disc due to longevity. Use inferior, cheaper brands at your peril. Nobody wants to be changing a disc every two minutes and ultimately, this does not on any level, prove cost efficient!

For the finishing process, a Lagler Trio random orbital can be your best friend. Without the raw power of the Bona, this machine can make all the difference to the overall finish. It is especially good when working with floors with non-uniform grain, such as parquet. The Trio is also very useful for ‘cutting back’ floors in-between the sealing stage.

For low spots and tight areas, we recommend a Festool Rotex sander. Very expensive and consequently, very difficult to hire. Any good tradesman will proudly have the smart grey Systainer box containing this tool to hand and never on show for too long in the back of the van. Especially in East London!

Other kit required includes a palm sander, mini belt sander, delta sander and numerous other gadgets and scrapers picked up with experience over a long period of time. Of course, we would never recommend a beginner to tackle a project like this when there are professionals like us around to do it properly, but if you really feel the need to, we hope this blog might have given you a few pointers in the right direction? Do remember that most people in the business get a notable proportion of work from clients who have attempted and failed in the past! We have seen many floors looking terrible after lots of back-breaking work by the client and the expense of the hire and lacquer. There is only one way to rectify such a floor. To do it all again properly.

Any further questions, we would be happy to discuss. Best regards, Halo Floors.