Almost any sander can be used on parquet, but some sanders can require a long, laborious, and inconvenient process. Often, having the right tool for the job makes life a lot easier. However, with so many different grinders on the market, it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
There are many types of sanders, each designed for a specific purpose, and each suitable for sanding different aspects of wood floors. The key to choosing the best hardwood floor sander is knowing the capabilities of each tool.
Read on to learn about the physical and technical aspects of some of the best wood floor sanders on the market today, find answers to some common floor sanding questions, and learn some sanding tips to help you achieve more professional results.
Do-it-yourself floor grinding can take many forms. Those of you who are renovating small areas may already have an all-purpose sander that can handle the task. In general, however, whether it’s laying a new floor or removing and refinishing an existing floor, the footprint can be significant. Any machine that sands wood can be used to do this job, but many of them will keep the craftsman working all day.
While our list of the best wood floor grinders offers plenty of tools to make the job faster and easier, the fastest are undoubtedly the industrial floor grinders. Although these industrial tools are heavy, they can be used while standing, making them more comfortable to use. Unfortunately, even the cheapest options can cost thousands of dollars. The good news is that these grinders are available for rent and are offered by many reputable home improvement stores.
It’s also important to do the math before investing in (or renting) a floor grinder. Home crafters who need to rent for a few days may find that the cost can quickly exceed the price of a small floor grinder. Most smaller grinders take longer to sand floors, but all of our jackhammers are multi-purpose tools that can be used for other jobs. However, renting floor sanding equipment is definitely worth considering.
I have been an avid DIYer for many years. I have done simple renovations in two of our houses and have owned my own woodworking shop for over a decade. I have hands-on experience with various types of grinders and know what to consider when working with parquet floors.
In addition to my personal experience, the Bob Vila team studied dozens of different tools, comparing price and performance, to find the one that best fits the needs of the typical DIY user. We also want to make sure they provide lasting value. Long-term reliability is important, but so is versatility. None of these tools are specifically designed for floor sanding. Both of them can perform other tasks around the house.
The following list features a wood floor grinder that will suit most needs and budgets. Each tool is categorized so customers can quickly find the tool they need, whether they’re restoring a small area of the floor or hardwood floors throughout the home.
The Makita belt sander offers the perfect balance of features for most DIYers. It has a powerful 11 amp motor that can handle large floors, but falls short of the astronomical prices of commercial floor grinders. It can also be used for sanding beams, decks, doors, tables, or any other large woodworking project.
The 4″ x 24″ belt and 1640 fpm speed provide very fast material removal. The large footprint creates a stable platform, so the floor becomes evener. The design is open on the right side allowing for flush sanding with the wall, and the single lever allows quick and easy belt changes. The noise level of 84 decibels is also quiet for a grinder of this performance level.
The Makita 4″ x 24″ belt sander is known for its reliability with little to no issues. However, while the sturdy handle provides good control, this powerful machine weighs 13 pounds and pulls a little. So you may feel tired after long time use.
A belt sander is the best tool for quick material removal, but the size and power of some belt sanders can make it unmanageable. With a 3″ x 18″ 6 amp motor, the Skil still delivers competitive performance, but its 6.4 lb weight makes it lighter and easier to handle than many others.
Pressure is monitored by red, yellow and green LEDs for optimal performance. Green color provides the best results. It filters fine dust so it doesn’t get into the air, and the transparent container makes it easy to see when it needs to be emptied. Auto-tracking ensures the belt won’t wobble, and changing the belt only takes a single lever movement.
The Skil belt sander is a popular tool. Failures are rare, but some feel the filter clogs too easily, and there have been reports of overheating leading to engine failure.
Many of the best industrial floor grinders use random orbital motion because it quickly removes material, minimizing scratches. The DeWalt cordless grinder works on the same principle, but on a smaller scale. The 5″ diameter sanding head means it can handle large sanding areas yet is compact and light enough for many other sanding tasks such as paint stripping, sanding filler or filler, and general woodworking.
The cordless power supply makes the Wei grinder portable, and the ergonomic rubber handle makes it easy to operate. The brushless motor maximizes battery efficiency and runtime. In addition, the included charger and practical carrying case make the set competitively priced.
DeWalt Random Orbital Sanders are extremely durable and extremely hard to break. However, a 2 Ah (amp-hour) battery will limit runtime somewhat unless a backup battery is added, adding to the overall cost.
Even a dedicated floor edge grinder can have a hard time sanding doorway moldings or fixtures such as toilets and bathtubs. That’s where a small handheld grinder like this cordless model from Wen comes into play. The 3.75″ x 5″ triangular overlay handles intricate detail and is ideal for refinishing small areas of the floor. It can also come in handy in many DIY and woodworking projects.
The Wen grinder may be small, but the 20V battery means it has plenty of power. A useful LED fuel gauge is built in, while ergonomic dual handles provide maximum control.
While this is not a tool for sanding large areas of wood floors, it is great for a belt sander. The affordable price makes it an affordable addition to any toolbox.
One of the great things about commercial wood floor grinders is that the user can stand upright. However, increased comfort comes at a cost. This Zelcan model offers an interesting alternative at a very competitive price. While it is sold as a drywall sander, it can also be used on floors if you have the right sandpaper.
The telescoping handle extends from 59″ to 71″ to accommodate users of various heights. There are six speeds from 500 to 1800 revolutions per minute (rpm), with lower speeds generally used for hardwoods. The 9″ diameter head effectively sands large areas and has a removable edge section. In addition, the large vacuum bag effectively collects dust.
While most owners seem happy with their purchase, there have been reports of actuator failures where the motor was running but the head was not spinning. Also, while ruptures are rare, some feel that vacuum bags need to be stronger.
The Powr-Flite is a multi-tool with a powerful 1.5 HP motor. The choice of pad determines the functionality. In addition to grinding, it can be used for cleaning, polishing or polishing. If desired, a couple of additional counterweights can be added to increase the sanding pressure. Wheels with rubber tires make the orbital sander easy to move. The noise level is only 69 decibels, which is relatively quiet for an instrument of this class.
There is no built-in dust collector, but there is a dust collection port that can be connected to a store vacuum cleaner. While the Powr-Flite costs less than most other industrial wood floor sanders and offers more versatility, it can be too expensive for many beginners or for everyday use.
Hardwood floor sanders come in a variety of configurations, ranging from homemade to commercial floor sanders, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. While each type is covered in this section, similar principles apply to many of the smaller tools in our list. We compared where appropriate.
Drum grinders are powerful machines popular with professionals and rental companies. They use the same principles as belt sanders, but are larger and more upright. They usually have very efficient vacuum cleaners and large dust bags.
These types of grinders can remove large amounts of material very quickly. As such, they are ideal for sanding rustic floors or removing thick layers of varnish. In the right hands, a floor tumbler can finish large areas faster than any other type. However, inexperienced users should be careful as they can be aggressive.
When using a drum sander, it is important that it is constantly moving. If you spend too much time in one place, it can lead to terminal depression.
Orbital vibratory floor sanders work in a similar way to do-it-yourself hand-held orbital tools, but the commercial versions are vertical. The engine produces fast vibrations and random orbital motion. The head can be round or square and has abrasives secured with clips or Velcro fasteners.
Orbital vibratory floor sanders do not remove material as quickly as drum sanders, but they are generally easier to control. They can also be versatile machines and are often recommended for cork exterior sanding. Interchangeable pads allow many orbital vibratory sanders to polish hardwood floors or polish tiles and marble.
As the name suggests, a floor edge grinder is a tool that sands walls or baseboards. They are much more compact than drum or orbital sanders, typically 12″ to 18″ high and 7″ to 12″ wide. In addition to the sander’s ability to finish edges, the size of this type of sander makes it useful for sanding hardwood floors in tight spaces such as bathrooms and utility rooms.
While they are smaller than other professional tools, they still weigh around 50 pounds, making them significantly heavier than DIY alternatives. Use also requires bending over, so users may need to take regular breaks to avoid back pain.
Brand reputation and cost can make a big difference when choosing a parquet sander. While both of these issues are important to expected reliability and overall value, it may be more important to focus on key performance issues first and then purchase tools that meet those requirements.
The power of a floor grinder usually reflects the type of work the tool has to do. Commercial models usually have a 1 to 1.5 horsepower motor and can grind for hours. Belt sanders are the most powerful handheld models and have a 6 amp motor, with at least 6 amps ideal for do-it-yourself work. Cordless tools are measured in volts (V) and it is recommended to use 20V models rather than the lighter 12V models that often fail.
The speed tends to change depending on the size of the machine. Professional floor grinders may seem relatively slow, but they don’t have to be fast to be effective. Ironically, belt sanders are usually rated in feet per minute, while RPM is used to rate parts and orbital sanders. This makes comparisons nearly impossible.
To further complicate the comparison, some grinders are variable speed and many are fixed speed. A variable speed sander can be helpful when going from hardwood to softwood, but other times it’s not particularly important. However, most people tend to run their grinders at full speed, which is perfectly acceptable.
While it may seem like a large floor grinder can finish certain areas faster than a small one, choosing a larger tool isn’t always the best option. For example, large commercial grinders often weigh over 100 pounds and require a certain amount of physical strength to move them.
Large vertical machines are great for large open spaces, but may not be practical for small rooms. Even the grinder is quite bulky. For example, a small parts grinder can be very useful for those who are renovating a bathroom and do not want to move existing fixtures such as toilets.
While many people may be reluctant to spend money on used tools, a refurbished grinder can be a win-win situation. This reduces waste and gives shoppers the ability to purchase products that may be over budget.
Also, today’s refurbished models are no longer the usual dubious gadgets found at yard sales. Reputable manufacturers and dealers often offer high quality refurbished and new models of grinders.
Unlike tools that are killed and then returned on the day the warranty expires, refurbished grinders are often tested and then returned within a relatively short period of time. It can also be tools with damaged packaging or only cosmetic damage.
So is a floor repair grinder easy to use? In our opinion, yes. There’s a good chance they represent an attractive deal. However, when shopping, caution and common sense are required.
While refurbished, refurbished or newer tools are usually very good, there is always a chance that the tool will be scrapped. Buy from reputable sources like Amazon Renewed or Walmart Restored and have your grinder inspected as soon as it arrives so you can get your money back if anything goes wrong.
Whether the user is a beginner or has an average experience, a few tips for using a floor grinder can prove helpful. There are a few things worth mentioning when sanding wood floors.
There is a lot of information out there about the various sanding power tools available for parquet floors and you may have some unanswered questions. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the best hardwood floor sanders.
How often you need to sand hardwood floors depends on what you want to achieve. If you are removing an existing finish, you will need at least one (and possibly two). A third and fourth pass may be required to get the surface smooth enough for finishing.
For new wood floors, this will depend on the condition of the hardwood. One pass may be enough for high quality floors, but rustic planks may take longer. Generally, the goal is to remove any roughness, machining marks, or frizz that could ruin the finish.
This is one of those “how long is the rope” questions. There are various variables that affect the amount of time it takes to sand wood floors. The initial conditions and the desired final look are of great importance, as is the size of the sanded area, of course. Then there is the size and type of grinder being used. The most important thing is that you have enough time to prevent the risk of accidents.
Post time: Jul-04-2023