Refinishing a hardwood floor is essential for every home with hardwood, and most homeowners want to carry out the project themselves. The desirable outcome is the restoration of the natural beauty of the surface after neglect or removing any covering. If you are considering doing this work, one of your difficult tasks is likely to be choosing the best type of equipment to use when sanding the floor. There are two basic types of floor sanders; drum and orbital. The choice should be determined by state of the floor and your skill level in such projects.
How The Sander Works
The drum sander is a heavy duty machine that has a drum on which sanding paper is attached. When in operation, the drum spins at a high speed while bringing the paper into contact with the floor. It is vital that the equipment is used at right angles to avoid damaging the wood. It is an aggressive action that easily cuts through the wood, and the former finishing.
Orbital sanders have a sanding pad that oscillates in a somewhat orbital motion. This grinding action is less aggressive because of the lighter and more controlled movement, meaning that the risk of floor damage is lower.
Level Of Skill Required
Experience is required to get quality results with the drum sander. There are many variables, such as the speed, the gradation of the sanding paper and the pace of work, that can make or break your floor. The pressure requires in cutting is also applied by the user, which can be difficult when one is an amateur.
The orbital sander is measured in its strokes, and the pressure required is provided by the equipment. While it may take long to complete the task, you are unlikely to cause ugly cuts and depressions with it.
Physical Demand
Because of the varied sanding action, the drum alternative is faster in completing the task. However, this sander is heavy and requires a lot of effort to keep it controlled. If the pertinent surface has several layers of finishes, this is the perfect choice.
The orbital sander is not strenuous to handle since the motion of the sanding pad is smooth and gentle. Though the performance is quite slow, especially with heavy finishes, it requires less effort to handle.
If a floor is severely damaged from years of neglect or long-term use of carpeting, the drum sander is appropriate. However, the orbital is ideal for the DIY enthusiast, and the risk factor is low. For more information or advice, contact a company such as MI Floor Sanding.
Share12 January 2015
The kitchen is the most used room in my home, and in the past, I found it could get messy and chaotic very quickly. Trying to cook dinner when you can't find an essential appliance or see past the clutter on the counter is no fun. I realised I enjoyed my time in the kitchen more and was more productive when my kitchen was organised and laid out in a way that optimised functionality. I changed my kitchen cleaning and organising routine, decluttered, got rid of appliances I don't use and moved things around to ensure frequently used items were easy to reach. I started this blog to share my tips for creating a kitchen that's enjoyable to use, and I post about ways you can optimise the space you have. I hope you find my posts useful.
