Best Sander For Beginners
When you’re updating your old furniture, fixing up thrifted finds, or working on home decor and crafts, you are bound to come across the need for a sander. Today, we’re listing your options for the best sander for beginners, plus sharing these sanding furniture tips, so you can easily tackle your DIY projects.
You might be able to just get away with sanding using sandpaper by hand, but if you need to remove any old finish, if you need to sand away scratches, or sand down wood filler, using a power sander will make your job so much faster and easier.
But not all sanders are created equally. Some are good for basic sanding, while others have more features and are better equipped to handle tougher jobs. As a beginner, it’s important to choose the right one that will meet your needs and skill level.
As you go through this post, you’ll get to learn these different types of sanders for furniture, and we’ll also share specific models that we think are the best sanders for beginners, covering the things that you need to look for when choosing which one to buy.
So if you’re ready to invest in a sander to make sanding a breeze, keep on reading! The good news is you can also use it for crafts and wood projects, making it a versatile tool to have in your home.
How to Choose A Sander
So, here are a few things to look into as a beginner when you are trying to decide on the best sander to get.
Price
First off, for a lot of people, the price and affordability come to mind. I have sanders that have cost me hundreds of dollars, and they are fantastic. But if you’re just a beginner or just starting out, there is no way that spending a few hundred dollars makes sense.
So, we want to find the best bang for our buck. But, also remember that sometimes, spending just ten more dollars might get you a better sander than not spending ten more dollars. You can find sanders in the fifty to seventy dollar range that will do a fantastic job for you.
Easy to Use
Now, the next thing to keep in mind is how easy it is to use. Is it heavy? A lot of sanders are very heavy. And so, when you’re shopping for your sander and find one that meets all of your criteria, plus it’s lighter, that will make your job so much easier.
Especially if you have to hold it up on a surface while using it. Also, for small or big hands, what’s going to fit in your hand the best? Keep in mind the controls. How easy is the power button to turn on and off? Is there a variable speed control dial that you get to use?
Durability
The other thing is durability. So, you might buy a sander that is very cheap and affordable and fits in your hand well, but is it going to last very long? Now, if you’re only doing a couple of projects, durability isn’t super important to you, but if you plan to make this hobby something you do all the time, or you turn it into a business, you’re going to want one that can last you a long time.
Versatility
And then last but not least, the versatility. Some sanders are round, some are square, some are triangular, some are larger, and some are smaller. Furniture has a lot of corners, and if you have a round sander and that’s all you have, you’re not going to be able to get into those corners very easily. You will have to sand inside the corners by hand.
But on the other hand, triangle and rectangle sanders – a lot of them are a little bit rounded as well – so they aren’t as easy to get into the corners as you might imagine. They are easier than a circle, but not as easy as a rectangle, but also not all rectangle sanders are the best.
Some rectangle sanders require you to wrap sandpaper around them and use their clamps to hold the sandpaper on, and others just have the velcro or hook and loop system to quickly change out the sandpaper.
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Best Sanders for Beginners
Keep all those factors in mind as we talk about our top picks for sanders, and let’s help you find the best option for you.
Dewalt Orbital Sander
For my favorite beginner sanders, the first one is the DeWalt Orbital Sander. This was my very first sander that I started with, and it was very durable and lasted me a very long time. It has a dust collection system. The grip is comfortable for me – I don’t have small hands.
It is aggressive in removing old finishes, but it also can work well to just sand wood finishes, fillers, or for scuff sanding. The biggest downside to it is that it can’t get into corners and edges very well because it goes in a circle. But other than that, it has been a fantastic sander.
Ryobi Corner Cat Sander
Another one that I really love is the Ryobi Corner Cat Sander. This is a triangle shaped sander, so you can get into the corners and edges a lot easier than the round one. It isn’t as aggressive as the orbital DeWalt, but it does do a very good job.
I feel like it’s just less aggressive, so I wouldn’t want to use it for removing the finish on an entire dresser. But for removing the finish on some drawers and small projects, it is fantastic. It’s also an awesome SurfPrep sander alternative! – check out this post for more on its features.
Types of Sanders
You may also want to know about the different types of sanders and their uses.
Again, we have orbital sanders, and these aren’t just the circular sanders. They can be, honestly, any shape, but they are a random orbit. They are really well known for removing finishes on old furniture and are also good for scuff sanding. Check out our list of the best orbital sanders here.
Detail sanders are more like the Ryobi Corner Cat. They’re better for tight spaces and intricate work. Learn about the best detail sander options in this post.
And then we have belt sanders. These, I have personally never used on furniture, but they can be either big and stationary, or you can have one that is more portable. They are usually very large and are really good for removing material and finishes very quickly, but they are not easy to control and handle. So I would not recommend them for furniture, but they can be useful for other big projects.
You might also want to consider one that has a dust collection system to attach a vacuum to. This helps suck up a lot of the dust while your sanding, allowing you to sand inside with very little dust in the air. Learn how to attach shop vac to sander in this guide!
Also, when sanding, wear a mask to protect your lungs and wear goggles to protect your eyes. Wearing gloves is a great idea as well, because using sandpaper can make your fingers really dirty, scratched, and rough.
More Sanding Tips
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