A sander is an essential tool that will get used in nearly any DIY projects involving wood. Sanders can be used to remove large amounts of material or finishing material easily and quickly, in addition to being able to create a smooth surface on your projects. But there are many types of sanders out there, and many of them can only be used for certain applications. One key to deciding on a sander is to get the one that will satisfy your needs best. Here are the types of sanders you will want to consider:



-- Belt Sanders --

Belt sanders are best used during the initial phases of large sanding jobs as well as for the starting phases of big refinishing jobs. Belt sanders take off large amounts of material quickly, so you need to be very careful to avoid scarring the material being sanded. Belt sanders can tend to be heavy. Think about getting one with an adjustable speed control as well as a button that allows the speed to be locked which will allow you to place your hands in the most comfortable position when using the sander; this also helps minimize user fatigue when using a belt sander.

-- Detail Sanders --

Detail sanders are little sanders that are designed to sand in tight areas, odd shapes, and around details like carvings, slats, curves and inlays. Detail sanders are oftentimes used for craft projects and on mill work like door and window casings. To get the best use from your detail sander, purchase one that has a lot of attachments since this will make your sander more configurable and make it suited for more situations.

-- Disc Sanders --

Disc sanders come as both hand-held and bench-mounted versions. The hand-held versions are most intended for home projects whereas the bench-mounted models are usually used by people who need to perform sanding on a larger scale. But there are some smaller bench-mounted options that are still cheap enough to be useful to the occasional user. Disc sanders are excellent for sanding angled edges and for finishing the end grain of wood. If you are thinking about getting a bench-mounted disc sander, additional features you will want to consider include: a sliding miter gauge, a tilting table, and a belt sander on the frame.

-- Random-Orbit Sanders --

Random-orbit sanders have round pads that move in a circle with a random pattern. The random motion lets the user move the sander in any direction on the material being sanded, even across the grain, without scratching the material surface. This is the easiest to use type of sander and it is an excellent choice for a multi-purposes sanders; this makes it an excellent choice for the home user. Most random-orbit sanders necessitate the use of special sand paper designed specifically for the brand/model of the sander being used.

-- Sheet Sanders --

Sheet sanders come in different sized models that use 1/4 or 1/3-sheets of standard-sized sheet sandpaper. Some models of sheet sanders require the use of specialized sand paper with adhesive or velcro used to fix the sand paper to the sander. Other sheet sanders can make use of use any type of sheet sand paper. Obviously, the latter type of sheet sander is more flexible for the everyday user. Unlike the random-orbit sander, the sheet sander moves the sand paper along the axis of the tool, so sheet sanders must be moved along the direction of the grain of the material being sanded to avoid marring the surface. Sheet sanders are very versatile and, like the random-orbit sander, they can be used on a lot of different types of projects.

-- Spindle Sanders --

Spindle sanders are excellent for edge sanding, especially on curves. Spindle sanders are always bench-mounted tools with a cylindrical spindle located in the middle of a large worktable. As such, spindle sanders tend to be used by more industrial users and wood-working enthusiasts. If looking for a spindle sander, your best option is to purchase one with an oscillating spindle; the oscillations increases the removal rate of material and it reduces the chance of gouging the stock being sanded.