27 Different Types of Sanders and Their Uses in 2023 (You must know)

We know that sanding is the most crucial part of any woodworking job. For final touches, we want the full perfection of the job despite the expense or time it requires, and undoubtedly this pleasure would come from a sander.

Although a sander is a primary tool for our woodworking projects, when it comes to using a sander for smoothing and polishing perfectly on particular surfaces, then it’s essential to use the right tool.

But regretfully, there are different types of sanders on the market in 2020 for various purposes. You may have used some of them or heard of all these, or maybe they’re entirely new to you.

So, at first, you must know what kind of sander is appropriate for your job, and also learn their specific features and uses.

Here I’m going to highlight a list of 27 different types of sanders with their unique features and uses to help you pick the most suitable one like an expert.

Enjoy!

27 Different types of sander with picture

1. Orbital Sander

Orbital sanders are lightweight, hand-held, and easy to use oldest type of sanders. The other common names of these sanders are finishing sander, circular sander, rotary sander, pad sander, sheet sander, vibrating sander, and so on.

Though these saws use to produce an ultra-smooth finish, you can also apply for rounding a hard corner or removing putty. Moreover, with its square edge, you can sand the critical wooden corner, where other sanders can’t touch.

You can handle it smoothly by using one hand for its lightweight, although it has an extra supporting handle. Its circular spinning head doesn’t bother your wrists.

2. Random Orbital Sander

People most often confused with the name random orbital sander and random sander. There are some similarities between both in design, but they are different from their working point and use of materials.

The random orbital sander uses round sanding pads while a squared sanding pad is used for the orbital sanders.

If you need to sand a large surface, then this will be your handy tool for better finishing and smoothing your jobs.

On comparison, a random orbital sander carries out the functions of both belt and orbital sander, but it’s not as powerful as them.

3. Belt Sander

Belt sanders are primarily used to mold wooden accessories. Besides, these are often essential for other materials to enhance the consistency of the them.

You can also use it for removing old paint, varnish or finish from wooden furniture.

This sander will be an excellent tool for significant woodworking and furniture making jobs due to its power and control.

It uses two drums to fit sandpaper for processing its operation.

4. Disc Sander

Disk sanders are a drilling machine extension. These sanders can be your great working tool for quick sanding experience.

They have a well-defined working edge that allows you to see the running work. You can use it to give proper flatness to a surface.

These woodworking tools are ideal for carving wood rather than smoothing. But with perfect sandpaper, its spinning disk can smooth the wooden surface.

It would help if you used both hands for using this sander.

5. Detail Sander

Depending on works, this sander is also known as triangle sander, corner sander, and the mouse sander. It can sand odd shapes effectively and is a handy tool for crafting.

However, the overall shape allows it to touch cracks that can’t get through the usual sander. You can use it to fit corners and tight areas with special adhesive sandpaper.

6. Drywall Sander

If you want to fix wall or ceiling joints, then you have to use this sander for better smoothing and high-quality finishing. Through its entirely dust-free sanding feature, it can provide a clean and safe working environment.

Also, a drywall sander allows you to smooth the plaster mix throughout the whole drywall construction.
The other great advantage of this sander is that the lightweight and infinitely flexible framework saves your time and energy, and reduces muscle fatigue.

7. Manual Sanding Block

It’s only one kind of lightweight drywall sander that’s great for small jobs. You can hold it easily in your toolbox for indoor and outdoor work where it is required.

This manual sanding block is often used for repairing broken drywall or rough ribs. Therefore, you can use it for wet sanding due to its manual system.

Its simple and compact size structure will help you to handle the sanding process comfortably.

8. Dustless Turbo Drywall Sander

Dustless turbo drywall sander collects dust and other molecules from the drywall. It is portable and usually used with vacuum cleaner.

This device is ideal for reaching the high ceiling and tough to navigate parts for its long stick and rectangular shape.

9. Portable Cable Sander

A portable cable sander is one of the dynamic tools that’s generally used for professional work. Using this cable sander, you can comfortably do sanding on ceilings and high walls.

10. Orbital Drywall Sander

It is another drywall type sander that can be used for drywall sanding. This lightweight sander uses a ladder to reach high places or ceilings. It is suitable for removing rust and paint as well as other home decor tasks.

11. Edging Sander

Edging sander is also a floor standing sander like the drum sander, but less heavy. Most of the user finds it as a great woodworking tool for durability.

Moreover, it is designed to hit areas( such as floor and stair surfaces) where drum sanders can’t be reached.

For positioning the workpieces with accurate height, there is a vertically shifting table with this sander.

This tool is mostly used for contouring, shaping, facing, and edging the workpieces. You can also make quick floor refinishing work with it.

12. Drum Sander

A drum sander is primarily used for scraping paint or adhesives and all other undesirable substances. You can also use it for both wood and plastic sanding.

From all the sanders, this floor-standing sander is bigger and heavier. It allows the arm height to be adjusted to match a variety of feedstocks.

13. Table Sander

A table sander is a stationery woodworking tool and also known as bench sander. If a stationary belt sander is placed on a table or bench, people consider it a table sander or a bench sander.

Usually, this massive sander is powerful and often found in large woodworking shops and factories. It has a more powerful sanding capability than other portable sanders, including bench sander or orbital sander.
Nonetheless, the most significant advantage is that you can be used both hands at once while sanding with a table sander. So Tasks will be more reliably performed.

14. Oscillating Spindle Sander

An oscillating spindle sander is a super useful tool fixed on a stationary table.  It’s a dual motion drum sander that oscillates up and down repeatedly so that you can easily sand an angle, a contour, or some other odd shape.

You can also sand more precisely with this tool.

15. File Sander

These sanders use a narrow belt, which helps them to fit into even small areas where ordinary sandpaper can’t be used effectively. These can be an electric or air-powered operating system. You can be used these for doing detail work.

16. Bench sanders

Bench sanders are for hard-working sanding. Their powerful and higher running speed is useful for sanding large and rough wood sections.

They use a lot of gross sandpaper for finishing up your job with something more gentle until you get your wood smoothed as well as possible.

17. Sandpaper

The sandpaper is made of different materials and is used for sanding different materials by hand. Different sandpaper categories reflect the particular nature of the abrasive, bonding agent, and the supporting material. You can’t use the same sandpaper for sanding wood and other materials.

18. Hand Sander

A hand sander will be the right choice if you want to work on a big sanding project. You may assume it more substantial in size from manual sanding block somehow.

It would give you opportunities to work slowly on a large piece of wood. So, you can keep a close eye that your finishing is going well.

For better and quick performance, you can use this sander instead of using only sandpaper.

19. Strip Sander

For doing similar work, strip sanders are working well for years. It’s a simple one-handed primary tool for manual wood sanding. You can get it more likes a table sander or the belt sander. The framework and the working methods are the same, including their usage.

20. Palm Sander

A palm sander is small in size but a useful tool. It’s comfortable for small jobs and not perfect for heavy-duty tasks due to it’s lightweight.

For finishing level sanding and gaining perfect smoothness of painted or varnished wooden equipment, this handy tool can be your desired one.

Moreover, by using a triangular sanding pad with it, you can also use it for precise sanding of curves or edges.

21. Sheet Palm Sander

A sheet palm sander is used to give the project a final finishing polish. It would be best if you used this sander to provide proper finishing before using paint or varnish.

Another major benefit is that the sheet palm sander is a very budget-effective tool.

22. DIY toothbrush Sander

This electric sander is for small works like smoothing burrs on plastic and light wood without using your hands manually.  The exciting thing is that, by following some steps carefully, you can easily make this kind of sander at home.

Only take a brush and remove all hair from the top of the head.. Just attach the sandpaper to it, and you are almost set to use your sander.

Just funny!

23. Stroke Sander

The stroke sander can handle a large scale of hard stroke removal. This sander consists mostly of three components: the wide table to carry the workpiece, the abrasive belt hanging between two wheels, and the accessory rail guide.

The accessories run along the belt loop.

The hand-operated plate slips on the ball roller to make it easier to use the proper pressure in the right position.

24. Straight Line Sander

Straight Line sander is commonly used for coarse sanding work, such as shaping and leveling oddly formed surfaces or smoothing the surface. You can complete the sanding work within a short time by using this sander.

This tool can be used on a variety of materials, including fiberglass, rubber, sheet metal, and so on.

25. Floor Sander

A floor sander is also called the deck sander, a drum sander, floor edger, a random orbital floor sander and is used to scrape the upper layer of the vast floor’s surface.

It is such a versatile tool that has a more exceptional sanding ability than others. In a short time, you can perfectly polish the floor using this sander.

26. Bow Sander

As the name bow, this sander shape is just like a bow. It’s a simple hand-sander, and so easy to make it at home. This sander lets you apply sandpaper with more consistent pressure on a curved edge rather than pressing it down by hand. It is perfect for lightening out curved borders on crafts and much better than a hand-held electric detail sander.

27.Variable Speed Random Orbital Sander with Polishing  Pad

For polishing and sanding of cars, marine, and other tasks, you can use this type of sander for better performance. It will give you a perfect finishing with its specific polishing pad and sanding disk.

Concluding Words:

Now, You have already known that using the right sander is the secret to ensuring the perfection level finishing of your jobs.

Just you have to know which type of sander you need to use if you

want your project to be completed for less expense, time, and energy.

Know the tools first to assure that the woodwork is finished beautifully just like a professional and also share your expertise with us by commenting below if you have any.