Does your wooden floor look a little rough?
Maybe you’ve got an old floor that’s showing some wear and tear, or maybe a newly installed floor that’s lacking that oomph. What your woodworker soul needs is a power tool to help you smoothe and buff out those rugged surfaces to get a professional finish — a floor sander.
But buying a good floor sander is a major challenge, especially if you are new to power tools.
In this post, we look into the top four sanders on the market to go over their features. In the buying guide section, we will tell you about the factors that can guide you into identifying the ideal floor sander.
The Best Floor Sanders Are…
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Makita BO6030 — Best Overall |  Top Pick |
| Check Current Price |
| 2. Clarke 07081B |  |
| Check Current Price |
| 3. Lagler Hummel |  |
| Check Current Price |
| 4. Clarke Drum Sander Ez-8 Expandable Drum |  |
| Check Current Price |
1. Makita BO6030 — Best Overall
Mention the name Makita and woodworkers will go into a frenzy because of the brand’s reputation for making quality power tools. In the case of the BO6030, with its top of range features and technology, Makita did not disappoint!
The main selling point of the random Makita BO6030 sander is its powerful 120 volts motor that generates a maximum of 10,000 OPM (orbits per minute). This is strong enough to help you complete most of your floor sanding tasks in no time. Plus you can use this sander for finishing out things other than the floor.
Another notable thing about the sander is its awesome ergonomic design. Makita put a lot of effort into ensuring that you can work for longer with the machine without getting fatigued.
The sander comes with two handle designs, a rubberized rear one that allows you to easily control the switch and a front one for exerting more pressure and guiding the sander. If you are sanding corners, you can detach the front handle.
When we first set our eyes on this sander, its durability was easily noticeable. The sander is designed using cast metal that makes it firm and long-lasting. Further, its key features, such as the trigger switch, are positioned well to reduce clogging with dust cake. When you buy this sander, there is no doubt it will serve you for a long time.
Specs
- 5.2 pounds
- Cast iron
- Corded-electric
Pros
- Modern features that make sanding fast and fun
- Very light
- Easy to use even for novices
- Durable
Cons
- The sander requires you to bend when sanding floors
- You have to progressively apply pressure when sanding the floor
2. Clarke 07081B
When you think of a perfect floor sander, nothing gets beyond the Clarke 07081B. Its design is exceptional, with features that make it easy to complete your sanding tasks in no time. Well, no sanding task is too tough for Clarke 07081B.
The biggest selling point of the Clarke 07081B is its balanced design and a powerful 115 volts motor that makes sanding tasks easy. With its large and rectangular sanding pad, you can easily sand the entire floor in no time.
To make sanding tasks easier, the floor sander comes with easy to use controls. Its 154 pounds put ample pressure on the sandpaper so that you only need to hold the handle and guide the floor sander. We liked the idea of being able to sand an entire floor without exerting pressure – you do not get fatigued.
When working with a heavy-duty floor sander like Clarke 07081B, one would expect to get a lot of dust. Clarke engineers thought of that too and designed a cool dust collection mechanism. The sander comes with a big dust bag that collects all the dust so that your floor remains mess-free. You could also connect the sander to a vacuum cleaner for more dust collection.
Specs
- 154 pounds
- 20 x 18 x 45 inches
- Corded-electric
Pros
- Designed to last
- Easy to use for both professionals and newbies
- Ideal for sanding large floors
Cons
- Expensive
3. Lagler Hummel — Best Floor Sander for Hardwood Floors
Are you a professional woodworker with a lot of sanding tasks? Well, one of the top floor sanders that would serve you best is the Lagler’s Hummel Sander because of its sturdy construction and awesome features.
The Lagler Hummel is a powerful sander, do we say a sanding genius, constructed with a special focus on quality. The sander has an aggressive sanding drum that makes sanding tasks really easy.
Further, it has a three-stage drum pressure regulation that allows you to easily change the force depending on the nature of the floor. If you are sanding tough hardwood floors, hit the maximum pressure, and it will finish the job in no time.
Many belt sanders in the market have a problem with belt misalignment. But Lagler Hummel addresses the problem using an automated belt-guidance system. Therefore, you can work on an expansive floor without worrying that the belt will get stuck or misaligned.
Another selling point of this sander is its controllability. All the controls are easily accessible from a standing position to make sanding tasks easy and fun. Also, changing the sanding paper is pretty simple and fast.
Specs
- 154 pounds
- 20 x 18 x 45 inches
- Corded-electric
Pros
- Comes with an optimized dust collection system
- Designed to last
- Easy to use
Cons
- Pricey
- The dust bag is poorly positioned
4. Clarke Drum Sander Ez-8 Expandable Drum
This is another high-performance floor sander designed to deliver awesome results. Clarke wanted to create a sander that provides users with greater control and portability without compromising quality – they did not disappoint.
This sander is a heavy-duty 1-1/2 HP dual capacitor power tool that will easily complete all your sading tasks with ease. All of this power, coupled with the machine’s weight of 126 pounds, exerts ample pressure on the sanding pads for a smooth finish no matter how tough the grains are.
Another selling point of this sander is its sturdy construction. Clarke used cast aluminum that makes the sander strong and durable. To ensure that the motor lasts longer, it is totally enclosed. So, no need to worry it will get contaminated or bearings will suffer unnecessary friction from dust.
For professionals or hobbyists who need to work in different sites, moving this floor sander is really easy. You only need to disassemble the parts and assemble again on site. But you will need a hand to lift the sander to your truck.
Specs
- 126 pounds
- Aluminum
- Corded-electric
Pros
- Made to last
- Easy to disassemble when moving to a new worksite
- Ideal for both professional and DIY tasks
Cons
- Learning how to disassemble and assemble requires time
- Heavy
Buying Guide
Now that you’ve read our best floor sander reviews above, you might still be wondering, “How do I pick the ideal tool?” No need to worry – we got you covered on this end too!
Here are the things that you should consider when selecting a floor sander.
Understand The Different Sander Models
There are a number of alternatives that you can select when it comes to sanding your floor. Here are the top options you should consider:
Drum sanders: Mostly recommended for sanding large areas
Edge sanders: Recommended when you have a lot of edges and corners to work on
Orbital sanders: Best for small DIY floor sanding
Brand
This is a very important consideration when you are looking for a floor sander. To be sure of picking the ideal model, consider selecting the ones made by top brands such as Bosch, Clarke, and Makita.
Dust Collection System
A good sander should come with a reliable dust collection system that helps to achieve three things; leaves your floor mess-free, prevents the machine’s moving parts from getting clogged, and keeps the workplace healthy.
Portability
Where do you intend to use the sander? If you will be moving a lot, you should look for a model that is easy to carry from one site to another.
Price
The price of floor sanders ranges widely. It all depends on how much you want to use. But you need to be careful not to simply select the cheapest model; it is likely to be of poor quality.
Final Thoughts
The high-performance floor sanders we have reviewed in this post help to simplify the process of picking the ideal tool for your sanding tasks.
The power tools have well-thought features and are made by respected companies, so you can rest assured of enjoying every sanding task. Further, they have different prices to match every user’s budget.
Although all the four sanders we analyzed are top-notch and we stand by them, the Makita BO6030 is the best overall. With its balanced design, powerful motor, and easy to use controls that make it ideal for any floor sanding tasks, it has all you would want in a floor sander!
