Best Sander for Furniture Restoration or Refinishing Furniture

Sanding is quite an important process if you are making furniture. You need to sand all the details and corners of the furniture and make it smooth to look good and stylish. Otherwise, all your efforts to make furniture can go to waste. But sanding is a hard, boring, time-consuming inevitable process. So, to help you out with this, you need the best sander for furniture. In this article, you will find the buying guide and also a detailed top 10 list of sanders that work well for furniture. By the end of it, you will know all about the sanders that will help you choose the best one from it. 

Top 10 Best Furniture Sander Reviews 2023

If you are looking for sanding machines that can help make your furniture easier, check out the top 10 best sanders for furniture below. We have added their functions, performance, and features with their pros and cons to help you find the one that you need. 

Best Palm Sander for Furniture- Bosch ROS20VSC With Variable Speed

This corded sander is one of the best-corded sanders in the market that can create a smooth finish while restoring furniture. It is a lightweight sander weighing only about 3.5 pounds, and having a motor of 2.5 amp can surely be a handy tool in your workshop. With its variable speed option, any beginner can work like a professional and start from low speed while fully controlling the tool. The sander also comes with a pad dampening system that eliminates swirl marks on the workpiece. This affordable compact random orbital sander can reach places that a big size sander cannot. 

Pros Of The Bosch ROS20VSC

• A good dust collection system has a microfilter that collects all small dust particles
• Variable speed option
• Pad dampening system
• Transparent dust canister shows the dust level
• Sanding pads have the hook and loop system that makes the changing pads easier.

Cons

• The dust collection system might not be that good after a few uses

DEWALT Random Orbit Sander Cordless (DCW210D1)

Cordless sanders give you the freedom to go anywhere and work with a sander. It does not need any electric power or extension cords. The Dewalt DCW210D1 orbital sander weighs about 4.29 pounds but still is light enough to carry around easily. It also comes with a 2.0 Ah battery that provides enough power to sand for a long time. This one also comes with a variable speed setting which is really helpful while sanding some delicate materials. Rubber over-mold grip ensures you have a comfortable grip while working with this sander.

Advantages Of The DEWALT DCW210D1

• The sanding pad has eight holes that help dust get in the dust bag
• Variable speed and cordless operation made this one of the best sanders for furniture refinishing
• Rubberized grip for comfort
• Easily replaceable hook and loop sanding pad
• Low profile build-up helps to get close to the surface while sanding
• Lightweight and compact
• Easy to carry as it is the best cordless sander for furniture refinishing or stripping
• Can also have a PSA sanding pad
• Also can connect to a vacuum hose for better dust collection

Disadvantages

• The battery might not work for long hours 

BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 Mouse Detail Sander in Compact Size

Getting all the details while making furniture is quite important. A mouse sander like the BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 can help with that. It can go 14000 orbits per minute, and with its compact size, it can reach any tight place. This sander offers three different grips to give you precision while maneuvering, reaching tight spaces, and sanding the surface. Its 1.2 amp motor might not look like much, but it can hold high speed for long hours so that you can sand all the details of your workpiece.

Pros

• Has high-performance dust filtration system
• A three-position grip gives more flexibility
• It comes with a dust canister
• Has a detailed finger attachment to the places that are hard to reach
• Hook and loop sanding pads 
• Affordable price

Cons

• The detailed finger attachment might come off after a few uses

Ingersoll Rand Straight Line Air Sander 315G Edge Series

The Ingersoll Rand air sander has your back if you need to cover a large area for sanding. It comes with a 15-inch sanding pad that can cover a huge area quite easily. This sander is lightweight and creates less vibration, making it comfortable to work for long hours. Strong paper clamps hold on to the sandpaper and keep them in place so that they do not slip away when you work. They also make the changing of the sandpaper an easy process. With its ergonomic design and comfortable handle, it can complete all heavy-duty tasks easily. 

Pros

• Good for smoothing body filler or leveling flat surfaces
• User-friendly 
• Has ergonomic design and a comfortable handle
•  Paper clamps hold down the sanding paper securely and also make the paper easy to change.
• With the long straight line, it can cover large areas quickly
• High-performance sander
• It comes with a twin-piston design
• Variable speed

Cons Of The Ingersoll Rand

• The sander is not that durable

Durable Makita BO4556 Finishing Sander For Beginners 

Makita is a popular brand that is famous for its good quality belt sanders. Makita BO4556 sander comes with a 2 amp motor that can deliver 14000 OPM for better smooth sanding. This lightweight sander only weighs around 2.5 pounds which makes it easy to handle and perfect for beginners. It has a ball-bearing construction that will reduce the amount of vibration and noise to be comfortable for the user. The contoured rubberized grip gives a comfortable hold too. It also comes with an efficient dust collection system that collects dust through the pad. 

Things we like

• Lightweight and compact
• It has a ball bearing system
• Low on noise and vibration
• Can reach really high speed
• Rubberized palm grip gives both comfort and control
• Paper clamps make easy paper installations
• An efficient dust collection system
• Prevents dust contamination

Limitations

• It might not last long

SKIL SR250801 Detail Sander With Micro Filter Dust Collection

The transparent dust canister is one of the main attractions of this sander. You can easily see what is going on inside and if it is ready to be emptied or not. However, the tiny size might need frequent cleaning up. The small compact-sized SKIL SR250801 sander can work on details very well with its 1 amp motor. It can deliver smooth performance with its 12000 orbits per minute. This sander is comfortable to use as it has an ergonomic design, a comfortable top, and low vibrations. 

Pros Of The SKIL SR250801

• Counterweight balance helps to lower vibration
• Lightweight and compact
• Microfiltration dust collection system
• Dust sealed power switch
• Easy to change sanding pad
• Can connect to a vacuum hose for better dust collection
• Powerful sander

Cons

• Hard to find sanding pads that fit the sander

PORTER-CABLE 382 Random Orbit Sander With 5-inch Disc

The PORTER-CABLE 382 Random orbital sander has a lightweight body that is easy to carry around. One of the features of this sander is that it has a controllable pad speed that can prevent gouging and damaging the workpiece. It leaves no swirl marks like other sanders in the market. Also, it is not only suitable for woods. You can also use it on metal or plastic to get a smooth, leveled surface. The 1.9 amp motor gives it enough power to deliver the speed of 12000 OPM. Its ball-bearing construction makes it sturdy, durable, and long-lasting.

Short feature review of this furniture sander

• It comes with a dust-sealed switch
• A good dust collection system
• Dual plane counterbalance fan to reduce fatigue of the user
• Compact and lightweight
• Suitable for beginners and DIY workers
• Hook and loop sandpaper makes changing pads easier
• Provides maximum speed to work heavy-duty

Lacks we found

• Vibrates too much

Best Orbital Sander for Refinishing Furniture- GALAX PRO 280W

The GALAX PRO orbital sander comes with strong construction and a strong copper motor. It is capable of handling any tough material and sanding it smoothly. The built-in dust collection system and an additional dust bag of the sander can help collect dust efficiently and effectively. With this sander, you will have a clean workplace which will hardly need any cleaning. The 5-inch disc can help sand large areas quickly without taking much time. This sander is good for smoothing rough edges, removing paint or stains from wood or metal, and so much more. 

Pros

• Powerful motor made of copper
• Through the pad dust collection system
• Dustproof switch
• Variable speed with almost 6-speed options
• Comfortable grip from rubberized top
• Good to cover large areas of sanding
• Velcro-type sandpaper has a stronghold

Cons

• Not so compact

ZFE Mini Air Sander with 15 Polishing Pads 

This mini air sander works best to sand those little corners and tight places hard to reach for the other sanders. It is lightweight and weighs only about 2.33 pounds. The ZFE mini sander is high in stability and performance as it delivers a speed of 15000 OPM. It has an eccentric double rotation polishing method that helps to polish workpieces smoothly. This sander comes with many different buffing and sanding pads.  

Advantages Of The ZFE Mini Air Sander

• Good for buffing, polishing, and waxing
• Affordable
• Can reach all tight places easily
• It comes with buffing and sanding pads
• Has high technology eccentric double-rotation polishing method
• Low on vibration
• Consumes low energy
• Adjustable speed option
• Non-slip heat resistant handle

Setbacks

• It might leak air in some cases

Enertwist ET-DS-100 (Renewed) Mouse Detail Sander  

This detailed mouse sander is all you need while working the detailed area of your furniture. It is lightweight and compact size and comes with a scrubbing pad, sandpaper, and a detailed finger attachment. The Entertwist ET-DS 100 comes at an affordable price that will fit everyone’s budget. Its impressive performance will take care of all the other sanding jobs. A comparatively quiet 0.8 amp motor delivers 13000 OPM, which is perfect for all kinds of woodworking and detailed work.

Pros Of The Enertwist ET-DS-100

• Creates less noise
• Lightweight mini sander
• It has a powerful DC motor
• Dust sealed on/off switch
• A transparent dust canister helps to see when it needs to be emptied
• Velcro base plate ensures easy sandpaper installation
• Efficient and effective while sanding

Limitations

• Cannot sand large areas

Best Sander For Furniture Buying Guide

To make furniture from scratch, you will need some basic tools. So if you are new to this, you will need to know about the sanders better. Let’s take a look at those-

Detailed Sander 

These sanders are essential when it comes to sanding furniture. These come in medium grit so that they cannot take off too much material. Also, it can go both ways and sand a flat surface and the tight hard to get places. Imagine sanding a stool. The flat surface and the legs will need sanding from a sander. A detailed sander will take care of all of them. 

Random Or Orbital Finishing Sanders

The easy-to-use random orbital sanders are the most popular ones in the market. But they are not the same as the orbital sanders. Random orbital sanders oscillate and rotate randomly while the orbital sanders do not. However, random sanders have a coarser grip that can take off materials. So, you can choose orbital sanders just for the finishing touches on the sander. 

Belt Sander

These sanders are perfect for wooden floors but work well for large furniture too. The belt sanders are big, so they will not reach all the corners of most furniture. They are mostly meant for heavy-duty sanding as they are tough and take off a significant amount of material from the workpiece. 

While considering a sander, you need to look at some of the key features in it. Different sander will have different features depending on the work they will do. Let’s look at the things you must check before investing in a sander.

Power

The power of the sander is another important factor of a sander. But getting the most powerful sander will not solve all your problems here. The power of the sander depends on the material of the wood you will be working on. How much material you need to get removed also depends on the furniture. Normally, you just need to sand out a thin layer, and for that, you will not need anything too powerful. Anything close to 1 amp will work fine when you work with a sander.

Speed

You might think that speed depends on power, but that is not always true. However, go for the sander that has the option of variable speed. With a variable speed option, you will be able to use a single sander on different types of furniture. However, if your work is only to smooth the surface before painting it, you can choose a sander with a single speed.

Sandpaper vs. Electric Sander

The old and famous way to refinish furniture is by sandpaper. Sanding by hand to reach all the corners and tight places might sound convenient, but it is really time-consuming. Electric sanders have taken over the market now. You can easily find varieties of sanders that can do all the detailed work. Working with a machine will take less time and give you less fatigue. If you prefer to use sandpaper, you can, but if you have a lot of furniture to take care of, that will take almost forever. We suggest investing in some good quality sanders to get all your work done with low effort.  

Conclusion

Electric sanders are here to make our life easier. So if you are a professional or starting out working on furniture, you better invest in some good quality sander. They can make your life easier and save you some precious time. By now, you probably have chosen a sander that works best for you, but if you have not, here is a suggestion to help you decide.

Go for the BLACK+DECKER BDEMS600 detail sander as it is now the best sander for furniture available. It is good for any kind of detailed work with a lot of other features. Also, it is affordable and easy to use, so anyone can use it without facing any problems. This sander is also corded, so it will not cost you extra money to buy batteries frequently. However, not everyone’s needs are the same, so you might need a completely different sander from the list above. Choose the one sander that works best for you and make furniture.

FAQs

What kind of sander is best for sanding furniture?

The type of sander usually depends on the type of furniture. However, palm sander, also known as the detailed sander, is the best one for any kind of furniture. You can also purchase orbital sanders as they work best at smoothing out surfaces, while detailed sanders can take care of the details. 

What kind of sander will give a good finish to the furniture?

Random orbital sanders will give a smooth finishing to any furniture you work on. Some of them come with a pad dampening system that does not leave marks on the workpiece. 

What if you don’t sand your furniture before painting it?

Not sanding the furniture before painting will leave some bumps and uneven places on the furniture, which will be more visible after you have painted it. Painting it after sanding will give a smooth surface so that the paint can glide on it easily. If you decide on sanding the furniture after painting it, the paint will come off the furniture. So, you should always try to sand before painting.

Does using sander leave marks on the furniture?

Some sanders might leave scratches or belt marks on the surface, but they will no longer be visible after you put primer and paint over it. However, you will also find some sanders that are designed not to leave marks.