Best Sander for Deck Refinishing
The best sander for deck refinishing is a belt sander like the Makita 9403 for stripping old finish fast, paired with a random orbital sander such as the DEWALT DWE6423K for the final smooth pass. Sheet sanders suit railings and edges. Match your grit sequence, coarse to fine, to how weathered the boards are.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through a link on this page we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Whether you work in the construction industry or are a do it yourself homeowner, building and maintaining an outdoor wood deck is no simple feat. Not only does building and maintenance take many hours of labor, but materials are expensive if you are replacing parts. The benefit of a well maintained deck is that it can add a significant increase to a home’s value if it is well designed and looks good. Having the proper tools to do maintenance is important as you want to be able to complete the job in the most efficient and economical way possible. Here are some suggestions on which sander may be the best for the deck refinishing project you may be thinking about working on:
Types of Sanders
- Belt Sanders – these are powerful multiuse tools that can do everything from a small refinishing job to a major complicated one. A belt sander is set up exactly as its name entails, it has a belt or loop of sandpaper that runs in a continuous circular motion that does the sanding. These sanders range in size from medium to large but are surprisingly easy to handle. They can deal with large surfaces with little effort, because their sandpaper belts are wide and long. Belt sanders can work on a specific project for long periods of time without having to change the belt or resting the machine. They are tough tools and can handle difficult jobs. A significant benefit of their straight belt is that they will not leave any scratches or markups. They can have their belt either below or to the front of the tool. The ones with the belt in front allow the user to sand in more difficult areas. These sanders are versatile and handy and can be utilized to give a deck a complete refinishing.
- Random Orbital Finishing Sander – this particular type of sander is a handheld tool that uses an orbital movement with a disc-shaped piece of sandpaper to do its work spinning at around 10000 RPM. It rotates and vibrates simultaneously offering a clean and high-quality finish. This sander completes the job without leaving marks or patterns on the surface and is one of the best tools for high, fine grit sanding. They are adaptable to different tasks due to their varying sizes of the circular base. Depending on the size, its use in deck refinishing can take on different aspects.
- Big Sheet Sanders –These types of sanders are smaller, lighter tools that are easy to move around. They can be compared to the smaller belt sanders as both have the sanding area below the machine in a square or rectangle-shaped piece. The difference with a sheet sander is the sanding surface does not loop around the bottom as the belt sanders do. A sheet sander usually vibrates or uses an orbital movement to complete its work. They are great products for finishing jobs and are easy to use as they are light and work great on rectangular surfaces of a deck. They leave minimal scratches and marks and are easy to use for even the most inexperienced handler.
- Floor Drum Sander – This type of sander is one that is only used for deck refinishing if you are actually removing pieces or replacing some. It is a big tool that can take care of long flat surfaces by sanding them quickly and without a lot of energy on your part. You insert the piece of wood you want to be sanded into the machine and then it takes care of the refinishing work. While these sanders are beyond efficient, they are limited to pieces that can be removed from the project. They also take up a lot of space and are tend to be stationary due to their size and weight. They are not always the best sander basic deck refinishing.
Choosing the Sander That Works for You
Choosing the correct sanding tool will make your deck refinishing project simpler and allow you to do it with less effort. Before getting your sanding tools out, make sure the deck is swept with a stiff bristle broom and washed down warm water, soap and a mop to get rid of any excess grunge that can slow your sanding down. Rinse with clean water and give it 24 hours to dry out. Make sure you reinsert any nails or screws that have popped up over time to make sure there is nothing that will damage your sanding surface. Replace any warped boards and then you should be ready to go.
It’s important to know the type of wood you will be working on with your deck as hardwood will need a 20 grit sandpaper for the first go over and softwood a 50 grit. You will need to sand those awkward areas with a small sander using the same grit paper that you did in the main area. After you have done the first pass, vacuum the deck and make sure you have cleaned up all the dust. Then fill in areas with wood epoxy as needed and let that cure. Now you move to use a finer grit paper in your sander to do the next pass. If you started with a 20 grit, move to a 35 or 50. If you used 50 then use 80. This finer grit paper will get rid of any markings or scratches. Next, you will move to the final pass with the even finer paper of 80 or 100 depending on your previous one. Then you can seal it. Make sure to check the weather so you do not get caught in the rain. A longer period of dry weather is when this project should be done.
Now you know your options when it comes to the best sander for deck refinishing and what needs to be done, its time to make sure you have the correct sanding tool to refinish your deck.
Makita 9403 Belt Sander
This Makita sander has a very wide belt at 4”x 24” wide with a speed of 1640 feet per minute and the power to get any deck refinishing job done. Its 11 Amp powerful motor is quiet running at 85 decibels and is designed in a way that seals the motor and bearings so they stay clean for long life and use. It has electronic speed control to maintain a constant speed with no dips in power. The grip is large and positioned towards the front for comfort and at 13 lbs, will not put undue strain on the user.
This sanders dust bag is designed to swivel at 360° for easy use and the sander is double insulated. The cord placement is also designed well being on the upper part of the handle allowing maneuverability and less chance of getting in the way. Changing belts is a breeze with the easy lever control. The sander has a replaceable ceramic wear plate and a low profile that offers solid balance and very little gouging. As with most Makita power tools, this product is built to last that will give you great results while coming with a one year warranty when purchased new.
Bosch OS50VC Sheet Sander
Bosch always puts forward solid quality tools. This sheet sander is no different. It has a large ½ sheet sanding pad, low vibration and gives a solid performance when used. Its 3.4 Amp motor uses up to 11000 Orbits per Minute (OPM) and has a variable speed dial so you can choose to work anywhere between 8000-10000 OPMs. Bosch has added its exclusive suspension system which minimizes vibration adding to the user’s comfort.
This sheet sanders flush sanding ability means it can sand close to vertical surfaces on three sides. It is designed with a SheetLoc Supreme Paper Clamping system to make sure paper fits perfectly by pulling even regular sandpaper flat and tight. It also allows the use of stick-on sandpaper. This sander is ergonomically comfortable with soft grips positioned to reduce hand fatigue. Its clear microfilter dust canister has an integrated paper filter and screw cap making it easy to empty. It is built to last with a die-cast aluminum gear housing that gets rid of wobbles and high vibration. It also offers variable speed with its solid construction. The finish this Bosch sander will leave on your deck will be wonderful.
Bosch ROS20VSC random orbit sander with dust canister
Bosch continues to offer great products that will be perfect to use in the process of refinishing a deck. This random orbital sander has a 6.5 Amp motor that can run at variable speeds with no load speed 270 to 600 RPM and no-load orbit speed 3100 to 6500 OPM. It also comes with two sanding modes. It has its random orbit mode for regular sanding process and fine finishing as well as turbo mode that can be very aggressive in removing stock. Turbo does removal at 5 times the rate of the random orbit mode and offers a large 6” circular sanding pad using its random orbital motion.
This sander has a soft start to avoid start-up torque, its variable-speed can match any particular part of the deck work you need to do. Its vacuum port to collect dust is good to keep the area clean as it uses a passive dust collection system. This means you will need to purchase the cleaner and hoses separately, but the adapter is included and once the system is in place it will do a good job. This sanders’ flexible, general-purpose rubber pad allows for flat or contour sanding and will not gouge. This Bosch sander is built with quality that is meant to last a lifetime.
DEWALT DWE6423K Variable Speed Random Orbit Sander
DeWalt can never be faulted for poorly built tools. This particular sander is another best seller and is easy to use. Open the box, take the tool out, put on its dust bag and you are ready to sand your deck. This sander is a 5” Random Orbit sander that is on the market at a good price. It is versatile and can tackle the various bits of the deck in no time. It works fast and smooths out any rough areas without creating cross-grain marks and scratches.
This sander is compact in size, has variable speed and collects dust well. Its motor is 3 Amp and the pad spins at 8000-12000 RPM depending on the setting. Changing the pads is easy as well. It is short when it comes to a height allowing for a closer distance between the part being sanded and the user. DeWalt offers a particular separate counterweight design to lessen vibration and when combined with the rubber over mold that is in certain areas can help reduce user fatigue. Its switch is dust-sealed so it will have a longer life since there are no minute particles getting in and its dust bag is easily locked with one hand to make it easy. This DeWalt product comes with its own carrying case which makes transport easy and a great warranty should you need it.
Final Thoughts
Deck refinishing is no small task and the last thing you want to do is have to repeat it year after year because it has not been done properly. Doing the refinishing job correctly the first time does not mean you will not have to do it again, but it means you will not have to do it as often thus saving you time, energy and money. A good sander is crucial to making deck refinishing doable. Refinishing a deck properly with the best sander for the job will not only refresh the desks look but it will keep it maintained and add years to its life. All these things are a huge benefit when it comes to maintaining your home and sustaining or increasing its value. A little preventative maintenance work can save a lot of hassle.